Mo money, mo problems? Not so much.
There's a lot to be said for the lifestyles of the rich and famous. Of course, just because someone is famous doesn't mean he or she is necessarily rich. Some celebrities have truckloads of capital, while others, surprisingly, not so much. Yet beyond cold cash, it all comes down to the big picture. Celebrity net worth: who has it, who doesn't?
"Celebrity" is a commodity in and of itself. Many of the biggest names in entertainment earn what some small countries run on in a year, yet they lack significant celebrity net worth.
Here are a handful of those who are floating on the proverbial celebrity cloud and those who surprisingly walk among us.
O-mazing
She may not be sitting across from high-profile guests on her daily talk show anymore, but Oprah Winfrey remains atop the celebrity food chain. Not only does she have, as of March 2014, a financial net worth of $2.9 billion (yup, that's a "b"), but Oprah also ranks numero uno in celebrity net worth, according to Forbes' 2013 list of the most powerful celebrities.
This list is a combined look at annual financial earnings ($77 million for Oprah as of June 2013), as well as the overall wealth of celebrity, which looks at the following levels of presence a celebrity has on American consumers:
- TV;
- print; and
- Internet.
Lindsay Loses
Lindsay Lohan paid a big price for her bratty behavior. Not only did she emotionally spiral out of control, so did her bank account. Celebrity Net Worth (CNW) reported at the beginning of 2013 that she was worth $10,000, though another page lists her net worth at $500,000. Either way, the mercurial actress has seen better days – financially speaking.
The IRS even seized her bank accounts to fork over $200,000 in back taxes. CNW reports that she received $2 million for interviews with Oprah Winfrey in 2013, but a good portion of the profits will go toward paying back taxes and rehab fees.
Ga-Ga-Gargantuan
Sometimes dressing in a raw meat outfit or having someone regurgitate on you during your show are just the ways to keep your fans happy and hungry for more. The wildly popular pop singer's earnings totaled a whopping $80 million. Now that's something to go ga-ga over.
And as of June 2013, the Queen Monster also touts 65 million Facebook fans and 41 million Twitter followers (both of which have likely risen since you started this article). It is a kind of presence that goes beyond cash earnings and skyrockets Gaga to #2 on the Forbes list.
Boo-Hoo Bow Wow
The rapper and actor known as Bow Wow shares the back-room spotlight with Lindsay Lohan as he plummets to a net worth of about $300,000, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Once at the top of his game with seven albums under his belt and appearances in major motion pictures such as Madea's Big Happy Family, Bow Wow let it all go to the dogs.
A few years ago, he was ordered to pay $11,500 in back child support and $3,000 a month going forward, despite telling the judge he earned $4,000 a month and had only $1,500 in checking, reports CNW. At one point, he also owed $125,000 in luxury car leases and roughly $90,000 to Uncle Sam. Who says life isn't ruff for some celebs?
Beyoncé's Booty
She sure has a nice shape to go along with her fiscal figure; Forbes reported earnings of $53 million last year for the Queen B. Beyoncé is at the top of her game (earning more than husband Jay-Z yet again) with an astounding $2 million raked in at every city where her tour stops.
Her clothing line (House of Deréon) continues to receive endorsement residuals (Pepsi; H&M), and she has truckloads of cash still streaming in from old hits. Such a presence brings her celebrity net worth to #4 on the Forbes list. For now, it looks like staying rich is her destiny.
Caged in
Apparently winning an Oscar is not a Teflon-coated assurance of smooth sailing in the financial department. Despite countless motion pictures, Nicolas Cage, with his affable, Jimmy-Stewart-esque quality, could not shake off the aftermath of his relentless bad financial decisions.
Cage sued his business manager, who countersued, according to The Street, saying, "...he told Cage to spend within his means but couldn't stop him from buying $33 million in homes, 22 cars, 47 pieces of artwork and a $276,000 skull of a Tarbosaurus." With a net worth of $18 million, you would think he'd be styling and profiling, but his spending may have him hawking his acting chops well into his golden years.
The Beebs
Social media comes just short of seizing up every time Justin Bieber tweets. Owning the top social rank on the Forbes 100 Most Powerful Celebrities list (2013), the Beebs is not just another egg-throwing, tantrum-having musician; he's also a savvy business lad. Or has some business-savvy lads or ladies advising him. At least for the time being…
Either way, Enflick, Tinychat and Spotify are just a few of this crooner's startup investments to add to his recent earnings of $58 million, according to the Forbes list. He was #9 on the celebrity list and was ranked #4 in both TV/radio and press.
Sniped by the Tax Man
Wesley Snipes was plastered across every news outlet a few years back when his fall from fame landed him three years in the slammer. That's right, this famous film fixture, seen in such films as White Men Can't Jump, Waiting to Exhale and the Blade trilogy spent three years in prison because he failed to pay taxes for several years. Snipes was released in 2013. Oddly enough, CNW reports that Snipes has managed to maintain a net worth of $10 million.
Throughout the years, many celebrities have learned the hard way that fame is fleeting – and so is their financial security. For some, it's here one day, gone the next. Meanwhile, those who aren't penny wise and pounds foolish will be eating off the silver spoon for years to come.