Reese Witherspoon is officially the world’s richest self-made female actor, with a staggering net worth of US$440 million ($673 million).
That’s according to business publication Forbes, which released its list of “America’s richest self-made women” on Thursday (US time).
It has the Oscar-winning actor and producer in 59th place – the only woman make the list for their earnings from an acting career.
Also on Forbes‘ list are TV talk show doyenne Oprah Winfrey (no.13, with a net work of $US2.5 billion), reality star Kim Kardashian (no.22, $US1.2 billion), TV host Ellen DeGeneres (no.73, $US380 million), and singers Taylor Swift (no.34, $US740 million), Rihanna (no.20, $US1.4 billion), Madonna (no.45, $US580 million) and Beyonce (no.48, $US540 million). None have acting as their primary profession.
The list is topped by businesswoman and film producer Diane Hendricks, who has a net worth of $15 billion. Other notable names include former Facebook boss Sheryl Sandberg (no.17, $US1.7 billion), former YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki (no.32, $US780 million) and singer Dolly Parton (sharing spot no.59 with Witherspoon, $US440 million).
Witherspoon, 47, is a prolific actor known for lead roles in critically acclaimed films such as The Man in the Moon, Pleasantville, Wild and Election. She won the 2006 Oscar for best actress for Walk the Line, and again in
Witherspoon is also one of Hollywood’s highest-paid stars, pocketing $US35 million so far in 2023, according to Women in the World.
But the recent surge in her net worth is being attributed to the 2021 sale of her production company Hello Sunshine, in a deal worth $900 million.
Witherspoon founded Hello Sunshine in 2016 so she could tell women-driven stories to “change the way all women are seen in media”. Its hits include TV shows such as Big Little Lies, Little Fires Everywhere and The Morning Show. She has starred in all three.
Forbes said Witherspoon still had an 18 per cent state in Hello Sunshine.
Her source of overall wealth is labelled “self-made” through entertainment. Forbes defines self-made as “someone who built a company or established a fortune on her own, rather than inheriting some or all of it. As long as the list member didn’t inherit a business or money, she is labelled self-made”.
Earlier this year, Witherspoon and husband Jim Toth announced they were splitting after more than a decade of marriage.
“It is with a great deal and consideration that we have made the difficult decision to divorce,” Witherspoon said in a statement posted to Instagram.
“We have enjoyed so many wonderful years together and are moving forward with deep love, kindness, and mutual respect for everything we have created together.
“Our biggest priority is our son and our entire family as we navigate this next chapter. These matters are never easy and are extremely personal.”
They are expected to share custody of their 10-year-old son, Tennessee James. Witherspoon also has two other children – Ava and Deacon – from her earlier marriage to actor Ryan Phillippe.
