Even Though They’re Retired, These Stars Are Still Worth A Lot Of Money
The entertainment industry is a volatile one, even for some of its biggest stars. Whether it's due to bad investments or betrayals from within their teams, some are in a precarious enough financial situation that it seems unlikely that they'll have a chance to retire.
But for others, their accomplishments have been both fulfilling and lucrative enough that retirement doesn't seem possible in the future but is in the cards right then and there. As they see it, they've gotten as much out of their careers as anyone can and are happy to finally leave behind the fast-paced worlds of showbiz and sports. And while some of the names here may surprise you, the war chests they're taking with them likely won't.
Chris Hemsworth ($130 million)
Chris Hemsworth's wealth accumulation was directly tied to his breakout role as Thor in the Avengers series, but The South China Morning Post has also identified his seven-figure endorsement deals with Hugo Boss and Tag Heuer as a major factor in his success.
But in an interview with Vanity Fair, the actor mentioned that learning he has a genetic predisposition for Alzheimer's disease made him re-evaluate his fast-paced lifestyle and want to spend time watching his kids grow before they become adults themselves. He doesn't consider the break he's taking a full retirement, but a strict selectiveness for future roles. As he put it, "[I was] not really kind of enjoying what was right in front of me."
Serena Williams ($260 million)
Thanks to both the tennis legend's impressive career and her investment ventures identified by Forbes, Serena Williams has amassed millions in the process of becoming one of the greatest ever to play the sport.
But while NBC News has reported that her chances of returning to tennis are "very high," she stepped away from the sport after the U.S. Open in an essay for Vogue. As she wrote, "I’m evolving away from tennis, toward other things that are important to me. A few years ago I quietly started Serena Ventures, a venture capital firm. Soon after that, I started a family. I want to grow that family."
Jim Carrey ($180 million)
According to Parade, Jim Carrey's record-breaking popularity in the '90s as a comedic leading man led to a career of soaring paychecks. But he decided to bring that all to a close in April of 2022 when he suddenly announced his retirement during an interview with Access Hollywood.
He maintained that he was "fairly serious" about this decision unless a dream project should come along, saying, "This is something you might never hear another celebrity say as long as time exists – I have enough. I've done enough. I am enough."
Bad Bunny ($18 million)
According to Cosmopolitan, the Latin pop star Bad Bunny has an estimated take-home net worth of $18 million after his 2020 album YHLQMDLG was the year's most streamed. His 2022 record Un Verano Sin Ti, would go on to similar levels of acclaim and success.
However, the artist told Billboard that he started 2023 with an indefinite break from music, committing to only "sporadic" engagements. For the time being, any further music will be released according to his whims rather than to any contract.
Ben Roethlisberger ($100 million)
Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was named one of the world's highest-paid athletes by Forbes, who estimated his salary at $22 million per year. That factored heavily into the total $100 million Celebrity Net Worth estimate of the wealth he's amassed throughout his career.
And while the NFL star was vague about his reasons for retiring from football in 2021, it was a decision he was serious about. ESPN reported him as saying, "The time has come to clean out my locker, hang up my cleats and continue to be all I can be to my wife and children. I retire from football a truly grateful man."
Doja Cat ($8 million)
According to Cosmopolitan, Doja Cat's success in hip hop was spurred by her number one hit, "Say So," but was bolstered by brand partnerships ranging from Pepsi to CandyCrush that led her to her estimated $8 million net worth.
However, it seems that the rapper is ready to retire from public life in general after announcing her intention to quit music in a controversial response to backlash following a canceled appearance. Although she's remained committed to scheduled tours, she tweeted, "Everything is dead to me, music is dead," on March 2022 and has not wavered from this position since.
Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen ($250 million each)
Although The South China Morning Post identified Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen's former child stardom as a significant driver for their success, the outlet suggested that most of their combined half-billion comes from their high-end fashion line, The Row.
As for what led them to set aside acting for fashion design, HuffPo reported that even as children, both twins felt more like businesswomen than actresses. In Ashley's words, "I ever get back in [Hollywood], it's not going to be as an actress."
Sandra Bullock ($250 million)
According to Cosmopolitan, Sandra Bullock's career as both an actress and producer has netted her an estimated net worth of a quarter of a billion dollars. But while she told People that she doesn't want to think of herself as retiring, she has announced while promoting her latest film, The Lost City, that she will be taking an indefinite break from showbiz.
Part of this decision comes from a desire to devote more time to her family, but burnout also seems to be a major factor. In her words, "I don't want to be beholden to anyone's schedule other than my own... I'm so burnt out. I'm so tired, and I'm so not capable of making healthy, smart decisions, and I know it."
Gwyneth Paltrow ($200 million)
Although Forbes put Gwyneth Paltrow's Iron Man 3 salary at $19 million, Cosmopolitan reported that she has since amassed over 10 times that lofty number thanks to her controversial lifestyle brand Goop.
But while that empire often causes backlash for the movie star, an interview with Sirius XM's Bruce Bozzi suggests she's happier running it than she felt as an actress. Part of the reason for that is that it lets her stay closer to home with her friends and family. As she said, "Like, I don't want to be alone in a hotel room in Budapest for six weeks ... it's just not who I am."
Roger Federer ($550 million)
According to Parade, the tennis star's legendary career has earned him close to $100 million in prize money, but his endorsement deals over the years (particularly with Rolex) have earned him hundreds of millions more.
As The Guardian reported, Roger Federer retired in the wake of multiple serious knee injuries. In a September 2022 statement, he wrote, "Tennis has treated me more generously than I ever would have dreamt, and now I must recognize when it is time to end my competitive career."
Daddy Yankee ($40 million)
With two massive worldwide hits, 2004's "Gasolina" and 2017's "Despacito" with Luis Fonzi, Daddy Yankee could credibly boast that he is the international face of reggaeton. And according to Celebrity Net Worth, his decade-spanning career has earned him an estimated net worth of $40 million.
But while it's unclear what influenced this decision, NPR reported the artist's intention to retire after the 2022 release of his seventh album LEGENDADDY, and its accompanying tour.
Portia de Rossi ($50 million)
Although Celebrity Net Worth noted that the Arrested Development actress' wealth is largely connected with wife Ellen DeGeneres's business empire, they nonetheless estimate that she has around $50 million to her name.
Speaking of Arrested Development, People reported that any further seasons of the show are the only exceptions Portia de Rossi would make to her otherwise total retirement from acting. In her words, "I kind of knew what acting would look like for me for the next 10, 20 years, so I decided to quit and start a business."
Jimmie Johnson ($160 million)
After racing professionally for over 20 years, seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson has amassed some impressive acknowledgments. And with them came his status as one of NASCAR's highest-paid race car drivers, which Yahoo! Finance partially found responsible for his estimated $160 net worth alongside endorsements.
But while Johnson left NASCAR in 2020, ESPN has since reported in September 2022 that he retired from full-time racing entirely. He has indicated that this step was taken to spend more time with his family, saying, "In the big scheme of things, there is so much life planning going on with the kids."
David Lee Roth ($60 million)
Former Van Halen frontman, David Lee Roth, has a career as a musician spanned almost 50 years, and in that time, Celebrity Net Worth estimated that he attained a net worth of $60 million as part of that band and as a solo artist.
But as impressive as his career has been, Roth suddenly indicated in a 2021 statement to the Las Vegas Review-Journal that he was finished with it and subsequently retired without explanation.
Sue Bird ($5 million-$8 million)
Although The Sun wasn't entirely clear on how much WNBA star Sue Bird's contracts, endorsements, and sponsorships have earned her throughout her career, the outlet estimated her net worth at somewhere between $5 million and $8 million.
Although Bird had initially planned to leave The Seattle Storm and professional basketball at large after the 2021 season, NPR reported that she delayed her retirement for another year at the chanted request of her fans. As she said, "I'm proud of everything we've accomplished here."
Jennette McCurdy ($3.5 million)
Although she's best known for her co-starring role on iCarly, Celebrity Net Worth factored her country pop singing and songwriting, her ventures as a writer, and her directing and production into their $3.5 million estimate of her net worth.
But while her acting career may have been lucrative, she indicated on her podcast Empty Inside that she never wanted to be in the entertainment industry and only did so at her late mother's behest. For that reason, she quit in the late 2010s and has since said, "With her death kind of died a lot of her ideas for my life, and that was its own journey and a difficult one for sure."
Eva Mendes ($20 million)
According to the Evening Standard, Eva Mendes amassed an estimated $20 million during her time as a prominent actress in movies like Hitch and Ghost Rider. The outlet also noted her work as a model and some unspecified business ventures that likely contributed to this valuation.
But while Mendes has never formally retired, she's only acted sporadically over the last ten years and told Variety that she quit because she grew tired of fighting for good roles and preferred to raise her family. As she put it, "I thought, 'I'm going to create my own opportunities and become a producer on things and create my own material,' but it just didn't feel worth it to me."
Daniel Day-Lewis ($60 million)
Three-time Oscar-winner Daniel Day-Lewis is widely considered among the best actors of his generation, if not all time. And judging by Celebrity Net Worth's $60 million estimate of his net worth, that prestige apparently allowed him to angle for some serious paychecks.
But while he gave up acting following the release of 2017's Phantom Thread, he can only chalk the reason why up to an unexpected sadness he felt while making the movie. In his words, "That happened during the telling of the story, and I don't really know why."
Meg Ryan ($85 million)
Known as "America's sweetheart" during the peak of her acting days, Meg Ryan's successes in romantic comedies such as When Harry Met Sally and You've Got Mail provided enough of a springboard for her career that Celebrity Net Worth estimates her wealth at $85 million.
But according to the New Zealand Herald, she eventually lost interest in acting and found fame exhausting and isolating enough that she retired from Hollywood in 2019. As she said, "I was burned out. I didn't feel like I knew enough anymore about myself or the world to reflect it as an actor. I felt isolated."
Terrence Howard ($5 million)
Although Empire and Crash star Terrence Howard has had a messy public life in many ways, his movie and TV roles have granted him enough success that Celebrity Net Worth estimates his wealth at $5 million.
But while he considered retiring from acting in 2020, People reported that Howard apparently made the decision final in 2022, saying, "I asked Sidney Poitier ten years ago does he want to do any more work, and he said, 'Why would I spend my last ten years doing an impersonation of myself?' And that's what I've gotten to."
Elton John ($550 million)
According to Forbes, music legend Elton John made $81 million in 2020 alone, which goes a long way to explain why Celebrity Net Worth estimates his total wealth at over half a billion dollars.
But while John's husband and manager, David Furnish, believes he'll always be a consummate performer, he confirmed to Billboard that the musician's farewell tour that ended in November of 2022 would indeed be his last.
Sarah Michelle Gellar ($30 million)
Celebrity Net Worth attributed their $30 million estimate of Sarah Michelle Gellar's wealth to her almost lifelong acting career and founding the food crafting brand Foodstirs, which has products in over 8,000 stores.
But as she told People in 2014, her nearly decade-long break from acting came after her The Crazy Ones co-star Robin Williams passed away. As she put it, "I've been working my entire life. When I had kids — and it was right after Robin passed away — there was just so much going on in my life, and I just said, 'I need to take a break.'"
Jack Nicholson ($400 million)
Considering that Jack Nicholson's acting career has seen him draw big box office returns for over 60 years, it's not exactly surprising that he'd make so much money with it. But according to Celebrity Net Worth, his biggest moneymaker was Batman, as he was able to secure a percentage of the gross and merchandising revenues.
As The Guardian reported, however, we're not likely to see Nicholson in any further roles even though he hasn't officially retired. Unfortunately, he's reportedly reached a stage in his life where he can't remember lines anymore.
Kevin Nash ($8 million)
In his time as a professional wrestler, Kevin Nash has won multiple solo and team championships in the WWE, WCW, and TNA. Between that impressive legacy and some roles in movies like Magic Mike and Rock of Ages, Celebrity Net Worth estimates his wealth at $8 million.
But while Nash had experienced serious knee injuries before his wrestling career even began, they got worse due to the strain of being in the ring for so many years. For that reason, The Sportster reported Nash finally retired from wrestling during the 2010s and has since undergone knee replacement surgery.
Jamal Crawford ($55 million)
According to The International Business Times, Jamal Crawford is a 20-veteran of the NBA and has played well enough on nine teams to have earned the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year award three times. The outlet also estimated that Crawford had amassed a net worth of $55 million at that time.
According to the NBA's official website, Crawford retired from basketball in March of 2022 after his 2019-2020 season with the Brooklyn Nets was cut short by an injury after just one game.
Gerard Piqué ($80 million)
Spanish soccer star Gerard Piqué's career-making stint with Barcelona FC began in 2008. He has since established his legacy as one of the world's best defenders and amassed a fortune that Celebrity Net Worth estimated at $80 million.
But in November of 2022, Piqué apparently decided that he had accomplished all he wanted to in soccer, and CNN reported that he formally announced his retirement from the sport. In his words,"And now that (this) kid's dreams have come true, I want to tell you that I've decided that now is the time to bring this journey to its end""
Khabib Nurmagomedov ($40 million)
In the near-decade that Khabib Nurmagomedov spent as a professional MMA fighter, he has scored enough impressive wins (including a high-profile victory over Conor McGregor in 2018) to go from earning $32,000 a fight to being able to demand a $1.5 million purse. According to The South China Morning Post, that trajectory — plus Toyota and Reebok endorsements — has elevated his net worth to an estimated $40 million.
According to Newsweek, the Russian fighter's decision to retire from the sport came from a promise he made to his mother after losing his father in 2020. As he said, "My mother is the most precious thing I have left. You won't push me to do things that will disappoint my mother."
Frankie Muniz ($40 million)
Frankie Muniz is best known for playing the titular character in Malcolm in the Middle, but the former child star also secured starring roles in movies like Agent Cody Banks during the 2000s. And those twin successes both factored into Celebrity Net Worth's estimate that Muniz made $40 million by the time he was a teenager.
According to Fox News, Muniz has made appearances on reality shows such as The Surreal Life in recent years but retired from acting for over a decade so he could pursue professional race car driving instead. Although he still races, a serious accident in 2009 put a damper on his professional career in this field.
Peter Weir ($15 million)
Australian director Peter Weir has given the world enduring classics such as The Dead Poets Society, The Truman Show, and Master and Commander: The Far Side Of The World. According to Celebrity Net Worth, those successes are part of what allowed him to amass a $15 million net worth over the course of his career.
But as Newsweek reported, Weir hasn't made a movie since 2010 due to effectively retiring from Hollywood, according to actor Ethan Hawke. As Hawke put it, "He really enjoyed that work when he didn't have actors giving him a hard time. Russell Crowe and Johnny Depp broke him."
Robert Redford ($200 million)
Between the acting, directing, and production roles Robert Redford has taken on in the 60+ years he's been in Hollywood, Celebrity Net Worth estimated that the movie legend had worked enough to amass a fortune of $200 million.
But even the most venerable careers must one day come to an end. And for Redford, that time came in 2018. According to The Guardian, Redford said, "[I'll] move towards retirement after this 'cause I've been doing it since I was 21. I thought, 'Well, that's enough.'"
