When we see famous celebrities , we often assume that they got most of their wealth from whatever brought them fame, such as acting or singing.
While that’s true for many celebrities who weren’t very rich before they got their big break, many other celebs already came from money. Sometimes, their money and connections even helped them become famous.
Here are the 10+ celebrities who were already rich before they were famous.
Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie
These two are known for their rich families. There is definitely a common trend of trust fund families in Hollywood.
Nicole was raised by Lionel Richie while Paris Hilton is the granddaughter of the founder of Hilton Hotels.
Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande clearly has a lot of singing talent, but she didn’t start out like the rest of us.
Her parents are both successful in their careers. Her mother, Joan Grande, was the CEO of a manufacturing company while her father, Edward, owned a graphic design firm.
Armie Hammer
While Hammer seems to enjoy and excel in his acting career, he didn’t need to be an actor for the money.
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Hammer’s great-grandfather, Armand Hammer , owned and founded Occidental Petroleum and was a multi-millionaire. Because of this, Armie’s family has been set for a while now.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus
While being a multi-millionaire is a lot of money, Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ father is actually a billionaire with a net worth of about $3.4 billion.
Gérard Louis-Dreyfus was an extremely successful businessman, and this family money obviously didn’t hurt Julia’s chances in life.
Adam Levine
Adam Levine is best known for being the lead vocalist of Maroon 5, and for being seen as quite sexy, but he didn’t come from humble beginnings.
His father, Fred, owned the retail chain M. Frederic , and Levine grew up in the upper-class area of Brentwood in Los Angeles.
Anderson Cooper
Anderson Cooper comes from family money on his mother’s side. Gloria Vanderbilt was the only child of railroad heir Reginald Claypoole Vanderbilt.
However, Cooper never expected to receive much of an inheritance, and he didn’t rely on a trust fund during his life.
Nick Kroll
The famous comedian is another person on this list who had a billionaire parent.
He’s the son of Jules B. Kroll who founded Kroll, Inc. The company sold in 2004 for nearly $2 billion. While Nick didn’t necessarily have direct ties to Hollywood, having a lot of money always helps!
Dakota Johnson
Dakota Johnson only really became a big deal after starring in Fifty Shades of Grey , but she comes from Hollywood royalty.
Her mother is actress Melanie Griffith and her father, Don Johnson, was also an actor. She clearly had many ins to become a famous actress herself!
Brooke Shields
Not only does Brooke Shields come from a rich family, but she even has some nobility from Italy in her lineage.
Her father, Frank Shields, was an executive at Revlon Cosmetics, and his parents were a tennis player and a princess.
Emma Stone
Emma Stone has been acting ever since she was a child and having a millionaire father allowed her and her family to focus on her career.
Jeff Stone was the CEO of a commercial construction company. It’s definitely easier to make your Hollywood dreams come true when your dad is a multi-millionaire!
Rashida Jones
While fans know Rashida Jones for her roles on Parks and Recreation and The Office , she had money before she started acting.
She’s the daughter of record producer Quincy Jones who has a net worth that’s estimated to be about $310 million.
Robin Williams
Robin Williams will always be a beloved actor, and his death is still heartbreaking.
Williams didn’t get his career start without any help. His father was an executive at the Ford Motor Company while his mother was a model. However, Williams really achieved a high level of stardom that few people do.
Rooney Mara
While you might be aware of the family connections of some of the stars on this list, not many people know that Rooney Mar’s father actually founded the New York Giants. And her mother’s family founded the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The world of sports is definitely lucrative!
Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga is extremely famous , and she’s definitely richer now than she was before her fame took off.
However, she attended a private school on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, and her parents were both successful business owners. So, it’s no wonder people were upset when her father tried to raise money through GoFundMe to pay his employees.
Jake Gyllenhaal
It’s fairly common in Hollywood for multiple people in the same family to be in the industry.
Jake Gyllenhaal’s father , Stephen, is a film director while his mother, Naomi Forner, was a screenwriter. She even got nominated for an Oscar! These connections surely didn’t hurt his acting career.
Jane Fonda
While it’s true that Jane is arguably one of the founding pillars of Hollywood, she didn’t do it without help.
Her father, Henry Fonda , is widely considered to be one of the greatest actors to have ever lived.
Charlie Sheen
Charlie Sheen was unquestionably one of the most popular actors in the ’80s and ’90s. During his time on Two and a Half Men , he was the highest-paid actor on television.
But it might have all come to nothing were it not for his famous father , Martin Sheen.
Paul Giamatti
Paul Giamatti comes from a fairly prestigious Ivy league lineage. His father worked as a professor at Yale University and eventually would go on to become the school’s president.
He also briefly served as the commissioner for Major League Baseball.
Edward Norton
Edward’s mother was an English teacher and his father was a federal prosecutor. He did work for President Jimmy Carter ‘s administration, while he was serving his term in the White House.
I wonder if Ed Junior ever got to meet the president?
Willow Smith
This one should be pretty obvious , considering that both Willow’s mother and father are two of the biggest A-List celebs currently residing in Hollywood.
Willow and Jaden are the progeny of Will and Jada Pinkett Smith. That’s right, her dad is the Fresh Prince!
Jordin Sparks
Does the name Phillippi Sparks ring any bells for you? If you’re a football fan, then it definitely should.
Jordin’s father is a former NFL football player ; he split his career with the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys.
Bryce Dallas Howard
Bryce Dallas Howard is the daughter of one of the greatest directors in all of Hollywood, Ron Howard.
These days, Bryce is beginning to follow in her father’s footsteps, having recently directed her second episode of The Mandalorian .
Colin Hanks
Colin Hanks is the son of one of the most adored and world-renowned actors alive today, Tom Hanks.
Like his father, Colin was also bitten by the acting bug at a young age. I’m still crossing my fingers that Life in Pieces somehow gets picked up for another season.
Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus has come a long way since her days spent as Hannah Montana . But before Miley became a Disney kid, her father had long since found fame.
Billy Ray Cyrus is the one you can thank for the delightful earworm ” Achy Breaky Heart .”
Robin Thicke
If I never hear the song “Blurred Lines” again, it will still be too soon. Much of Robin’s early success is owed to his father, comedian Alan Thicke , as well as his mother, actress Gloria Loring.
Kim Kardashian
If you’re a child of the ’80s or ’90s, then the name Robert Kardashian is probably one you’re more than familiar with.
Kim’s father gained notoriety and fame after becoming one of the defense attorneys in the O.J. Simpson trial.
Tori Spelling
When your dad is the president of a television network, landing a job isn’t really all that difficult.
Such was the case for Tori; it’s how she came to find herself on the sets of Saved By The Bell as well as Beverly Hills, 90210 .
Gwyneth Paltrow
Gwyneth is another celebrity who was born into a family of actors. Her mother, Blythe Danner, is a formidable actress with an illustrious career.
You’ll likely remember her from her work in Meet the Parents where she starred alongside Robert De Niro.
Zoë Kravitz
It’s no secret that Zoë is the daughter of internationally known rock legend Lenny Kravitz.
Her mother is also Lisa Bonet, who is best remembered for her days spent playing Denise Huxtable on The Cosby Show .
Chevy Chase
Chevy Chase is a 14th generation New Yorker. His family is literally embedded into the very fabric that makes the concrete jungle what it is.
He’s also the heir to the Crane Company , an industrial products company founded in the late 1800s.
Rose Leslie
Did you know that Rose Leslie is technically Scottish royalty? According to Architectural Digest , Rose’s father is “Aberdeenshire Chieftain of Clan Leslie.”
She and Kit Harington were even married in a castle! How much more freaking regal can you get?!
