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These 12 billionaires are also Oscar winners.
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Some are the famous filmmakers behind some of the most commercially successful film franchises.
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Others are billionaires who amassed their wealth through other avenues.
When you think of Oscar winners, you might not immediately think of NFL team owners and computer scientists.
But some of these icons of their industries have joined other, better-known creative billionaires to receive Hollywood’s highest honors.
Of the hundreds of Academy Award winners each year, only a small minority have net worth comparable to that of the technology and industry leaders who define the ultra-wealthy class.
“Avatar” and “Titanic” director James Cameron recently became the newest member of the exclusive club, with Forbes reporting that the filmmaker surpassed the $1 billion mark in December.
Cameron, whose films have grossed an estimated $9 billion at the box office, joins the minds behind some of the biggest blockbusters, including director Steven Spielberg, “Star Wars” creator George Lucas and “Lord of the Rings” creator Peter Jackson.
In February, Forbes also crowned Spielberg, who has a net worth of $7.1 billion, the world’s richest celebrity in 2026.
As you get ready for your Oscars viewing party, see which 12 billionaires have won Academy Awards and which films, documentaries and shorts they worked on as directors, producers, writers, executive producers or in other capacities.
We ranked them based on their estimated net worth, as reported by Forbes on March 12.
Steven Rales
Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images
Estimated net worth: $7.8 billion
Rales, the chairman and co-founder of medical manufacturer Danaher, founded the film production company Indian Paintbrush in 2006 and has since worked closely with director Wes Anderson.
Rales also owns film distributors Janus Films and The Criterion Collection and has a 20% stake in the NBA Indiana Pacers.
He won the award for best live-action short film in 2024 with Anderson’s ‘The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar’, which he produced.
Jeffrey Lurie
Jeffrey Lurie bought the Philadelphia Eagles in 1994.Brooke Sutton/Contributor/Getty Images
Estimated net worth: $7.6 billion
The Boston businessman bought the Philadelphia Eagles for $185 million in 1994 and has since won two Super Bowls. But Lurie has a film background and has produced and produced more than a dozen films.
His grandfather founded the General Cinema movie theater chain, which operated 1,500 screens at its peak in 1991 before being acquired by AMC in the early 2000s.
Lurie has won three Oscars for best documentary as executive producer of “Inside Job” in 2011, “Inocente” in 2013 and “Summer of Soul” in 2022.
Steven Spielberg
The filmmaker is considered the most commercially successful film director of all time.Amy Sussman/WireImage
Estimated net worth: $7.1 billion
The film director and producer has worked on some of the most successful films of the past thirty years, including ‘Jurassic Park’, ‘Jaws’ and ‘ET the Extra-Terrestrial’.
He is considered the most commercially successful film director of all time and a pioneer of the modern blockbuster, with his films grossing a total of over $10.7 billion at the box office across 37 films, as reported by The Numbers.
He won the Oscar for Best Director in 1999 for ‘Saving Private Ryan’ and in 1994 for ‘Schindler’s List’, which also won Best Picture that year.
He also achieved EGOT status in February when he took home a Grammy for best musical film for “Music by John Williams,” which he produced.
Jeff Scholl
The former president of eBay (left) has executive produced two Best Picture award-winning films.Jeff Vespa/WireImage
Estimated net worth: $5.3 billion
Skoll, who served as eBay’s first president from 1996 to 1998, founded film production company Participant Media in 2004 to make films that raised awareness of social issues.
He won best picture as executive producer of “Spotlight” in 2016 and “Green Book” in 2019.
In total, Participant Media won 21 Academy Awards, spread over 86 nominations, including best international film for ‘Roma’. The company closed in 2024.
George Lucas
The Lucasfilm founder sold his production company to Disney in 2012.Frank Trapper/Corbis via Getty Images
Estimated net worth: $5.1 billion
The creator of the “Star Wars” and “Indiana Jones” franchises founded the film production company Lucasfilm in 1971 and sold it to Disney for $4 billion in 2012.
In 1992, he won the Oscars’ Irving G. Thalberg Award, which “rewards creative producers whose oeuvre reflects consistently high quality film production.” He was also nominated for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay for “American Graffiti” and “Star Wars” in 1973 and 1977, respectively.
Oprah Winfrey
The media mogul was nominated for best supporting actress in 1985 and won an honorary award in 2011.Kevin Winter/Getty Images
Estimated net worth: $3.2 billion
The TV host and media mogul is often considered the most powerful woman in media and was once the only black billionaire in the world.
She won the Oscars’ Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 2011, which recognizes “outstanding contributions to humanitarian causes.” She was also nominated for Best Supporting Actress in 1985 for “The Color Purple.”
Steve Tafel
The co-owner of the New York Giants has produced more than 40 films, including “Forrest Gump.”Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
Estimated net worth: $2.2 billion
The chairman, co-owner and executive vice president of the New York Giants has produced more than 40 films and has worked closely with Columbia and Sony Pictures.
He won the Oscar for best picture in 1995 with ‘Forrest Gump’.
Peter Jackson
The creator of ‘Lord of the Rings’ and ‘Hobbit’ has amassed more than $6.5 billion at the box office.Albert L. Ortega/WireImage
Estimated net worth: $1.9 billion, according to Forbes
The ‘Lord of The Rings’ and ‘Hobbit’ filmmaker has written, directed and worked on more than twenty films and is the fifth highest-grossing director of all time. His films have grossed more than $6.5 billion at the box office, according to The Numbers rankings.
In 2004, he won Oscars for best director, best adapted screenplay and best picture for “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.”
Pat Hanrahan
Valerie Macon/Getty Images
Estimated net worth: $1.6 billion
The computer graphics researcher, co-founder of Pixar Animation Studio and professor of computer science and electrical engineering at Stanford University has worked on groundbreaking animation software that has led to films like “Toy Story.”
He won a Scientific and Technical Academy Award in 1993 and two Oscars for technical achievements in 2004 and 2014.
Richard Anthony Wolf
Araya Doheny/Variety via Getty Images
Estimated net worth: $1.5 billion
The film producer, best known for creating the “Law & Order” franchise, founded Wolf Entertainment in 1988. It has become one of the most prolific companies in television.
In 2003, as a producer, he won the Academy Award for best short film with ‘Twin Towers’.
Tyler Perry
ABC via Getty Images
Estimated net worth: $1.4 billion
The filmmaker and playwright created the Madea character in 1999 and founded his own production company, Tyler Perry Studios, in 2006. In 2019, he unveiled the new 330-acre studio site in Atlanta. His films have earned more than $765 million at the box office.
He received the 2021 Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award from the Oscars.
James Cameron
Getty Images/Bob Riha, Jr.
Estimated net worth: $1.1 billion
The director of “The Terminator,” “Titanic” and “Avatar” has directed three of the five highest-grossing films of all time, as listed by Box Office Mojo. Despite having directed only ten feature films, Cameron is the second highest-grossing director of all time.
He won the 1998 Academy Award for Best Director and Best Picture with ‘Titanic’.
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