With all the talk about nepo babies in the past few years, I got curious about which celebs come from “old money.” For this post, I included celebs whose family wealth comes from their grandparents or further back:
The self-help book author is the daughter of former president Donald Trump. His father, Fred Trump, was a real estate tycoon whose net worth was reportedly $300 million at his death. Donald took over the family real estate business and ventured into other pursuits like casinos, hotels, and golf courses. Despite his numerous bankruptcies over the years, Forbes currently estimates his net worth at $7.5 billion.
The English actor’s family is full of titles, powerful connections, and even ties to the royal family. On her mom’s side, her grandmother was a lady-in-waiting to Princess Margaret, and her grandfather was a knighted publishing mogul. On her dad’s side, her grandmother was an aristocrat, and her grandfather was a stockbroker and a friend of the then–Prince of Wales. Her father was a property developer, and her godmother is English actor Joan Collins.
The rapper (real name is Skyler Austen Gordy) is the grandson of Berry Gordy, founder of the Motown record label. Berry signed some of the biggest musicians of all time, including Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, the Temptations, and the Supremes. He was also a songwriter who contributed to hits like the Jackson 5’s “ABC” and “I’ll Be There.” Berry’s net worth reportedly sits around $400 million.
The actor was born into one of the richest families in Missouri. Her great-great-grandfather was William Thornton Kemper Sr., who was involved with railroads and banking. He was chairman of Commerce Bancshares, where his son became president. Ellie’s father is the executive chairman of Commerce Bank today. From 1974 to 2018, an arena in Missouri was named Kemper Arena, thanks to a reported $3.2 million donation from the Kemper family for its construction.
The actor’s grandfather was Donald Sutherland, the award-winning actor best known for M*A*S*H and the Hunger Games franchise. His net worth was reportedly around $60 million at his death.
The actor’s grandfather was real estate developer James Rouse. He co-founded The Rouse Company, which is credited for inventing indoor shopping malls. He also built the city of Columbia, Maryland with the goal of creating a self-sustaining community that respected the land while making a profit.
The sisters come from a multibillion-dollar football family. Their mother’s side (the Rooneys) founded the Pittsburgh Steelers, while their father’s side (the Maras) founded the New York Giants. According to Forbes, the Rooney family was worth $1.2 billion in 2015. Their uncle John Mara is president and CEO of the Giants and is reportedly worth around $500 million.
The celebrity chef’s mother is an actor and author, while her father was an actor and producer. Her grandfather was Dino De Laurentiis, an Academy Award-winning producer known for Italian cinema as well as Hollywood hits such as King Kong and Hannibal. He also owned and operated a chain of Italian food stores.
Her great-great-grandfather, Léopold Louis-Dreyfus, founded the Louis Dreyfus Group, a multibillion-dollar French conglomerate that deals in agriculture, food processing, international shipping, and finance. Her grandfather served as CEO of the company. Her father, who served as a chairman, was reportedly worth $3.4 billion at his death.
The actor and musician is the great-grandson of J. Paul Getty, who was a billionaire oil tycoon and reportedly the richest man in the world when he died with a net worth of $6 billion. He was also the founder of the Getty Museum.
The actor’s grandfather was Elvis Presley. One of the biggest singers of his time, he was known as the King of Rock and Roll. After his daughter Lisa Marie died, his ex-wife Priscilla (Lisa Marie’s mother) filed a dispute over her will. A court decided that Riley was the sole heir of Lisa Marie’s estate.
The actor and model is the great-granddaughter of publishing tycoon William Randolph Hearst. Today, Hearst Communications publications include Cosmopolitan, Esquire, Elle, Good Housekeeping, and many more. The conglomerate also owns a percentage of several TV networks. According to Forbes, the Hearst family has a net worth of $22.4 billion.
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And finally, Paris Hilton
The socialite is the great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton, who founded Hilton Hotels and reportedly had a net worth of $1 billion when he died. Though he left the majority of his wealth with his foundation, his son Barron contested the will and received four million Hilton shares. Before his death, he said he would similarly donate most of his money to the foundation. However, Paris’s parents are still well-off; her father co-founded a luxury real estate brokerage, and her mother is a fashion designer.