Richest actor on the planet worth $3 billion who you may not recognize makes rare appearance

The world's richest actor may not be a regular on red carpets these days, but the Hollywood star-turned-billionaire made a striking return to the spotlight this week.

Jami Gertz, widely known for roles in Sixteen Candles, The Lost Boys, and Twister, stepped out at the opening gala for the new David Geffen Galleries at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art last week.

She was joined by her husband, billionaire investor Tony Ressler, with whom she co-owns the basketball team, the Atlanta Hawks.

The couple’s appearance comes alongside a major philanthropic gesture, with The New York Times reporting that the pair donated $50 million toward the museum’s new galleries, with one section set to be named the Ressler Family Wing in their honor, claims Art Daily. Ressler himself has also been involved with the museum’s board for over 20 years.

Gertz's career before becoming the wealthiest actor in the world

Before becoming one of the wealthiest figures in entertainment, Gertz built her career from a young age. She made appearances in shows like Diff'rent Strokes and The Facts of Life during her formative years, before landing a starring role in Square Pegs alongside Sarah Jessica Parker.

She later appeared in films such as Less Than Zero and continued building a successful career throughout the 1980s and 1990s. However, after marrying Ressler in 1989 and starting a family, her priorities began to shift.

Reflecting on that period, she told People in 1996: "I'd been working since I was 16. It was nice to have a home. I was aching for it."

Her return to film in Twister came after a four-year break from auditions. “I thought, I'll just go audition to see what it's like again,” she said. Despite initially resisting the filming schedule - "I'm not going to Oklahoma for four months... I just had a baby" - she ultimately took the role.

Gertz's focus on family, business, and privacy

Over time, Gertz chose to scale back her acting commitments to stay closer to home. “I'm focused on being a wife and mom now,” she explained in 2001, adding: "My first question when I'm offered a part is, 'Where's it being shot?'"

She continued to take on select roles, including appearances in Ally McBeal, Still Standing, Entourage, Modern Family, and This Is Us.

In a 2018 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Gertz addressed common assumptions about her wealth. “Everyone thinks I married a rich guy,” she said. “But I made more money — way more money — than Tony when I met him. I paid for our first house. I paid for our first vacation. I married him because I fell in love with him.”

She also recalled the moment they decided to buy the Atlanta Hawks, admitting she initially had doubts. “And he looked at me, and I looked at him, and he's like, ‘Jami, are we going to do this?' I'm like, ‘I don't know. I'm so scared,'” she said. “And he's like, ‘It would be so much fun!' And then we were jumping and screaming, ‘Oh my God — we just bought a basketball team!'”

The couple relocated to Atlanta in 2017, marking a new chapter in their lives away from Hollywood.

Despite stepping back from acting, Gertz has no regrets about her decision. “It just seemed like a natural moment for me to take a break from acting,” she said. “It's hard to even say it out loud because I love what I do. It's given me so many beautiful things in my life, taught me so many things about myself and the world around me.”

Featured Image. Credit: Jason LaVeris / Getty