Introduction

Danielle Steel is an American professional writer with an estimated net worth of $600 Million. 

Quick Facts

• Earned an estimated $201 million between 2010 and 2018
• Peak annual income of $35 million in 2011
• A former bookkeeper allegedly stole $2.7 million from her in 2009
• 67th richest self-made woman in America

Net Worth History

Although not a billionaire, Forbes has been tracking Danielle Steel’s net worth for over a decade because she is a member of America’s Richest Self-Made Women. In 2016, she had an estimated net worth of $310 million, and for the next several years, this figure grew by $10-20 million annually. In 2024, her net worth jumped from $420 million to $500 million, and at the time of writing, she’s ranked as the 67th richest self-made woman in America, with an estimated net worth of $600 Million.

Earnings History

According to reports, between 2010 and 2018, Danielle Steel earned approximately $201 million from all endeavors. She often earned substantial annual sums from book advances, film and TV rights, and royalties. This included estimated earnings of $32 million in 2010 and $35 million in 2011, which were her highest-earning years of the decade. During the 2010s, Steel’s earnings gradually declined, dropping to between $22 million and $26 million in the mid-2010s and to $12 million by 2018. 

Legal Issues & Lawsuits

In 1993, Steel filed a lawsuit against author Lorenzo Bene, who was going to disclose that her son had been adopted by her husband at the time, John Traina. California law states that adoption records must remain sealed to protect adoptive families and can only be opened under very special circumstances. Generally, the records can be disclosed for medical purposes or with the consent of the adopted child once they reach adulthood. Steel believed that if her son’s adoption went public, it would violate her family’s privacy.

Despite her arguments, the state supreme court ruled in favor of opening the adoption record, which was highly unusual given that her son was still a minor at the time. Controversially, the court decided that, because of Steel’s public profile, privacy standards didn’t apply to her and therefore agreed that the records could be opened.

Theft By Former Assistant

In 2009, Steel was the victim of theft after her bookkeeper stole approximately $2.7 million from her. Kirsty Watts had worked for Steel for 15 years when, in November 2008, Steel discovered irregularities in the way Watts had handled credit cards and subsequently terminated her employment. An investigation later revealed that Watts had stolen the money by writing herself cheques and paying herself bonuses. She also used Steel’s credit card reward points to buy flights and gift cards for her family.

Watts was sentenced to 33 months in prison after pleading guilty to stealing over several years and agreed to surrender her assets to help repay the money. So far, she has returned the majority of what she stole, mainly through the sale of her home, its contents, and her family’s vehicles.

Real Estate

Danielle Steel and her husband, Thomas Perkins, own the Spreckles Estate in San Francisco, California. The property has a significant history. It was initially split into four units before Steel acquired it and began her restoration efforts. She also reportedly purchased approximately 25 parking permits for guests in the adjoining streets.

While we don’t know precisely how much Steel paid for the home, recent estimations place its current valuation at roughly $19.2 million. Public records show that the annual property taxes range from $130,000 to $140,000. Over at least twenty-five years of ownership, the couple is estimated to have spent at least $2.5 million on property taxes alone. 

Introduction

The Fat Jewish is an American professional writer, actor, model, winemaker, and entrepreneur with an estimated net worth of $80 Million. 

Net Worth Details

While The Fat Jewish is a man of many talents and industries, almost all of his net worth comes from a single venture. This was his alcohol company, Swish Beverages, which was acquired by Anheuser-Busch in 2019 for between $150 million and $200 million. In the years leading up to the sale, he’d only been worth several million dollars, but thanks to an estimated $120 million payout, his net worth ballooned to roughly $80 Million.

Swish Beverages

In 2015, The Fat Jewish partnered with Alexander Ferzan and actors Tanner Cohen and David Oliver Cohen to launch their American wine brand, Swish Beverages. Later that year, the company released its flagship product, White Girl Rosé, a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and White Zinfandel. It was sold in 750ml bottles for the low price of $14.99.

The following year, Swish launched a canned sparkling Rosé called Babe Rosé, followed by Babe Grigio and Babe Red in 2018. These three canned drinks all mimicked the same simplistic branding, featuring bold lettering on a plain white can with different colored fonts (blue, purple, and red).

After rolling out the full collection, the Babe line in particular began receiving significant attention from potential investors, and the company even secured a small investment from DJ Diplo. At the end of 2018, Anheuser-Busch InBev acquired a minority stake in Swish Beverages through its venture capital arm, ZX Ventures. A year later, they acquired the remaining stake, taking full ownership of the company in a deal reportedly worth between $150 million and $200 million. 

It’s believed that The Fat Jewish held the largest stake at the time of the sale, and some reports suggest he personally received $120 million before taxes. Interestingly, Anheuser-Busch InBev discontinued White Girl Rosé and the entire Babe collection in 2023.

Real Estate

In July 2022, The Fat Jewish paid $2.5 million for a 3,873-square-foot, six-bedroom home in Miami Shores, Florida. He returned the property to the market in June 2024, asking for $4.25 million, but reduced the price to $3.85 million in September. It’s currently still for sale.

Introduction

Joss Whedon is an American professional comic book writer, director, producer, and screenwriter with an estimated net worth of $100 Million.

Whedon was responsible for helping to write the original 1995 film Toy Story, but is best known for creating the supernatural drama Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which aired until 2003. He has also built an impressive relationship with Marvel throughout his career, contributing to some of their most successful box office hits, including the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and The Avengers series.

This profile details our research into Joss Whedon’s net worth, film contracts, earnings, assets, and related topics.

Quick Facts

• Earned an estimated $57 million between 2013 and 2014
• Signed a three-year contract with Marvel Studios in 2012
• Peak annual income of $32 million in 2014

Earnings History

Forbes previously ranked Joss Whedon in the Celebrity 100 for two consecutive years, from 2013 to 2014. In the former year, Whedon earned an estimated $25 million. A year later, he earned approximately $32 million, bringing his total earnings to $57 million over two years. At the time, he’d just signed a three-year contract with Disney to begin working on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., which is believed to account for the lion’s share of his income.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Joss Whedon is best known for creating the hit TV teen drama Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The show aired for a total of seven seasons and 144 episodes between 1997 and 2003. It also won 55 awards, including 2 Primetime Emmys. Following the show’s initial success, Whedon also created the spin-off, Angel, which aired for five seasons from 1999 to 2004. While his earnings from the shows were never disclosed to the public, they were likely substantial.

Marvel Cinematic Universe

In recent years, Whedon has been a key writer behind many of Marvel’s projects, most notably The Avengers (2012) and Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015). Both films grossed over $1 billion at the box office, for a combined $2.9 billion. Additionally, Whedon is the co-creator of the Marvel series, Agents of Shield, alongside his brother Jed. The show aired for six seasons from 2013 to 2020. All things considered, while we still don’t know his salary, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Marvel franchises are considered the primary sources of Whedon’s income and net worth.

Real Estate

In January 1994, Joss Whedon purchased a 4,064-square-foot home in Los Angeles, California. He owned the four-bedroom, five-bathroom property for roughly 15 years and relisted it for $3.7 million in October 2008. After several price reductions, Whedon let it go for just $2.47 million in November 2009.

In April 2004, Whedon relocated to Santa Monica, where he purchased a four-bedroom, two-bathroom home with 3,986 square feet of living space. According to reports, he tore down the old home and replaced it with a 12,218-square-foot, seven-bedroom, ten-bathroom mansion. The original home cost Whedon $5.8 million, and he sold it for $16.1 million in 2016.

In addition to his homes in California, Joss Whedon also previously owned a property in Centerville, Massachusetts. He paid $640,000 for the 4,211-square-foot, six-bedroom, five-bathroom home back in July, 1998. Reports state that he lived there until 2004, though it appears he sold the property for $2.15 million in March 2008. 

Summary 

After releasing the Buffy series, Joss was marked as a screenwriter who could make magic happen. With his move to Marvel Studios and the huge success of his movies, he has become one of Hollywood’s most remarkable and influential writers.

Unfortunately, with fame and awards come the downsides of public life, and his family has suffered as a consequence. While he is trying to reclaim his place in the entertainment industry, his fans are eagerly awaiting his next hit movie or series.