Introduction

Tyra Banks is an American television personality, producer, businesswoman, and model with an estimated net worth of $90 Million. 

Despite earning millions annually as a Victoria’s Secret model between 1996 and 2005, Banks built the majority of her net worth later on when she transitioned to television. Both The Tyra Banks Show and America’s Next Top Model have contributed significantly to Tyra’s wealth, helping her earn as much as $30 million in a single year.

Earnings History

In the early to mid-2000s, during the peak of her modeling career, Tyra Banks typically earned between $4 million and $6 million annually. She was featured on the Forbes Highest-Paid Models list thrice (2000, 2004, 2005). She earned an estimated $5.5 million in 2000, $4 million in 2004, and $6 million in 2005.

However, these would not be the highest-earning years of her career. She began earning significantly higher paydays after transitioning to television with shows such as America’s Next Top Model and The Tyra Banks Show. 

In 2006, Forbes reported that Tyra Banks earned an estimated $18 million in the previous twelve months. This was primarily due to her salary from both America’s Next Top Model and The Tyra Banks Show. The exact split was unknown, but it was reported that she was earning roughly $3.5 million annually from her talk show at the time.

By 2009, her earnings had increased to an estimated $30 million. During this time, Banks was heavily criticized, as contestants on America’s Next Top Model claimed they were paid just $38 per day while filming the show. 

Based on the figures above, Tyra Banks’ estimated earnings for just five years (2000, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2009) total $63.5 million.

Endorsement Income

In the late 1990s, as her modeling career was in full swing, Tyra Banks began signing numerous endorsement contracts with global fashion brands, including CoverGirl, COSME, and Victoria’s Secret. Based on the figures we’ve already mentioned above, it should be clear that Banks’ earnings during this period and up until the mid-2000s were primarily generated through her modeling contracts and brand deals. 

Victoria’s Secret Partnership

Perhaps the most notable of these was her partnership with Victoria’s Secret, which she initially signed in 1996 and maintained until 2005. Here’s an interesting fact for you: When Banks first appeared on the cover of the Victoria’s Secret catalog in 1996, she was the first black woman in history to do so. Tyra continued modeling for Victoria’s Secret, appearing in both catalogs and runway shows. Some sources suggest she was paid approximately $3 million per year at the time, which would make the partnership responsible for roughly 60% of her total income. 

Mainstream Endorsements

Before Banks made her transition to television, the bulk of her endorsement deals were within the realm of fashion. However, in the late 2000s, she also added more mainstream brands to her portfolio, such as Pepsi and Nike. Additionally, she secured various fashion endorsements from prominent brands, including Dolce & Gabbana, H&M, and Yves Saint Laurent.

Highlights

Here are some of the best highlights of Tyra Banks’ career:

• Victoria’s Secret Model (1997-2005) 
• The Tyra Banks Show (2005-2010) 
• America’s Next Top Model (TV-Show, 2003-2015, 2017-Present)

Introduction

Joel Glazer is an American businessman and part of the Glazer family with an estimated net worth of $1 Billion. 

The family controls First Allied Corporation and the Zapata Corporation, as well as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL and England’s Manchester United Football Club. Glazer was born in Rochester, New York.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Acquisition

In January 1995, Joel’s father, Malcolm, secured an agreement to purchase the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers after the former owner, Hugh Culverhouse, had passed away in August of the prior year. As it turns out, Malcolm had been desperate to own an NFL team, and in 1993, had put in a bid to bring an NFL team to Baltimore. Back then, the Ravens didn’t exist, but unfortunately, Malcolm’s bid was rejected.

Finally, he was able to acquire the Buccaneers for approximately $192 million and placed both of his sons, Joel and Edward, in leadership positions. Joel was 28 years old at the time. 

Thirty years later, and here we are; the franchise remains in the hands of the Glazer family, with ownership split among the six siblings. The exact split has never been confirmed, but just assuming it’s an even split, Joel would own roughly 16.7%. In August 2024, Forbes valued the team at $5.4 billion, which is a whopping $5.2 billion more than their father paid. Assuming Joel has always held a 16.7% stake, in 1995, it would have been worth roughly $32.06 million, and by 2024, it had grown to $901.8 million. 

Manchester United Acquisition

In May 2005, Joel Glazer and his family negotiated a deal to acquire 68% of the English Premier League soccer club, Manchester United. The acquisition, made through their company Red Football Ltd, was worth a reported £800 million (approximately $1.46 billion at the time). This would have placed the club’s valuation at roughly £1.18 billion ($2.15 billion).

The purchase initially put Manchester United under a heavy financial burden, as much of the £800 million was secured by borrowing against the club’s assets. It has been reported that this led to the club holding significant debts, owing £60 million per year in interest payments alone.

Although Manchester United is no longer a dominant force in the English Premier League, they were the league’s strongest club for seven years following the investment. In five of those years, they won the league, finishing second in the other two. As a result, the club’s value has increased significantly over the past two decades.

In December 2023, INEOS, led by billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, acquired 25%  of the club’s A and B class shares at $33 per share. Since then, he’s increased his overall stake to roughly 28.9%.

As of May 2025, Joel Glazer holds a remaining stake of 43%, and the club’s market valuation is approximately $2.4 billion. This would equate to Glazer’s stake being worth an estimated $1.03 billion.

Philanthropy

Glazer supports various charities. His family founded the Glazer Family Foundation, which is dedicated to supporting children in the Tampa Bay area through various charitable initiatives.

Introduction 

George Takei is an American professional actor, author, and activist with an estimated net worth of $14 Million.

Star Trek (TV Series)

When George Takei first landed his famous role as Sulu in 1965, he began starring in the original version of the Sci-Fi television show, Star Trek. The show also featured several other now well-known actors, including William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, and Nichelle Nichols.

According to reports, in the first season, Shatner earned $5,000 per episode for his lead role as Captain Kirk, while Nimoy earned $2,500 per episode. Kelley and James Doohan also earned more than Takei, who was paid just $375 per episode. However, since this was in the mid-1960s, the figure would equate to roughly $3,733 per episode in today’s currency. As a result, this means that Takei should have earned $10,875 for Season one, or $108,300 after adjusting for inflation.

The leading cast members gradually began receiving pay increases as the seasons progressed; however, the exact figures are unknown. The cast also never had deals in place to receive residual payments from future reruns, as was the standard case for shows produced before the mid-1970s. In total, Takei starred in 52 episodes, which would have earned him a minimum of $19,500, but he likely also received small pay increases for seasons two and three.

Star Trek Films

Over the years, George Takei has reprised his role as Sulu in numerous Star Trek films, beginning with Star Trek: The Motion Picture in 1979. The film grossed $89 million at the global box office, a remarkably high figure at the time. These appearances continued with The Wrath of Khan (1982), The Search for Spock (1984), The Voyage Home (1986), The Final Frontier (1989), and The Undiscovered Country (1991). Each of these films grossed over $70 million worldwide, with Star Trek IV performing the best, raking in $110 million.

For the earlier films, none of the cast members’ salaries were publicly disclosed. However, it was reported that for the fifth and sixth films, Shatner earned $1.5 million each. Takei’s earnings from the six Star Trek films were likely significantly higher than his earnings from the original TV show.

Pay Dispute

In the 1990s, four of the franchise’s actors — James Doohan, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, and George Takei — entered into a pay dispute with Paramount, claiming they were entitled to 2.5% of the revenues generated from using their likenesses for merchandising and marketing purposes.

At the time, Paramount had already grossed a reported $2 billion in retail revenues, and the actors had collectively received just $85,000 in royalties. Now, it’s unknown exactly which revenues are included within the $2 billion figure, as 2.5% of $2 billion would have equaled $50 million. The cast was specifically referring to revenues from merchandise sales, which included:

• Toys & action figures
• Board games
• Video games
• Collectibles
• Clothing
• Books
• VHS tapes & CDs

The dispute was eventually settled outside of court for a total of $1 million, which meant each actor should have received $250,000. However, within this settlement, the actors agreed to make appearances at future promotional events. Considering that their initial demands, although not publicly reported, could have been for a figure in the tens of millions, the $1 million settlement was likely much lower than they were hoping to get.

Real Estate

In June 1996, George Takei purchased a 3,393-square-foot, three-bedroom, four-bathroom home in Los Angeles, California, for $610,000. According to public records, he still owns the property, which is now worth an estimated $3.7 million and costs him roughly $12,000 in annual property taxes.

Highest-Grossing Movies

Here’s a complete list of George Takei’s ten highest-grossing movies:

1. Mulan – $304 Million (1998)
2. You Don’t Mess with the Zohan – $204 Million (2008)
3. Free Birds – $110 Million (2013)
4. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home – $110 Million (1986)
5. Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country – $97 Million (1991)
6. Star Trek: The Motion Picture – $83 Million (1979)
7. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan – $80 Million (1982)
8. Star Trek III: The Search for Spock – $77 Million (1984)
9. Kubo and the Two Strings – $76 Million (2016)
10. Larry Crowne – $75 Million (2011)