7 Celebrity Women Who Cashed Out Big in Millions and Retired in Style
They slayed on-screen and raked in millions. But these famous ladies decided to ditch the limelight for a different kind of life. From Elizabeth Hurley’s net worth is a cool $50 million to the Olsen twins’ insane child star riches – they had it made. Yet some sought new paths beyond acting. Like Meghan Markle swapping the silver screen for royal duties. Or Lisa Bonet’s musical collabs after her acting break. Others opened boutiques, wrote cookbooks, even directed films. Each carved a post-fame niche for themselves. Relatable or ridiculously rich, their stories remind us there’s more to life than celebrity.
1. Elizabeth Hurley
Hurley’s net worth is $50 million. She’s a style icon who stepped into world of fashion. It was after a successful acting career. Her big break was playing Vanessa Kensington in the Austin Powers movies. Remember that iconic Versace dress? Yeah, that was her, as per Harper Bazaar . She’s also done modeling gigs with Estée Lauder. She’s primarily focused on her fashion industry work, continually creating new pieces infused with her unique style. Who knows if she’ll ever fully retire? She’s still slaying red carpets. An ageless beauty with businesses to run.
2. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen
Mary-Kate and Ashley were super famous as kids. Also insanely famous. They made $100 million from acting. This was before they were even legal adults. They quit acting in 2004 when they were just 18 years old. Since then, they’ve been pretty low-key. People love to gossip about their health and stuff, but they stay out of the spotlight mostly. After making all that money, they could’ve just chilled for life. But nope. Instead, they started a fashion brand called The Row in 2006, as per InStyle . Didn’t even use their names for it. Wanted the clothes to speak for themselves.
3. Meghan Markle
Net worth: $5 million. Retired in 2017. Now a member of the British Royal Family . Markle’s acting career ended, but her public life didn’t. 2018 marked her royal wedding with Prince Harry , making her the Duchess of Sussex. This brought her as much attention as her acting days, if not more. However, she revealed it wasn’t a very pleasant experience. In 2021, Markle and Harry did a candid interview with Oprah Winfrey . Markle expressed everything bothering her, from lack of support from the royal family and negative media scrutiny. Since then, they’ve welcomed their second child and seem focused on their life in the U.S.
4. Lisa Bonet
Bonet, with a net worth of $16 million, is a multi-talented celebrity. Known for her music and acting abilities, she’s worked most of her life. Bonet seems to have taken a break from the industry in recent years. Her last acting role was in 2016. It was when she played Marisol in Ray Donovan . In 2019, she collaborated with Dororthy and Angel Haze on the track Freedom (TROY NōKA Remix). While she stays off social media, Bonet appears on her daughter Zoë Kravitz’s Instagram. She occasionally appears in reality TV work involving her husband, Jason Momoa. Her retirement year is unknown, and her current whereabouts are uncertain.
5. Phoebe Cates
Phoebe Cates had a sweet $5 million net worth when she bid adieu to acting in 1994. These days, she’s living the boutique life as the owner of Blue Tree. Her blockbuster days were lit – starring in flicks like Gremlins and Drop Dead Fred . But being a teen model-turned-actress wasn’t all rainbows and unicorns. She’s been candid about the struggles. In 1989, she tied the knot with Kevin Kline and they had two kids together. Her last gig was the 1994 comedy Princess Caraboo , where she shared the screen with her hubby. Then it was family time. Cut to 2005, when she made her entrepreneurial dream a reality by opening her own store on NYC’s Upper East Side.
6. Meg Ryan
Net worth: $45 million. Retired in 2018. Now directing. Ryan was the rom-com queen in her prime days. She worked with Hollywood’s biggest names. In 2018, she said she’s done with acting. She took on fewer roles over the years. But Ryan’s still in the movie biz. Her son Jack Quaid, with ex-hubby Dennis Quaid, is an actor. Ryan supports him. With a $45 million net worth, she’s now directing and producing her own flicks. She made her directorial debut in 2016 with the war drama Ithaca . So, while she’s quit acting, Ryan’s still in the game, just behind the camera now.
7. Sarah Michelle Gellar
Sarah Michelle Gellar ‘s net worth is $20 million. She was kind of “semi-retired” for years. She mainly focused on raising her kids with hubby Freddie Prinze Jr. But we saw her come back in 2019 as she announced her acting return. Landed roles on Netflix, and Amazon shows. Her fans were thrilled. The long hiatus was over! Before that, she launched a cookbook, and baking mixes too. Sold at Starbucks! She was well known on camera for her iconic role as Buffy Summers in Buffy The Vampire Slayer .