Celebrities who were rich before they got famous

Stardom usually comes hand in hand with wealth. While many beloved celebrities started out with very few resources, others grew up in well-off households and were already living comfortably before they ever stepped into the spotlight as singers or actors.

Click through the gallery to discover which celebrities were already rich before they became famous.

Lady Gaga

The next time you connect to hotel Wi-Fi, you might have Lady Gaga’s dad to thank for it. The “A Star Is Born” actress attended the elite Convent of the Sacred Heart Private Catholic School in Manhattan and is the daughter of Joseph Germanotta, the businessman credited with bringing Wi-Fi installations into hotels across the country.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus

The beloved “Veep” star comes from serious old money. Her great-great-grandfather built the Louis Dreyfus Group from the ground up — a business empire now valued at roughly US$3.4 billion according to Forbes.

Nick Kroll

The comedian and actor is the son of Jules B. Kroll, who founded Kroll Inc., widely regarded as the world’s leading risk and security consulting firm. His father’s personal fortune is estimated at close to US$2 billion.

Lana Del Rey

Before her brooding pop career took off, Lana Del Rey was attending a boarding school with an annual tuition of US$48,000. Her father worked as a real estate broker and served as CEO of Web Media Properties.

Edward Norton

Norton’s family legacy goes well beyond Hollywood. His maternal grandfather, James Rouse, was a pioneering real estate developer widely credited with inventing the modern shopping mall concept and masterminding the planned city of Columbia in Maryland.

Michelle Williams

Academy Award-nominated actress Michelle Williams has built a net worth of over US$20 million, but talent clearly runs in the family. Her father, Larry Richard Williams, has made his mark as an author, commodity trader, and politician.

Adam Levine

Even without Maroon 5, Adam Levine would have been doing just fine financially. His father, Fred Levine, is the founder of the M.Fredric retail chain.

Robin Thicke

Thicke’s path to success came with a notable head start. He is the son of well-known actor Alan Thicke and singer Gloria Loring, placing him squarely in the world of entertainment from day one.

Chevy Chase

Chase grew up in a privileged environment, attending private school while his father built a career as a magazine writer and book editor, and his mother worked as a librettist and concert pianist.

Ed Sheeran

Creativity is deeply embedded in Ed Sheeran’s family. His father works as an art curator and lecturer, his mother designs jewelry, and together they run a thriving art consultancy called Sheeran Lock.

Nicola Peltz

Nicola Peltz could live a life of luxury without ever setting foot on a film set. Her father, Nelson Peltz, is a well-known billionaire businessman and prominent investor.

Nicole Richie

Born Nicole Camille Escovedo, she was informally taken in by music icon Lionel Richie and Brenda Harvey at just two years old, with the adoption being made official when she turned nine. Lionel Richie’s net worth is estimated at around US$200 million according to Celebrity Net Worth.

Taylor Swift

Swift’s family had deep ties to the financial and music industries long before she became a global phenomenon. Her father descends from a line of bank presidents and even purchased a stake in Big Machine Records, the label that first signed her.

Kate and Rooney Mara

The Mara sisters come from not one but two dynasties tied to American football. Their mother’s side of the family, the Rooneys, founded the Pittsburgh Steelers, while their father’s family played a key role in establishing the New York Giants.

Sigourney Weaver

Weaver’s father, Sylvester “Pat” Weaver, served as president of NBC, and his financial standing gave his daughter access to top-tier private schooling and eventually Stanford University — connections that undoubtedly opened doors in the entertainment world.

Paul Giamatti

Paul Giamatti’s father, Angelo Bartlett Giamatti, had a remarkable career, serving as Yale University’s president from 1978 to 1986 before becoming Commissioner of Major League Baseball in 1989, the year he passed away.

Anderson Cooper

The veteran CNN anchor is a direct descendant of the famous Vanderbilt family. His mother, Gloria Vanderbilt, was a celebrated fashion designer and heiress to one of America’s most storied fortunes.

Ariana Grande

Grande was raised by two driven and successful parents. Her father, Edward Butera, ran a graphic design firm in Florida, while her mother, Joan Grande, serves as chief executive officer of Hose-McCann Communications.

Glenn Close

Close’s father was no ordinary physician. William Close served as personal doctor to Mobutu Sese Seko, the former president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, earning considerable distinction in his field.

Armie Hammer

Hammer’s family wealth stretches back generations. His great-grandfather, Armand Hammer, ran Occidental Petroleum, and his father moved from investment banking into the family business. The Hammer fortune is substantial.

Lily-Rose Depp

Although Lily-Rose Depp is actively carving out her own career in the footsteps of her famous parents — Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis — there is little doubt she entered life with every financial advantage her father’s Hollywood earnings could provide.

Rashida Jones

The last name “Jones” may not immediately register in Hollywood circles, but this actress is the daughter of Quincy Jones — one of the most iconic music producers and composers in the history of the industry.

The Kardashians

Long before the family became a cultural phenomenon, their father Robert Kardashian had already established himself as a prominent and wealthy attorney, best known for his role in the defense of O.J. Simpson.

Spike Jonze

Born Adam Spiegel, the acclaimed filmmaker can trace his family roots back to the founder of the Spiegel Catalog and counts Arthur Spiegel, a notable American film studio executive, among his grandparents.

Jake Gyllenhaal

Gyllenhaal grew up with an intimate understanding of filmmaking. His father, Stephen Gyllenhaal, is a respected film director, giving Jake an insider’s view of the industry before he became one of its most dependable leading men.

Carly Simon

The celebrated singer-songwriter also comes from a wealthy background. Her father co-founded the Simon & Schuster publishing house and was himself descended from a prosperous manufacturer of feathers and silk.

Paris Hilton

Paris Hilton grabbed the public’s attention with her 2003 tape and later reshaped reality television with “The Simple Life,” but she never needed either venture to stay financially secure. Her great-grandfather, Conrad Hilton, founded the Hilton Hotels empire.

Psy

The “Gangnam Style” sensation was far from an overnight success story in terms of wealth. His father, Park Won-Ho, made his fortune as chairman of DI Corporation, a semiconductor and computer chip equipment company, while his mother owns several restaurants in the very Gangnam neighborhood that inspired Psy’s global hit.

Balthazar Getty

The actor and musician is part of the legendary Getty family, being a great-grandchild of Jean Paul Getty, who founded the Getty Oil Company. The family’s estimated wealth exceeds an astonishing US$8 billion.

Matthias Schoenaerts

The Belgian actor was raised in a household already connected to the performing arts. His late father, Julien Schoenaerts, is widely regarded as one of the most exceptional post-war actors in Flanders and the Netherlands.