Billionaire without a blockbuster: Meet Tyler Perry, the world’s richest actor with USD 1.4 billion net worth

Who is the world’s richest actor? It is not Tom Cruise, Dwayne Johnson, or Shah Rukh Khan. The official Forbes billionaire list revealed a surprising candidate that surpassed all the big names and has been titled as the world’s richest actor with a whopping USD 1.4 billion net worth. Read more to find out!

The entertainment industry is one of the most lucrative industries in recent times. With the A-list actors earning in crores, this industry has it all: fame, money and goodwill. Forbes released a long list of billionaires in March 2025. This list features all the 3000 billionaires of the world. Quite a few figures from the world of media and entertainment made their way to the list. Most individuals on the list were expected, but you’d be shocked to know who the world’s richest actor is.

Spoiler, it’s not Tom Cruise or Shah Rukh Khan. It is someone totally unexpected. The world’s richest actor sits at the joint 2356th spot in the list, and it is not a name many would expect here. The most interesting part? This actor has not had even one blockbuster film or franchise, yet managed to make it to the top. Here is everything you need to know!

World’s richest actor – Tyler Perry
Tyler Perry takes the title of the world’s richest actor in 2025. The actor, writer, director, and producer has a net worth of USD 1.4 billion, according to Forbes. With this massive net worth, Perry surpasses other rich actors such as Jerry Seinfeld (USD 1.1 billion), Tom Cruise (USD 800 million), Shah Rukh Khan (USD 770 million), and Dwayne Johnson (USD 700 million). It is common knowledge that most actors have several business ventures that contribute to their massive net worth. But, Tyler Perry making it to the top of the list comes as a surprise to most.

As an actor, Tyler Perry is mostly known for the Madea franchise. While none of the films in the franchise gained blockbuster status, the series grossed USD 600 million worldwide. So, what exactly contributes to Tyler Perry’s net worth? Well, according to Forbes, Tyler Perry has made his fortune by playing it smart with content rights. “Perry’s wealth comes both from his cut as a producer and from a library dating back to the early 1990s: he owns 100% of the content he’s created. In 2019, he opened Tyler Perry Studios, a 330-acre property in Atlanta with 12 sound stages and custom sets that include a to-scale White House,” read the Forbes article.

Further, Tyler Perry has created content for Oprah Winfrey’s OWN, struck a smart deal with Viacom in 2019, getting 25% of the streaming service BET+.