Oprah Winfrey’s eponymous talk show ran for a whopping 25 seasons (and only ended because she wanted it to), winning 47 Daytime Emmys while producing countless iconic interview moments (who can forget Tom Cruiseon the couch?), as well as making full-fledged stars out of Dr. Phil McGraw,Dr. Oz and others. She has her own magazine (now all-digital), her own TV network and an indelible influence on culture, from her Book Club picks to her Favorite Things finds. And unlike so many celebs these days, her net worth is completely self-made. From acting in The Color Purple and Belovedto sending WW stocks soaring, Oprah’s net worth has paid off in spades for every network and brand that’s ever worked with her. Here’s what we know about Oprah Winfrey’s net worth and how she earned it.
How did Oprah get famous?
Born to a single teen mother in rural Mississippi, Winfrey grew up in an abusive household without indoor plumbing. She survived brutal rapes by a cousin and an uncle as a child, the latter of which ended in a pregnant Winfrey moving away to live with her father; her baby died two weeks after birth. Winfrey found her only refuge as a child in school, which later inspired her to open her own school for girls in South Africa. Winfrey got her first media job when she was just 17 years old, working part-time at a local radio station after being discovered in a local pageant. After college, she transitioned her skills to television, becoming WLAC-TV Nashville’s first Black female anchor. By 1976, Winfrey became the 6 p.m. news co-anchor of WJZ-TV in Baltimore, but was somewhat demoted to host the affiliate’s local talk show, People Are Talking, but it turned out to be a blessing: In her book The Path Made Clear: Discovering Your Life’s Direction and Purpose, she said it was this particular career move that made her realize hosting a talk show was her calling at that time. Following her work at People Are Talking, Winfrey followed her calling to co-host WLS-TV Chicago’s local talk show, propelling it from the network’s lowest- to highest-rated show almost instantly after going on air for the first time. It was here that she caught the attention of film critic Roger Ebert, who aided Winfrey in orchestrating her own talk show deal with King World Productions. The Oprah Winfrey Show premiered in September 1986—and the rest is history.
What is Oprah’s net worth?
According to Forbes, Oprah’s net worth is an estimated $2.6 billion as of March 15, 2022.
Who is richer, Oprah or Ellen?
Winfrey is wealthier than fellow talk show giant Ellen DeGeneres; DeGeneres is mega-rich, too, but Winfrey’s $2.6 billion net worth dwarfs DeGeneres’ estimated $370 million net worth. DeGeneres’ fortune comes mostly from her eponymous talk show, which is ending after its current 18th year on air, as well as from brand endorsements and savvy real estate deals.
Who is the richest lady in the world?
The world’s richest woman is more than 30 times as wealthy as Winfrey. Françoise Bettencourt Meyers is the richest lady in the world, but unlike Winfrey, she is far from self-made. Bettencourt Meyers’ has generational wealth: Her grandfather founded L’Oréal, of which she acts as chairwoman.
How much does Oprah make in a day?
Assuming Winfrey takes home $315 million annually, she earns about $863,013.70 every single day. For some perspective, that’s more than many people earn in an entire lifetime.
How much does Oprah make a year?
Winfrey’s annual salary from her endless media ventures is estimated at $315 million from when she was still filming her talk show. Since then, her annual income has varied depending on her projects and releases, with Forbesreporting that she made $37 million in 2019.
How much does Oprah make a second?
Time for some math: There are about 31,536,000 seconds in a single year. Assuming Winfrey makes her whopping $315 million annual salary, that means she earns about $9.99 every single second.
How much does Oprah get paid to speak?
Winfrey’s speaking fees are estimated to start at a whopping $1.5 million. Individual engagements may vary, and her upper range is estimated to be about $2.5 million. Considering how much money she makes in a single day, those estimates may be conservative for the amount of cash she can command. Her Cecil B. DeMille Award acceptance speech at the 2018 Golden Globes was one of the most memorable ever, so it’s safe to say she’s worth every penny.
Is Oprah a billionaire?
Winfrey is a billionaire twice over! She is worth a whopping $2.6 billion.
How much does Oprah make from Weight Watchers?
How’s this for a windfall? Winfrey reportedly made a whopping $75 million from WW (formerly Weight Watchers) in a single day. Winfrey has been a WW director since 2015, per Barron’s, and The New York Post reports that she’s under contract to be a spokesperson for the brand through 2025; Winfrey owned a 10% stake in WW. “I believe in WW’s mission and the power of its program to create positive, lasting change for everyone who wants a partner to help support them in pursuing a stronger, healthier life,” Winfrey said in a statement in 2019. “I am fully committed to WW’s future and our continued partnership, and I intend to continue my service on WW’s board of directors into 2025.” The brand’s stock reportedly soared up to 500% following Winfrey’s involvement with WW, though the COVID-19 pandemicreportedly slowed growth significantly.
How much does Oprah make from OWN?
According to Forbes, Winfrey made $37 million in 2019 alone, the biggest chunk of which came from her OWN cable network. The network began as a labor of love and wasn’t immediately successful upon its 2011 launch, which she admitted shocked her and led her to the verge of a “breakdown.” “This forced me not to just talk the talk. Failure is a great teacher. I knew this intellectually,” she said in a 2013 interview (via Deadline). “But it’s another thing if you’re living it.” Thankfully, Winfrey quickly pivoted and the network became significantly profitable soon afterward.
How much did Oprah make from the interview with Harry and Meghan?
According to the Wall Street Journal, Winfrey pocketed between $7 million and $9 million for her infamous sitdown interview with Prince Harryand Meghan Markle. CBS reportedly paid Winfrey based on advertising revenue expected, with the network charging $325,000 per 30 seconds of commercial time—which is about twice the normal rate. About 17.1 million viewers tuned in to see the Duke and Duchess of Sussex dish on “Megxit” and the racism they allegedly faced from the British royal family. The success of the interview (which featured viral moments including Winfrey asking Markle, “Were you silent or were you silenced?”) led viewers to clamor for the talk show queen to interviewBritney Spears about the singer’s conservatorship, though it remains to be seen if that will come to fruition.
How much did Oprah make for her Adele interview?
CBS reportedly paid between $5 million and $7 million for Adele: One Night Only, the TV special that included Winfrey’s interview with Adele. The special was produced by James Corden’s Fulwell 73 (and not Winfrey’s Harpo Productions) and was estimated to generate a whopping $100 million in revenue thanks to advertising, song licensing and more. Corden’s company and Adele likely received the bulk of that windfall; it hasn’t been reported how much Winfrey specifically pocketed in the deal.
How much did Oprah make for The Color Purple?
A then-unknown Winfrey starred as Sofia in The Color Purple, and her salary for the film was pennies compared to what she makes in a single day now. She reportedly made $35,000 for the Steven Spielbergfilm, and she admitted that she was always terrified of getting fired from the movie. “I was terrified. There was another movie—was it Mask?—where somebody had recently been fired, and it had never occurred to me that you could be fired from a movie,” she told The Los Angeles Times. “But I did know that if there was anybody who could be fired, it would be me, because I didn’t know what I was doing. Period.”
How much did Oprah make for A Wrinkle in Time?
Winfrey signed on as a producer for Ava DuVernay’s A Wrinkle In Time, but she initially didn’t plan on starring in the movie. Winfrey recalled to CinemaBlend, “Oh, Ava is the visionary director of our time. Are you kidding? Who doesn’t want to work with Ava DuVernay? Everyone does. And I was just gonna hang out and watch her say ‘action.’ That was my plan.” She continued, “I’m just gonna go to New Zealand and watch you go ‘Action! Cut! I said cut!’ And I said ‘I’m gonna take off two weeks and come watch you film when you’re in New Zealand.’ And she said, ‘If you’re gonna do that, why don’t you read the script and maybe consider doing this role.’ And I said ‘Okay!’” Next, find out Martha Stewart’s net worth!
