How Rich Is Ellen DeGeneres?
For 19 years, Ellen DeGeneres came into our homes through her daily talk show, which ended last spring. But even though she turns 64 on Jan. 26, she hasn’t gone quietly into retirement.
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She’s giving us glimpses into her life today through her YouTube series, “About Time For Yourself…with Ellen.” While it’s billed as a series, it’s more a collection of short – and in vintage Ellen style, hysterical -clips of new things she’s trying to fill her days. Viewers have seen her attempt things such as making a margarita and crocheting with results that keep them laughing. “Hey everybody, how you doin’?” DeGeneres said to fans in a teaser promoting the show. “Lately, I’ve been taking some time for just myself, away from the cameras, and I’ve been having such a great time, I thought I would share some of what I’ve been doing with you.”
In retirement, she’s also continued her serious work with The Ellen Fund, which supports global conservation efforts for endangered species. DeGeneres, a Louisiana native, can afford to be picky about the projects she chooses, having amassed millions through the years in her career in acting, comedy and talk shows, and through her side project – house flipping.
Ellen DeGeneres’ Net Worth
DeGeneres’ net worth is estimated to be $380 million, according to Forbes, though by some estimates it’s as high as $500 million. In 2020, DeGeneres made $84 million, retaining the No. 12 spot on Forbes’ list of the highest-paid celebrities in the world. In 2022, Forbes ranked her No. 72 on its list of America’s Self-Made Women. Her wife — actress Portia de Rossi — has her own $50 million fortune, Celebrity Net Worth reported.
Starting out as a stand-up comedian, DeGeneres rose to fame as an actress, starring in the TV series “Ellen” from 1994 to 1998 and “The Ellen Show” from 2001 to 2002. Her daytime talk show, “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” debuted on Sept. 8, 2003, and aired until May 2022. Jennifer Aniston was the syndicated show’s bookend, appearing in both the first and final episodes.
DeGeneres has hosted the Oscars twice, in 2007 and in 2014. She made history during the 2014 gig by tweeting a group selfie with a gaggle of famous friends, including Meryl Streep, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Julia Roberts, Lupita Nyong’o and Brad Pitt — a photo that later would become the most retweeted photo ever.
DeGeneres famously voiced the character Dory in the 2003 Pixar film “Finding Nemo” and the 2016 sequel, “Finding Dory.” She’s also found major success behind the camera with her own production company, A Very Good Production.
Forbes reported that in 2018, DeGeneres became the first woman to receive $20 million for a Netflix stand-up special.
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Ellen DeGeneres’ Business Ventures
The tech-savvy superstar launched the site Ellentube in 2014, which hosted exclusive video content from her talk show. In 2015, she also partnered with Vessel to debut one or two clips from “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” on the streaming site before they were available anywhere else.
DeGeneres has also ventured into the beauty and fashion world. In 2009, she became the face of COVERGIRL. She also previously served as the spokeswoman for JCPenney and American Express. And her lifestyle brand, ED by Ellen, launched in 2015. The company’s website is filled with apparel and accessories, as well as merchandise for the home – lighting, rugs, décor, dining, wallpaper, bath and bedding.
In late 2017, DeGeneres also debuted a game show titled “Ellen’s Game of Games” on NBC, expanding the popular games that have been featured on her talk show.
Ellen DeGeneres’ Real Estate Portfolio
DeGeneres and wife de Rossi have made a name for themselves as real estate magnates. The couple has a knack for purchasing swanky properties and unloading them to fellow celebrities. For example, they became landlord to musician Nick Jonas in 2015, renting one of their many homes to him.
The couple purchased a mid-century modern Los Angeles mansion in January 2014 for nearly $40 million and promptly sold it to Sean Parker six months later for $55 million. Previously, in May 2012, they sold their 15,000-square-foot Beverly Hills compound to Ryan Seacrest for $36.5 million. The couple also purchased Brad Pitt’s former Malibu bachelor pad in 2011 for $12 million and sold it to cosmetics entrepreneur Victoria Jackson in 2012 for $13 million.
In March 2006 — prior to her marriage to de Rossi — DeGeneres sold a home in Hollywood Hills, California, to Will Ferrell for $9 million. She also sold former Google CEO Eric Schmidt a California home in 2007 for $20 million, which was later the site of Kim Kardashian’s wedding to Kris Humphries in 2011.
In 2019, the couple spent $27 million on a five-bedroom, 10-bathroom property in Montecito, California, dubbed the Salt Hill estate, Architectural Digest reported, which added they sold it in 2020 for $33.3 million.
Because their real estate portfolio is fluid, total properties currently owned by the couple is unknown, but Architectural Digest said that in 2022, they bought four properties and sold three. One of the purchases was a $70 million property in Carpinteria, California, which set a record sales price in Santa Barbara County. The transaction included a five-bedroom, eight-bathroom Tuscan-style mansion and an adjacent piece of land. Other properties they own are in the exclusive California areas of Montecito and Bel Air.
DeGeneres released her interior design book “Home” in 2015, which included photos and design tips from many of their past and present residences. Their former Thousand Oaks, California, ranch — which they sold in 2013 for $10.85 million — was featured in Elle Décor.
Ellen DeGeneres’ Honors and Awards
In November 2016, President Obama presented DeGeneres with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. “It’s easy to forget now just how much courage was required for Ellen to come out on the most public of stages 20 years ago,” Obama said. Here’s a summary of other awards and accolades that the star has picked up over her career:
Golden Globe Awards
Carol Burnett Award (2020)
Daytime Emmy Awards
Outstanding Talk Show (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007)
Outstanding Talk Show Host (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008)
Outstanding Special Class Writing (2005, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2019)
Outstanding Promotional Announcement – Institutional (2009, 2011, 2012)
Outstanding Talk Show/Entertainment (2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020)
Outstanding New Approaches – Enhancement to a Daytime Program or Series (2013, 2014, 2015)
Outstanding Interactive Media – Enhancement to a Daytime Program or Series (2016)
Outstanding Promotional Announcement – Image (2016)
Outstanding Writing Team for a Daytime Non-Fictional Program (2022)
Primetime Emmy Awards
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series (1997)
People’s Choice Awards
Favorite Female Performer in a New TV Series (1995)
Favorite Daytime Talk Show Host (2005, 2006)
Favorite Funny Female Star (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009)
Favorite Talk Show Host (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011)
Favorite Daytime TV Host (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017)
Favorite Humanitarian (2016)
Favorite Animated Movie Voice (2017)
Favorite Comedic Collaboration (2017)
Producers Guild of America Awards
Outstanding Producer of Variety Television (2005, 2006)
Teen Choice Awards
Choice Comedian (2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016)
Choice Summer Movie Star: Female (2016)
Choice TV Personality (2017)
Choice Comedy Movie Actress (2017)
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Jennifer Taylor and Cody Bay contributed to the reporting for this article.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How Rich Is Ellen DeGeneres?
