Akira Toriyama is a manga artist and designer who has a net worth of $50 million. Akira Toriyama is best known for creating the hugely successful manga series "Dr. Slump" and "Dragon Ball." The latter is one of the best-selling manga series in history, and spawned a media franchise containing numerous anime adaptations, films, and video games. Toriyama has served as a character designer for many other video games, including the "Dragon Quest" series, "Chrono Trigger," and "Blue Dragon."

Early Life and Education

Akira Toriyama was born on April 5, 1955 in Nagoya, Japan. An artist from a young age, he was heavily inspired by the Disney film "One Hundred and One Dalmatians" and Osamu Tezuka's manga series "Astro Boy." He also enjoyed the television series "Ultraman" and the Gamera kaiju films. As an adolescent, Toriyama attended a creative design high school. After graduating, he worked at an advertising agency for three years designing posters.

Career Beginnings in Manga

After quitting his ad agency job, Toriyama entered the manga industry by submitting one of his works to an amateur contest in Weekly Shōnen Magazine. However, the timing did not work out for his submission. Toriyama's first published work, "Wonder Island," appeared in another magazine, Weekly Shōnen Jump, in 1978. The following year, he published "Today's Highlight Island" and "Tomato the Cutesy Gumshoe," the latter of which featured his first female lead character, something he was initially hesitant to create.

Dr. Slump

Encouraged by the moderate success of the female-led "Tomato the Cutesy Gumshoe," Toriyama decided to create another female lead character for his manga series "Dr. Slump." Serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1980 to 1984, the series chronicles the adventures of a mad professor and his small but powerful robot girl Arale. "Dr. Slump" was a massive success in Japan, making Toriyama a household name and earning him the Shogakukan Manga Award. The success of the manga series led to an anime adaptation.

Dragon Ball

Due to his love of kung fu films, Toriyama created the kung fu shōnen manga "Dragon Boy" in 1983. That manga evolved to become the serial "Dragon Ball," which appeared in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1984 to 1995. A worldwide phenomenon, "Dragon Ball" became one of the best-selling mangas of all time, moving over 300 million copies globally and spawning a media franchise replete with anime adaptations, movies, video games, and mega-merchandising. The franchise is credited with increasing the popularity of anime in the Western world.

Other Manga

Toriyama has created many other mangas beyond "Dr. Slump" and "Dragon Ball." They include such magazine one-shots as "Pola & Roid," "Mad Matic," "Chobit," "Mr. Ho," "The Elder," and "Karamaru and the Perfect Day." In the late 1990s, Toriyama created the short serials "Cowa!" and "Kajika." He continued doing short serials into the 21st century, including "Sand Land" and "Jaco the Galactic Patrolman." In 2008, Toriyama collaborated with Masakazu Katsura on the one-shot "Sachie-chan Good!!," and in 2009 reunited with him for the three-chapter one-shot "Jiya."

Video Games

In 1986, Toriyama was recruited to serve as a character designer for the role-playing video game "Dragon Quest." He went on to work on every subsequent installment in the "Dragon Quest" series. Toriyama has also served as a character designer for such video games as "Chrono Trigger," "Tobal No. 1" and "Tobal 2," "Blue Dragon" and its sequels, and "Jump Force." Elsewhere, he designed a couple characters for "Dragon Ball FighterZ" and "Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot."

Other Design Work

Toriyama has designed a myriad of other projects over the years in multiple media. Among them are various album covers, book covers, logos, and packaging and poster art. He also ventured into the world of automobiles in 2005 to design an electric car for CQ Motors called the QVOLT. Only nine of the one-person vehicles were produced.

Legacy and Honors

Due to the international success of "Dragon Ball," Toriyama is regarded as one of the most influential manga artists of all time. Numerous other artists have named him and his popular series as influences, including "One Piece" creator Eiichiro Oda, "Naruto" creator Masashi Kishimoto, and "Bleach" creator Tite Kubo. In 2019, Toriyama was named to the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government for his contribution to the arts.

Personal Life

In 1982, Toriyama married Yoshimi Katō, a former manga artist who went by the pen name Nachi Mikami. Together, they have a son and a daughter. A well-known hermit, Toriyama lives in his home studio in Kiyosu and avoids appearing in the media spotlight. In addition to manga, he is passionate about motorcycles, cars, and all kinds of animals.

Read more: Akira Toriyama Net Worth

William Peter Blatty was an American writer and filmmaker who had a net worth of $10 million at the time of his death. William Peter Blatty was born in New York City, New York on January 7, 1928. He died on January 12, 2017 at the age of 89.

William Peter Blatty was an acclaimed author and filmmaker, best known for penning the novel "The Exorcist," which he later adapted into the iconic screenplay for the film of the same name. "The Exorcist" became a cultural phenomenon, both in literary and cinematic form, earning critical praise and achieving significant box office success. Blatty's ability to delve into psychological and supernatural themes, paired with his mastery of suspense, has solidified his legacy as a key figure in the horror genre. His body of work extends beyond "The Exorcist," encompassing novels, screenplays, and directorial projects that reflect his unique voice and creative vision.

For "The Exorcist," William Peter Blatty won the 1974 Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. He also won the equivalent Golden Globe that same year.

Early Life

Born into a modest family, William Peter Blatty's early life was marked by financial struggles and constant moving. His mother, a devout Catholic, played a significant role in shaping his spiritual beliefs, which later became a recurring theme in his work. Blatty's upbringing, while challenging, fostered a sense of resilience and a keen interest in storytelling that would guide his future career.

Education

Blatty pursued higher education at Georgetown University, where he studied English literature. He then went on to earn a master's degree in English from George Washington University. His academic experiences provided him with a strong literary foundation and exposed him to philosophical and theological ideas that would influence his writing. Blatty's education not only honed his skills as a writer but also deepened his intellectual curiosity and engagement with existential themes.

Early Career

Blatty's early career was characterized by a diverse range of writing projects, from comedy screenplays to non-fiction works. He worked in public relations and wrote for various magazines before venturing into screenwriting. Collaborating with director Blake Edwards, he contributed to films like "A Shot in the Dark" (1964) and "What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?" (1966). Though successful, these early works only hinted at the depth and complexity Blatty would later achieve.

The Exorcist

With "The Exorcist," Blatty achieved international fame and acclaim. Published in 1971, the novel explores the terrifying ordeal of a young girl possessed by a demonic entity, drawing on Blatty's own Catholic background. The book's success led to the 1973 film adaptation, directed by William Friedkin and starring Linda Blair, Ellen Burstyn, Jason Miller and Max von Sydow, with Blatty himself adapting the screenplay. The film became a box-office sensation, earning a then-unprecedented $430 million off a budget of $12 million. The film earned Blatty an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. "The Exorcist" remains a seminal work in horror fiction and a landmark in modern cinema.

William sued Warner Bros., the studio that produced The Exorcist, a number of times over the years. In his 2010 lawsuit William claimed he co-owned the film's copyright and therefore was not a mere profit participant and demanded to inspect Warner Bros' books to ensure he received a fair share of royalties.

Newsmakers via Getty

Novels

Beyond "The Exorcist," Blatty's literary output includes several novels that showcase his versatility and talent. Works such as "Legion" (1983), a sequel to "The Exorcist," and "Elsewhere" (2009), a supernatural thriller, demonstrate his ability to craft engaging narratives that delve into psychological, spiritual, and existential questions. His novels often blur the lines between genres, infusing horror with elements of mystery, drama, and philosophical reflection.

Other Work

In addition to his novels and screenplays, Blatty also worked as a director and producer. He directed "The Ninth Configuration" (1980), a psychological thriller that explores themes of faith and madness. Blatty's work in film showcases his understanding of visual storytelling and his ability to translate complex ideas onto the screen. Whether as a writer, director, or producer, his contributions to film and literature reflect a unified creative vision.

Personal Life

William Peter Blatty was married four times and had seven children. Blatty passed away in January 2017, five days before his 89th birthday.

Bethesda Mansion

In his later years William spent a time living in Aspen Colorado but ultimately settled in Bethesda, Maryland, where in 2001 he paid $1.75 million for a 10,000 square foot mansion. A few months after his death, this mansion was listed for sale of $3.195 million but his estate ultimately did not accept any offers.

Read more: William Peter Blatty Net Worth

Joe Eszterhas is a Hungarian-American writer and producer who has a net worth of $25 million. Joe Eszterhas first made his mark in the 1980s with the screenplay for "Flashdance" (1983), which became a massive hit. His unique style, combining grit and eroticism, led him to work on films like "Jagged Edge" (1985) and "Basic Instinct" (1992). The latter was particularly controversial but financially successful, solidifying Eszterhas's reputation as a master of the thriller genre. He continued to pen high-profile projects such as "Showgirls" (1995), though this film was widely panned by critics and became infamous for its explicit content.

Highest Paid Screenwriter

At his peak, Joe Eszterhas was the highest-paid screenwriter in the world. Over the course of his career he earned roughly $30 million selling scripts for dozens of movies, many of which were never produced! He earned 90% of these earnings just in the 1990s alone! And, keep in mind, that $30 million figure does not include back-end royalties on box office profits.

At his absolute peak, Joe could earn $4 million just for the rights to a screenplay. And these screenplays would sometimes be just four page summaries of a potential future screenplay.

Below is a summary of some of Joe Eszterhas' biggest career paydays and salaries:

In 1982 Joe earned $275,000 for his screenplay for what became "Flashdance." A year later he sold his screenplay for what became "Jagged Edge" for $500,000.

In 1990 he sold a script for a movie (that eventually became "Basic Instinct") for a record-smashing $3 million. After adjusting for inflation, that was the same was making $7 million in today's dollars.

Eszterhas' sale of Basic Instinct for $3 million shattered that record, and helped to usher in a new era of high-paying spec deals in Hollywood. The success of Basic Instinct also helped to make Eszterhas one of the most in-demand screenwriters in Hollywood at the time.

In 1990 he sold a script called "Sacred Cows" to MGM for $500,000. He would have earned an additional $250,000 if the film had been produced. It was shelved.

He then earned $600,000 for a script called "Original Sin." He would have earned an additional $900,000 if the film had been produced. It was shelved.

In 1994 Joe earned $1 million for his screenplay "Sliver." This film was made and turned out to be a moderate box office success, generating $116 million.

Joe earned $2 million for a screenplay called "Reliable Sources" that wasn't made.

The year 1995 would prove to be Joe's career pinnacle. That year two of his films, "Jade" and "Showgirls" were released to very mixed reactions and performance. But Joe didn't care either way. He earned $4 million for "Jade" and $3.75 million for "Showgirls."

Joe would go on to make $4 million for what became "One Night Stand," $2 million for an un-produced comedy called "Male Pattern Baldness," $1 million for an un-produced script called "Foreplay" and $1 million for an un-produced script called "Gangland."

Box Office Numbers

To date, Joe's movies have generated over $1 billion at global box office. "Basic Instinct" is his biggest hit, bringing in a little over $400 million in 1992. Here is a bulleted-list of Joe's box office performance:

• Flashdance (1983): $200.9 million
• Jagged Edge (1985): $104.3 million
• Basic Instinct (1992): $403.7 million
• Sliver (1993): $81.2 million
• Jade (1995): $91.5 million
• Showgirls (1995): $19.3 million
• Telling Lies in America (1997): $275.2 thousand

Early Life

Joe Eszterhas was born on November 23, 1944 in Csákánydoroszló, Hungary to parents Maria and Istvan Eszterhas who both followed the Roman Catholic faith. He was born during World War II and lived as a child in a refugee camp in Allied-occupied Austria. The family later moved to the United States, living first in Pittsburgh before later settling in Cleveland in 1950. He attended high school there and then enrolled at Ohio University. After winning a writing competition in 1966  sponsored by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation, he decided to pursue a career in writing.

Early Writing Career

Eszterhaus began his career working at the "Dayton Journal Herald" and then began working at "The Plain Dealer" in Cleveland where he was one of the first reporters to cover the Kent State shootings in 1970. He and fellow "The Plain Dealer" journalist, Michael Roberts, spent the next three months reporting on the story and their work was published as the book "Thirteen Seconds: Confrontation at Kent State." He later joined the staff of "Rolling Stone."

In 1974, Eszterhas became a National Book Award nominee for his nonfiction work, "Charlie Simpson's Apocalypse." A studio executive read the book and contacted him to tell him the book was very cinematic and suggested he could be a screenwriter. This motivated him to change careers and start writing scripts.

Film Career

Eszterhas' first produced screenplay was "F.I.S.T.' and was directed by Norman Jewison. He also contributed to the script of 1983 film "Flashdance" and wrote the screenplays for "Jagged Edge" and "Betrayed."

In 1989, Eszterhas planned to leave Creative Artists Agency, where he had been represented, because his friend, Guy McElwiane, was restarting his own agency. Michael Ovitz, then the chairman of CAA, threatened to prevent CAA actors from acting in Eszterhas's future projects. Eszterhas then wrote a letter to Ovitz and blasted him for his tactics. Copies of the letter were circulated around Hollywood and as a result, the powerful agency lost some of the power it had on the entertainment industry.

A spec script that Eszterhas wrote originally titled "Love Hurts" became the subject of a bidding war amongst the various production companies in Hollywood. It eventually sold for a then-record $3 million in 1990. That's the same as $7 million in today's dollars after adjusting for inflation. The project later materialized into the film "Basic Instinct," directed by Paul Verhoeven and starring Sharon Stone and Michael Douglas. It was released in 1992 and earned more than $400 million at the box office. The success of the film led Eszterhaus to become one of the most sought-after screenwriters at the time.

The following year, Eszterhas re-teamed with "Basic Instinct" star Sharon Stone for the film "Silver." However, the film was not nearly as successful. He then wrote the screenplay for "Showgirls." The film debuted in 1995 and was seen as both a critical and financial disaster. It won the year's Golden Raspberry Award for "Worst Screenplay." However, despite the negative press, the film enjoyed a cult following when released on video and generated over $100 million from video rentals. It became one of MGM's top twenty all-time bestsellers. Soon after "Showgirls" was released, another of Eszterhas's films, "Jade," was released to more negative reviews. Due to the back to back box-office bombs, Eszterhas's reputation as one of the highest-paid screenwriters took a hit.

LUCY NICHOLSON AFP / Getty Images

In 1997, Eszterhas produced two films, both of which he wrote: "Telling Lies in America" and "An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn." The former film was a massive failure and won several Golden Raspberry Awards including "Worst Picture," "Worst Screenplay," and "Worst New Star." The failure of the film affected Eszterhas's career. None of the screenplays he wrote between 1997 and 2006 were produced.

In 2006, he did achieve some success for "Children of Glory," a Hungarian language film based upon his screenplay. The film focuses on the 1956 Hungarian Revolution and the Blood in the Water match at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. The film was entered by invitation in the official section at the 2007 Berlin Film Festival.

Eszterhas also has written several best-selling books, including "Hollywood Animal," an autobiography about politics in Hollywood and "Crossbearer: A Memoir of Faith" in 2008.

Personal Life

Like the characters in his films, Joe has had a turbulent personal life.

In 1972 Joe Eszterhas married Geraldine "Geri" Javer. They had two children together over the course of the marriage. They divorced in 1994 after the following bizarre circumstances had occurred:

In 1992, during the filming of Joe's movie "Sliver", Joe introduced the film's star Sharon Stone to his friend Bill MacDonald, who was also one of the film's producers. After knowing Bill for a matter of days, Sharon informed him that she was in love and that her psychic had told her that she and Bill were actually lovers from a previous life. Unfortunately for Sharon, Bill was recently married to his partner of 10 years, a woman named Naomi Baka. They had been married for five months but Sharon's lure proved irresistible and MacDonald ended the marriage with Naomi. Distraught, Naomi briefly moved back to her parents' house in Ohio where she learned she was pregnant. She lost the baby to a miscarriage.

In the wake of her life being turned upside down, Naomi Baka moved in with Joe and Geri Eszterhas at their home in the upscale Northern California town of Belvedere in the city of Tiburon in tony Marin County, California. She vacationed with Joe, Geri and their two sons to exotic locations like Maui. They spent holidays together. And at some point Joe and Naomi began an affair and fell in love.

Joe and Geri divorced in 1994. That year, he married Naomi Baka. They had four sons together. Joe and Naomi live in the Cleveland suburb of Bainbridge Township, Ohio as he had wanted to raise his children there rather than Malibu, California, where he had lived before.

Sharon Stone and Bill MacDonald became engaged but broke up in 1994. She reportedly returned his engagement ring via FedEx.

When Eszterhas was 45 years old, he found out that his father had concealed his World War II collaboration in Hungary's Arrow Cross Party government after the German occupation of Hungary. He had organized book burnings and produced anti-Semitic propaganda. After discovering this, he cut his father out of his life entirely, never reconciling before his father's death in 2001. He later expressed some regret at not seeing his father before he died.

Eszterhas has described himself as an independent centrist and has previously supported Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Ross Perot, George W. Bush, and Donald Trump. He is also a supporter of Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán.

Ohio Mansion

Joe's Ohio property was purchased in 2001 for $975,000. The 5+ acre property is worth around $1.5 million today.

Read more: Joe Eszterhas Net Worth

Robert Oppenheimer was an American theoretical physicist who had a net worth of $1 million at the time of his death in 1967. That's the same as around $9 million today, after adjusting for inflation. Robert Oppenheimer was an American theoretical physicist who is often called the "father of the atomic bomb," thanks to his position as the director of the Manhattan Project's Los Alamos Laboratory during World War II.

Robert is portrayed by Cillian Murphy in the 2023 Christopher Nolan film "Oppenheimer."

Early Life

Julius Robert Oppenheimer, also referred to as J. Robert Oppenheimer, but primarily known by his middle name Robert, or a nickname "Oppie", was born on April 22, 1904, in New York City to a wealthy Jewish family.  His father, Julius Oppenheimer, was a textile importer and his mother, Ella Friedman, was an artist. Their intellectually stimulating household nurtured young Oppenheimer's exceptional intelligence. Encouraged by a tutor to read widely, Oppenheimer demonstrated a voracious appetite for learning, exploring various subjects from a young age.

Oppenheimer's family was non-observant Jews, but he was interested in Eastern philosophy and religion. He was also a gifted student, and he excelled in mathematics and science.

Family Wealth

His father's successful textile business and various other investments allowed the Oppenheimers to live an opulent life. They lived in a large mansion in Manhattan that was decorated with many works of art that would later be considered priceless. His father also was fortunate to have gone through a business dispute that resulted in his sale of his share of the family textile business in the years before the 1929 stock market crash. As a result, the family lost no wealth in the great depression.

When his father Julius died in 1937 he left behind $400,000, to be split evenly between Robert and his younger brother Frank. That's equal to around $8.5 million in today's dollars. The wealth generated roughly $10,000 worth of passive income every year for both Robert and Frank. At the time that was the same as around $200,000 per year in passive income. That was on top of the $3,300 annual salary he was earning from Berkeley, which was worth around $70,000 in today's dollars. Upon receiving his inheritance, Robert immediately wrote a will that left all of his wealth to the University of California, upon his death.

Throughout his life Robert was known to be very generous with his money. He donated to many socialist causes and organizations. These donations and associations would later serve as fodder for his enemies who accused Robert of being a communist.

Oppenheimer Beach

In 1957 Robert bought a two-acre beachfront property on Gibney Beach in the U.S. Virgin Islands. He proceeded to build a modest home. Upon their deaths, the beach was inherited by their daughter Toni. Toni died in 1967 and left the beach to the "people of St. John." Today it is a public park known as Oppenheimer Beach. Their former vacation home is a community center which can be rented out for weddings and various other community meetings.

The beach and the former Oppenheimer home can be seen in this video:

Perro Caliente Ranch

Robert was famously passionate about New Mexico after taking a horseback ranch working vacation there as a child. In his 20s Robert began leasing a 154-acre ranch with a modest cabin that he saw while on a horseback ride. According to legend, when he first learned the ranch was available for rent, he exclaimed "hot dog!", but his companion corrected it to the local Spanish words "Perro Caliente." Robert loved the joke and years later when he purchased the ranch for $10,000, he officially named it "Perro Caliente." Robert's son Peter inherited this property.

(Photo by PhotoQuest/Getty Images)

Education

Oppenheimer's educational journey began at the Ethical Culture School in New York, from where he graduated in 1921. He then enrolled at Harvard University, initially studying chemistry before shifting his focus to physics due to his growing fascination with the subject. After Harvard, he journeyed across the Atlantic to continue his studies at the renowned Cavendish Laboratory at the University of Cambridge, England, and later at the University of Göttingen, Germany. At Göttingen, he worked under the tutelage of Max Born, a key figure in the development of quantum mechanics, ultimately earning a Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1927.

Early Career

Upon completion of his doctorate, Oppenheimer divided his time teaching at the California Institute of Technology and the University of California, Berkeley. During this period, he made several notable contributions to quantum mechanics and quantum field theory. His work in these fields established him as a pioneering theoretical physicist and earned him considerable respect among his peers. He also gained a reputation as a captivating lecturer who inspired a new generation of scientists.

Manhattan Project

With the advent of World War II, Oppenheimer's career took a dramatic turn. In 1942, he was appointed as the head of the Los Alamos Laboratory in New Mexico, the primary site of the Manhattan Project. Here, he spearheaded the monumental task of developing an atomic bomb. Despite the tremendous technical challenges and high secrecy surrounding the project, Oppenheimer's leadership and organizational prowess were instrumental in seeing the project to its successful conclusion, culminating in the "Trinity" test in July 1945.

After WW2

Following the end of the war, Oppenheimer found himself at the heart of the political machinations surrounding atomic energy. He was appointed to the General Advisory Committee of the newly established Atomic Energy Commission (AEC). However, his forthright political views and earlier associations with leftist groups attracted unwanted attention during the Red Scare of the 1950s. In a contentious hearing in 1954, Oppenheimer's security clearance was revoked, effectively terminating his government career and creating a public scandal.

Personal Life

Oppenheimer's personal life was marked by both love and tumult. In 1940, he married Katherine Puening, a student from Berkeley known for her radical political beliefs. The couple had two children, Peter and Katherine. Their marital life was not without its trials, marked by Katherine's struggles with alcoholism and Oppenheimer's rumored infidelities. Despite the turbulence, they remained a couple until Oppenheimer's death.

Later Years & Death

After his departure from government service, Oppenheimer served as the Director of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey. In this role, he continued to influence the scientific community, despite the controversy that had tarnished his public reputation. A degree of redemption came in 1963 when President Lyndon B. Johnson honored Oppenheimer with the prestigious Enrico Fermi Award. Throughout his later years, Oppenheimer remained an outspoken advocate for the peaceful application of nuclear energy and voiced concerns over the escalating nuclear arms race. He succumbed to throat cancer in 1967, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire and provoke debate about the role of science in society and the ethical implications of technological advancements.

Read more: Robert Oppenheimer Net Worth

Sophie Grégoire Trudeau is a Canadian television host who has a net worth of $5 million. Sophie Grégoire Trudeau is probably best known for being married to Justin Trudeau for 18 years, from 2005 to August 2023. Justin became the 23^rd Prime Minister of Canada in 2015. Sophie was a childhood classmate of Justin's late brother Michel Trudeau. Grégoire Trudeau is a champion of women's issues and mental health initiatives, using her public platform to raise awareness and effect change in these areas.

Early Life

Sophie Grégoire was born into a Franco-Quebecois family in Montreal on April 24, 1975.

Her father, Jean Grégoire, was a stockbroker, and her mother, Estelle Blais, was a Franco-Ontarian nurse. She attended the private all-girls' school, Pensionnat du Saint-Nom-de-Marie in Outremont, and then studied Commerce at McGill University before transferring to the Université de Montréal, where she completed a Bachelor of Arts in Communications.

Career

After graduation, Grégoire Trudeau began a career in media, working initially as a receptionist and assistant at an advertising firm. Her career in television began at LCN's daily show "Showbiz," where she covered entertainment news. She later became a reporter for eTalk, focusing on celebrities' charitable work, and co-hosted the show "Vivement dimanche" on Radio-Canada.

Beyond her career in television, Grégoire Trudeau's role as a public figure has been marked by her extensive involvement in philanthropic activities. She serves as the official spokesperson for The Shield of Athena, which helps women and children dealing with domestic violence. She is also a public speaker, advocating for issues related to women's rights, self-esteem, and mental health. Her work in these fields has gained her a reputation as a dedicated activist, making her a respected figure in Canadian public life.

(Photo by CHRIS WATTIE/AFP via Getty Images)

Personal Life

Sophie Grégoire met Justin Trudeau, the future Prime Minister of Canada, when they were both children, but they only began dating as adults. They married in 2005 and have three children: Xavier, Ella-Grace, and Hadrien. As the wife of the Prime Minister, Grégoire Trudeau has used her public role to promote her philanthropic interests and has become a style icon, known for promoting Canadian designers.

In 2020, she made headlines when she was diagnosed with COVID-19, but she recovered after a period of self-isolation. Grégoire Trudeau's openness about her personal struggles, including her past battle with bulimia, has been widely praised and has added to her public profile as a relatable and compassionate figure.

On August 1, 2023 Sophie and Justin announced that they were separating after 18 years of marriage.

Read more: Sophie Grégoire Trudeau Net Worth

James Brown is an American sportscaster who has a net worth of $18 million and salary of $6 million. James Brown is best known as the studio host of "The James Brown Show," "The NFL Today" on CBS Sports, and as the former host of "Fox NFL Sunday" on Fox Sports. He also serves as a special correspondent for CBS News.

Early Life

James Talmadge Brown was born on February 25, 1951, in Washington, D.C., to John and Maryann Brown. He graduated from Harvard University where he earned All-Ivy League honors playing basketball and earned a degree in American Government. He also captained the basketball team his senior year. Brown was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks at No. 62 overall in the 1973 NBA Draft and tried out for the team but failed to make the roster. He worked for Xerox and Eastman Kodak before getting into sports broadcasting.

Broadcasting Career

In 1984, James Brown started doing television broadcasts for the NBA's Washington Bullets. From there Brown worked as an anchor for WDVM-TV in Washington and did some work with CBS Sports. He joined CBS in 1987 and did play-by-play announcing for their NFL and college basketball coverage. Brown also appeared on coverage for the NBA Finals and the 1992 and 1994 Olympics. In 1994 he became host of the NFL on Fox pregame show and also served as lead studio host for "FOX NHL Sunday" from 1994 to 1998. After the 2005 NFL season he left Fox and rejoined CBS Sports. He currently serves as host for "The NFL Today" on CBS and a substitute anchor on the CBS Evening News.

(Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Microsoft)

Other Appearances

James Brown has also been the host of "The World's Funniest!," the "Coast to Coast" radio show formerly hosted by Bob Costas, and has served as a correspondent for "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel." He had a cameo on an episode of "Married… with Children" called "A Bundy Thanksgiving."

For several years, Brown hosted a weekday radio sports talk show on Sporting News Radio in addition to his Showtime and CBS duties. He left the network in April 2006 but has since returned with Arnie Spanier. Brown has appeared on "60 Minutes" in which he interviewed NFL quarterback Michael Vick for one segment and reported on Brian Banks in another segment titled "Blindsided: The Exoneration of Brian Banks." In May 2013, Brown stood onstage with the Co-CEO of SAP, Bill McDermont, for McDermott's keynote speech at SAPPHIRE NOW from Orlando.

James Brown has covered for Scott Pelley, Jeff Glor, and Norah O'Donnell over the years on multiple occasions and has also contributed to "CBS This Morning" and "CBS Sunday Morning."

Personal Life

James Brown and his wife, Dorothy, have a daughter named Katrina. He is a grandfather of three granddaughters and one grandson.

In May 2006, Brown became a minority owner of the Washington Nationals Major League Baseball team. He was one of several investors in a group led by Washinton, D.C. real estate developer Ted Lerner.

In March 2009, Brown was named the Community Ambassador for AARP.

Read more: James Brown Net Worth

Lex Fridman is a computer scientist, artificial intelligence researcher, and podcaster who has a net worth of $8 million. As a research scientist, he works at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on computer vision and autonomous vehicle systems, among other areas of specialty. Fridman also hosts the "Lex Fridman Podcast," a popular podcast and YouTube series.

Early Life and Education

Lex Fridman was born on August 15, 1986 in Chkalovsk in Soviet Tajikistan into a Russian-Jewish family. His father, Alexander, is a plasma physicist who works at Drexel University's College of Engineering. Fridman's brother, Gregory, is also a plasma physicist. When Fridman was around 11 years old, he immigrated with his family to the United States, settling in suburban Chicago, Illinois. In Naperville, he went to Neuqua Valley High School. For his higher education, Fridman attended Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he earned his BS and MS degrees in computer science and his PhD in electrical and computer engineering. He completed his PhD dissertation, entitled "Learning of Identity from Behavioral Biometrics for Active Authentication," under the advisement of Moshe Kam and Steven Weber.

Computer Scientist

Fridman launched his professional career at Google, where he worked on machine learning projects. He went on to join the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a research scientist in 2015. In 2017, Fridman worked on projects related to computer vision, deep learning, and algorithms for semi-autonomous vehicles.

Lex Fridman Podcast

In 2018, Fridman launched his "Artificial Intelligence Podcast" as part of an MIT course on artificial general intelligence. He later renamed it the "Lex Fridman Podcast" and began focusing on a broader array of subjects, including history, philosophy, and phenomenology. The podcast is structured as a long-form interview show, and typically runs anywhere from two to four hours per episode. Over the years, it has featured various celebrities, including chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen and tech titans Mark Zuckerberg, Jack Dorsey, and Elon Musk. Additionally, Fridman has brought his interest in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and other grappling sports onto the podcast via interviews with such fighters as Georges St-Pierre, Roger Gracie, and Craig Jones.

YouTube

Fridman has been on YouTube since 2006. His channel focuses on talk and technology, and has accumulated over 450 million total views. Fridman has more than three million subscribers on his channel, as well.

Research and Publications

Fridman's research focuses on artificial intelligence, machine learning, and autonomous vehicle systems. His publications include "Driver Gaze Region Estimation without Use of Eye Movement," "Arguing Machines: Human Supervision of Black Box AI Systems," and "Automated Synchronization of Driving Data Using Vibration and Steering Events."

Personal Life

In addition to his involvement in Brazilian jiu-jitsu – in which he holds a first-degree black belt under Rick and Phil Migliarese – Fridman plays piano and the guitar.

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Katy Tur is an American author and broadcast journalist who has a net worth of $8 million. Katy Tur has been a longtime correspondent for NBC News and MSNBC. She currently hosts "Katy Tur Reports" on MSNBC.

Katy Tur was born on October 26, 1983 in Los Angeles, California. She is the daughter of journalists Zoey Tur and Marika Gerrard and is of Jewish descent. She attended the Brentwood School, graduating in 2001. She then enrolled at the University of California, Santa Barbara, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy in 2005.

Salary

Katy Tur's MSNBC salary is $4 million per year.

OJ Simpson Chase

Katie's father is Robert Tur, who is now known as Zoey Tur after a undergoing a male to female transition. Zoey is arguably the most famous helicopter pilot journalist of all time. In the 90s when she identified as Robert, she operated a helicopter above Los Angeles and was able to film some of the most notable moments of the 20th century. She was responsible for filming the Reginald Denny beating during the LA riots, damage from the Loma Prieta earthquake and more.

But perhaps most famously, Zoey was the first reporter to locate OJ Simpson's Bronco on June 17, 1994 which kicked off the most famous car case of all time. Zoey followed OJ throughout the chase and filmed some of the most commercially valuable footage. Tur owns all the footage she shot and has successfully licensed it many times over the last few decades.

In 2022 Tur's memoir, "Rough Draft,"was published in 2022. The book details her challenging relationship with her father. In her memoir, Tur discusses the challenges she faced throughout the process of the transition but also described the fact that the two had become estranged for reasons unrelated to the transition. She described a shaky childhood in which there was sometimes violence in the home. She did not speak to Zoey Tur for several years but the two did later reconcile and Tur has acknowledged that her parents had been broadcast pioneers who were influential on her own career.

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Career

Tur decided to pursue a career in broadcast journalism after finishing her studies. She initially reported for KTLA, HD News/Cablevision, News 12 Brooklyn, WPIX-TV, and Fox 5 New York. She later worked as a storm chaser for The Weather Channel on the network's VORTEX2 team.

In 2009, Tur joined NBC's local station in New York City, WNBC-TV. She rose to the flagship NBC News at the national network level. She received an award at the Associated Press Awards in the Best Spot News Award for her coverage of the March 2008 crane collapse on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Other notable stories she covered include the death of Cory Monteith, a motorcycle attack on an SUV, and the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.

One of her most notable assignments came in 2016 when she worked as the embedded NBC and MSNBC reporter on the 2016 Donald Trump presidential campaign. As a reporter for NBC, Tur was assigned the task of informing the Trump campaign about the "Access Hollywood" tape that the network had in its possession. The tape featured Trump's vulgar and controversial remarks about women in a recorded conversation with Billy Bush.

Tur became a well-known figure to the Trump campaign and was singled out on several occasions by Trump himself during speeches he made during campaign rallies in which he criticized the media's coverage of him. At an event in Florida, Tur was booed by Trump supporters and, according to CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer, was verbally harassed. According to Trump's campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, Trump did not intend for his supporters to harass or attack her in a malicious way.

In 2017, Tur received the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism. She also reflected on the time she spent covering the Trump campaign and his treatment of her at his rallies in an article she wrote for "Marie Claire." In September of 2017, she also published a book called "Unbelievable: My Front-Row Seat to the Craziest Campaign in American History." In the book, she recounts her experience in covering the 2016 presidential campaign. The book spent several weeks on the "New York Times" Best Seller list.

Since the campaign, Tur has continued worked as an anchor and correspondent for MSNBC. She has her own show, "Katy Tur Reports."

Personal Life

From 2006 to 2009, Tur was in a relationship with then-MSNBC political commentator and sportscaster Keith Olbermann. Since their breakup, Olbermann has at various times made disparaging comments about Tur on his show and in the media. As recently as December 2022, Olbermann went on a rant about Tur, claiming that he had helped her write her memoir and making strange comments about her now husband, Tony Dokoupil. Other prominent media and news correspondents, like Megyn Kelly, also got involved by scolding Olbermann for being unable to move on from the failed relationship.

After the break-up with Olbermann, Tur later began dating Tony Dokoupil, a correspondent for CBS News. The two married in October of 2017. They welcomed a son together in April of 2019 and then a daughter in May of 2021. Tur also has two stepchildren from Dokoupil's first marriage. Like her parents, Tur is fluent in Spanish.

Read more: Katy Tur Net Worth

Gore Vidal was an American writer who had a net worth of $30 million at the time of his death in 2012. Gore Vidal was known for his witty, incisive works interrogating social and cultural mores throughout history. Among his best-known novels are "The City and the Pillar," "Julian," "Myra Breckinridge," and "Lincoln." Beyond his writing, Vidal was significantly involved in politics, and unsuccessfully ran for the US House of Representatives and the US Senate in 1960 and 1982, respectively.

As a political essayist, Vidal's primary subject matter was the history of the United States and societal issues. Over the years, his political and cultural essays were published in The Nation, the New Statesman, the New York Review of Books, and Esquire magazine. As a novelist, Gore Vidal explored the nature of corruption in public and private life. In his third novel, The City and the Pillar, he offended the sensibilities of conservative book reviewers with the introduction of a male homosexual relationship. In Myra Breckinridge, he explored the gender roles and sexual orientation as social constructs established by social mores. He was no stranger to political feuds throughout the years, including famous feuds with Truman Capote, William F Buckley, and Norman Mailer.

He was briefly engaged to actress, Joanne Woodward, prior to her marrying Paul Newman, and had a rumored affair with Anais Nin. In 1950, Gore Vidal met Howard Austen, the man who became his life partner for 53 years. He said that the secret to his long relationship with Austen was that they did not have sex with each other. Reportedly, later in life, Gore Vidal suffered alcoholic encephalopathy, derived from the illness "Wernicke-Korsakoff, a syndrome characterized by a number of symptoms, including confusion and hallucinations. It was rumored that in the last nine years of his life, Vidal drank to excess, especially after the death of Austen in 2003. On July 31, 2012 Gore Vidal died at the age of 86 in the Hollywood Hills.

Early Life and Education

Gore Vidal was born as Eugene Vidal on October 3, 1925 in West Point, New York at the cadet hospital of the US Military Academy, where his father, Army officer and athlete Eugene Sr., was serving as the inaugural aeronautics instructor. His mother was socialite and actress Nina Gore, who divorced his father in 1935. The subsequent marriages of Vidal's parents resulted in nine half-siblings.

Raised in Washington, DC, Vidal attended Sidwell Friends School and St. Albans School; he was baptized by the headmaster of the latter when he was 13. Vidal subsequently attended the Los Alamos Ranch School in New Mexico before transferring to Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire. Instead of going to college, he enlisted in the US Army when he was 17 and worked as an office clerk in the USAAF. Vidal later became a maritime warrant officer in the Transportation Corps, and after that was a first mate of an Army freight and supply ship in the Aleutian Islands.

Literary Career

Vidal began his literary career in 1946 with the military novel "Williwaw," which he had written during his service in World War II. It was a success. However, Vidal soon became controversial on account of his third novel, 1948's "The City and the Pillar," which caused a scandal for its frank depiction of a young man coming to terms with his homosexuality. Using the pseudonym Edgar Box, he went on to pen the mystery novels "Death in the Fifth Position," "Death Before Bedtime," and "Death Likes it Hot." He also wrote the satirical novel "Messiah," about the rise of a new, fictional nontheistic religion that comes to replace the Abrahamic faiths. Vidal's success led him to branch out to playwriting, resulting in the stage play "The Best Man" and the television plays "A Sense of Justice" and "Visit to a Small Planet." In the 1960s, he published such notable novels as "Julian," "Washington, D.C.," and "Myra Breckinridge," as well as the play "Weekend."

Vidal's literary works from the 1970s include the novels "Two Sisters," "Burr," "1876," "Myron," and "Kalki." He also wrote the play "An Evening With Richard Nixon." In the 1980s, he penned such novels as "Creation," "Duluth," "Lincoln," and "Empire," and wrote the essay anthology "Armageddon." Vidal continued authoring both fiction and non-fiction books in the 1990s; in the former category were "Hollywood," "Live from Golgotha," and "The Smithsonian Institution," and in the latter "United States: Essays 1952-92," which won the National Book Award for Nonfiction. In 2000, Vidal published "The Golden Age," the seventh and final book in his "Narratives of Empire" series. Also that year, he published the essay collection "The Last Empire." In 2009, Vidal won the National Book Foundation's Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters.

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Film Career

In 1956, Vidal was hired by MGM as a screenwriter. He was later hired by film director William Wyler to rewrite portions of the 1959 Biblical epic "Ben-Hur," which was originally written by Karl Tunberg. Much later in his career, Vidal came up with the story for the 1979 erotic historical film "Caligula," and wrote the screenplay to the 1989 television film "Billy the Kid." He also acted in some films, including "Bob Roberts," "With Honors," "Gattaca," and "Igby Goes Down."

Political Career

A noted liberal and member of the Democratic Party, Vidal ran for US Congress for the 29th Congressional District of New York in 1960. He ultimately lost to Republican J. Ernest Wharton. Vidal launched another campaign for office in 1982 when he ran for the US Senate from California; his campaign was the subject of the 1983 documentary "Gore Vidal: The Man Who Said No." That time, Vidal lost to Republican Pete Wilson.

Later in his life, Vidal was notable for his outspoken criticism of George W. Bush and his military interventionism and expansionism. He became a member of the board of advisors of the World Can't Wait, a political group that opposed the foreign policy program of the Bush administration and called for Bush's impeachment for war crimes.

Feuds

Vidal was known to get into public feuds with other high-profile figures in the media. The most infamous was his feud with conservative writer William F. Buckley Jr., with whom he was paired as a political analyst on ABC television in the late 1960s. Vidal and Buckley traded vituperations and ad hominem attacks as they locked horns over many days on air while covering the 1968 presidential-nomination conventions. The feud continued over the years via essays published by both Vidal and Buckley in Esquire magazine. Among his other feuds, Vidal butted heads with authors Truman Capote and Norman Mailer.

Relationships

With a predilection for cruising the streets and bars of New York City for sex, Vidal claimed to have had over 1,000 sexual encounters by the time he was 25. He also mentioned having a romantic relationship with actress Diana Lynn. In other major relationships, Vidal was briefly engaged to actress Joanne Woodward before she married Paul Newman. He also claimed to have slept with such famous men as Fred Astaire and Dennis Hopper. In 1950, Vidal met Howard Austen, who became his partner for the next 53 years until Austen passed away. Vidal asserted that the secret of their long-lasting relationship was the absence of sex. The couple resided in a 1929 villa in Outpost Estates, Los Angeles and in the Italian villa La Rondinaia on the Amalfi Coast.

Death

Due to his years of abusing alcohol, Vidal began suffering from Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, a neurological disorder, in 2010. Two years later, on July 31, 2012, he passed away from pneumonia at his home in the Hollywood Hills. He was 86 years of age.

Hollywood Mansion

In 1977 Gore Vidal paid $149,500 for a mansion in Los Angeles. He listed the home for sale a year before his death for $3.5 million. It finally sold in January 2017 for $3.75 million.

La Rondinaia

Gore's most significant real estate asset was a cliff-top villa, set on 6.5 acres of the Amalfi Coast in Italy. Gore owned the home, which is known as La Rondinaia, from 1972 to 2006. He lived there full-time from 1993 until 2006. During those years Gore hosted countless celebrities for parties and dinners, including Mick Jagger, Paul Newman, Tennessee Williams, Andy Warhol, Bruce Springsteen and Greta Garbo. In 2004 Gore listed La Rondinaia for sale for 14 million euros. He sold it in 2006 to a local hotelier for an undisclosed amount. It is now used as a luxury wedding venue:

Read more: Gore Vidal Net Worth

Candace Bushnell is an American author and producer who has a net worth of $2.5 million. Candace Bushnell sold her first children's story to a publisher when she was 19 years old. Bushnell continued to pursue her writing career and landed a job penning a humor column for the "New York Observer" in the early '90s. The column, "Sex and the City", was based on Bushnell's dating and social life. As you know, the columns were later adapted into the HBO TV series "Sex and the City," which starred Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, and Cynthia Nixon. As we detail in the next section, Candace would later reveal that she did not actually make that much money from "Sex and the City." She earned 90% of her fortune thanks to her other best-selling books.

Candace Bushnell has since written "4 Blondes", "Trading Up", "Lipstick Jungle", "One Fifth Avenue", "The Carrie Diaries", and "Summer and the City". Her novel, "Lipstick Jungle", was also adapted for a TV show that starred Brooke Shields. In 2005, she judged the reality show "Wickedly Perfect" and, two years later, began hosting her own talk show on Sirius Satellite Radio called "Sex, Success and Sensibility". Bushnell's eighth book, "Killing Monica", was released in 2015. In 2019 she released a book titled "Is There Still Sex in the City?". She married to New York City Ballet dancer Charles Askegard in 2002, though they are now divorced.

Sex and the City Earnings

Despite what you may assume, Candace has NOT earned millions of dollars from "Sex and the City," even after the show aired six seasons and spawned several movies. In an interview conducted in June 2023 Candace revealed she sold the film and TV rights for just $100,000.

In that same interview Candace revealed that 90% of her wealth today comes from endeavors outside of "Sex and the City," primarily her best-selling books.

Early Life

Candace Bushnell was born on December 1, 1958 in Glastonbury, Connecticut.

From an early age, Bushnell exhibited a deep passion for writing. Growing up in a suburban town, she found solace in crafting stories and exploring the complexities of human relationships. After completing her high school education, Bushnell pursued her dreams by enrolling at Rice University in Houston, Texas. There, she studied English and theater, honing her literary skills and immersing herself in the world of storytelling.

New York City: The Inspiration Behind "Sex and the City"

In the early 1980s, Bushnell made a pivotal decision that would shape her career trajectory. She moved to the bustling city of New York, seeking the vibrancy and energy that would ignite her creativity. It was amidst the hustle and bustle of Manhattan that she discovered her inspiration for what would become her most celebrated work, "Sex and the City." Drawing from her own experiences and those of her friends, Bushnell began chronicling the dating lives, careers, and friendships of urban women in the city that never sleeps.

Journalism Career

Prior to achieving literary fame, Bushnell embarked on a successful career in journalism. She began as a freelance writer for various publications, including Mademoiselle and The New York Observer. Her incisive articles and witty commentary on relationships, women's issues, and the dynamics of modern society garnered attention and praise. Through her journalistic work, Bushnell established herself as a keen observer of human behavior and an insightful commentator on the evolving landscape of relationships in contemporary urban life.

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"Sex and the City"

In 1996, Bushnell's debut novel, "Sex and the City," was published, catapulting her into the literary spotlight. The book, a collection of columns originally featured in The New York Observer, captured the zeitgeist of the time, resonating with readers worldwide. It delved into the lives of four dynamic female friends navigating the complexities of love, sex, and career in New York City. The immense success of the novel led to the creation of the iconic television series of the same name, which aired from 1998 to 2004. With its frank discussions on relationships and its unapologetic portrayal of female sexuality, "Sex and the City" became a cultural phenomenon, inspiring a generation of women to embrace their independence and celebrate their own narratives.

Literary Success: Novels and Memoirs

Building on the triumph of "Sex and the City," Bushnell continued to captivate readers with her subsequent novels and memoirs. She explored various themes, including ambition, fame, and the complexities of modern love, in works such as "Lipstick Jungle," "One Fifth Avenue," and "The Carrie Diaries," a prequel to the "Sex and the City" series. Bushnell's signature blend of humor, sharp wit, and social commentary cemented her status as a leading voice in contemporary literature.

Personal Life and Real Estate

Candace was married to ballet dancer Charles Askegard from 2002 to 2012.

In 2005 Candace paid $661,500 for a farmhouse in Connecticut. She listed this home for sale in 2018 for $1.15 million. She did not find a buyer until January 2020 when she offloaded the property at a loss, for $600,000.

In August 2015 Candace sold an apartment in New York City for $2.6 million.

In February 2016 she paid $770,000 for a new apartment in NYC.

Read more: Candace Bushnell Net Worth