Jerry Seinfeld Isn’t the Richest Person to Ever Appear on ‘Seinfeld’
Jerry Seinfeld made history with his TV deal in the 1990s. Since leaving Seinfeld, he has amassed an expansive fortune. As the Seinfeld star closes in on becoming a billionaire, it would be easy to assume he is the richest alum from the fame TV series about nothing. That isn’t actually the case, though. A woman who portrayed one of Jerry Seinfeld’s beleaguered love interests is worth far more than the comedian.
Jami Gertz is a billionaire who appeared on ‘Seinfeld’
If you thought Jerry Seinfeld was going to be the first billionaire born from Seinfeld, you would be wrong. While Seinfeld and Larry David are both close to becoming billionaires, the title of the first billionaire involved with Seinfeld has already been captured. That title goes to Jami Gertz.
According to Cracked, Jami Gertz became a billionaire long before Seinfeld sniffed at the exclusive club. Gertz appeared in a single episode of Seinfeld in 1994. She portrayed Jerry’s girlfriend, Jane, who refused to “spare a square” for Elaine Benes.
Gertz was a well-known actor before Seinfeld, and she went on to appear in several major projects after. She appeared in Square Pegs in the 1980s and took on a role in Twister in 1995. Gertz also appeared on Entourage and The Neighbors.
According to Forbes, most of her fortune, totaling around $9 billion, is tied to her husband’s investment business. Gertz is married to financier Tony Ressler. Ressler and Gertz own a majority stake in the Atlanta Hawks and a minority stake in the Milwaukee Brewers.
Gertz and Ressler have been married for decades
Gertz and her husband, Tony Ressler, have built an empire together. It includes sports teams and schools; they’ve also given back plenty. Still, Gertz has made it clear that her love story has absolutely nothing to do with money.
During an interview for The Hollywood Reporter, Gertz recalled the early years of her marriage. She told the publication that her publicist introduced her to Ressler, who worked for a now-defunct banking firm, in 1986. Gertz joked that when she met Ressler, then 27, she saw a “nice guy with a job.” That doesn’t change the fact that she was making more money than him, though. Ressler once insisted that he knew Gertz was a working actor but hadn’t seen any of her work when they first met.
Gertz told the Hollywood Reporter she didn’t marry Ressler for his money, as he had none when they met. She married him because she loved him. She threw her own money into the marriage, too. Gertz bought the couple their first home and funded their first vacation. Their marriage, in 1989, was the start of a full partnership, and that apparently hasn’t changed. Together, they’ve raised three sons and work hand-in-hand on several projects.
