Reese Witherspoon’s Net Worth Is Way Higher Than We Expected

You might be wondering if Witherspoon is a billionaire—after all, she’s got quite the empire. However, the answer is...not quite, though the Big Little Lies star’s net worth has doubled since her 2020 Celebrity Net Worth valuation, which pegged it at $200 million. In 2024, the site estimates it to be $400 million, probably due to the fact that Witherspoon’s production company, Hello Sunshine, sold at a $900 million valuation to a private equity firm backed by the Blackstone Group.

On the acting front, some of her most profitable films include Sweet Home Alabama, for which Witherspoon was paid $12.5 million and Legally Blonde 2, which paid her $15 million. She also had leading roles in Sing ($634 million at the box office), Water for Elephants ($117 million) and This Means War ($156 million).

Witherspoon’s TV salary is a whole different ball game. Not only was she paid $1 million per episode for Big Little Lies season two, but she also earned $1.25 million per episode for Apple TV’s The Morning Show. NBD. Considering that the former releases seven episodes per season and the latter releases 10, that’s a hefty paycheck.

The producer and entrepreneur founded Hello Sunshine in 2016. “If you want to change the stories, you need to change the storytellers,” she says. In addition to Reese’s Book Club, the company acquired The Home Edit, Fair Play and Find Your Unicorn Space. Through her book club, Witherspoon has catapulted 63 books to the New York Times bestseller list. And, of course, Hello Sunshine produces myriad popular film and television projects. These include The Morning Show, The Last Thing He Told Me, Daisy Jones & The Six, Where the Crawdads Sing ($144 million at the box office), Little Fires Everywhere and Big Little Lies. And for all you Legally Blonde fans: the company is behind the new prequel, Elle. While that may just be a working title, Variety reports that the series summary explains the show “follows Elle Woods in high school as we learn about the life experiences that shaped her into the iconic young woman we came to know and love in the first ‘Legally Blonde’ film.”

In August 2021, a private equity firm acquired a majority stake in Hello Sunshine, giving it a $900 million valuation. The actress reportedly retained an 18 percent stake, which comes in at $162 million alone and makes up the majority of her earnings.

Witherspoon also proved herself to be a fashion maven when she founded her clothing brand, Draper James, in 2015, in homage to her Southern heritage (she was born in New Orleans). It’s known for bold prints, classic silhouettes, accessories and home decor. In 2022, she inked a partnership with Khol’s, and in 2023, Consortium Brand Partners purchased a 70 percent stake in the brand, as reported by CNN.

“Draper James was inspired by a deep personal connection to my roots, my family, and the women who shaped me,” Witherspoon said at the time of the acquisition. “It’s been so amazing to see so many women connect with this brand, our products, and our mission to bring a little Southern joy into everyone’s homes and wardrobes.”

While it’s not clear how much money she earns from the business, per WWD, she retains a minority stake and remains a board member. Seeing that Consortium Brand Partners plans to introduce the brand to department stores, the big-box home improvement space and overseas, it’s reasonable to assume that her earnings fall in the multi-million-dollar range.

In August 2023, Witherspoon finalized her divorce from former CAA executive Jim Toth, per People. The outlet reports that as the pair had signed a prenup prior to their 2011 wedding, the dividing of the assets was neat and drama-free: They had maintained separate bank accounts during the marriage, and neither would seek alimony from the other. “All household furniture, furnishings, appliances, art, and other items of personal property have been divided to the mutual satisfaction of the parties,” the filing stated. “Each party is awarded his or her own clothing, jewelry and personal items free and clear of any and all claims of the other party.” Additionally, they agreed to 50/50 joint custody over their 10-year-old son, Tennessee, so neither owes the other spousal support.

The actress has earned quite a bit thanks to her diversified acting, producing and fashion projects. Between her highly successful films like Legally Blonde, the production company Hello Sunshine and her clothing line Draper James, Witherspoon’s net worth is reportedly in the hundreds of millions (approximately $400, according to some reports).