12 Celebs Who Played Entrepreneurs On Screen (12 Who Made It In Real Life)
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There is a common expression that it takes money, to make money. Which is a sentiment that many celebrities out there can definitely say they have had some first-hand experience with. Like George Clooney who had the money handy to test out countless versions of Tequila before finding the perfect mix that doesn't leave you feeling like a zombie the next day. The result was the company, Casamigos Tequila, that was later sold in a deal that could be worth upwards of $1 billion.
Many prominent female celebrities have also used their good looks and fame to get into the world of fashion. The results are in some cases, extraordinary, such as Jessica Simpson whose company has earned over $1 billion in revenue. Kylie Jenner may also have her fair share of haters, but after you hear how well her cosmetics line is doing, you may find it hard to not be impressed.
Several actors have also used their talent to portray the lives of, in some cases, some of the most influential entrepreneurs of all-time. The results of which has at times led to movies that have made hundreds of millions at the box office. As well as some performances being nominated for Academy Awards, like Meryl Streep who helped bring Julia Child back to life. The success of the films also means that it was definitely a good idea to have created that movie! And as for the ones that didn't make their budget back, like The Founder, at least they tried.
These are 13 Celebs Who Played Entrepreneurs On Screen (12 Who Made It In Real Life)
Leonardo DiCaprio (The Wolf Of Wallstreet)
Leonardo DiCaprio definitely brought a high level of energy to his performance of the businessman (and criminal) Jordan Belfort in The Wolf of Wallstreet. While the corruption that Belfort engages in is not recommended to be followed by other entrepreneurs, his performance is truly something special. The movie ended up earning over $350 million at the box office and had a critical consensus of 78% on Rotten Tomatoes. The film is also commended for the fantastic performance that is delivered by Margot Robbie.
(Source: Wiki)
Dr. Dre (Beats By Dr. Dre)
I'm not too sure what type of headphones you like to use, or if that is even something that you are concerned about. But there are many people out there who think that Beats by Dr. Dre are not worth the money that some of them can cost. But that's not a concern of Dr. Dre who after helping start up the company in 2006, ended up selling the brand to Apple in 2014 to the value of $3 billion!
(Source: Wiki)
Will Smith (The Pursuit Of Happyness)
Will Smith has been fortunate enough that he has never had to face the task of being a father while also being homeless. But that was the task set in front of Chris Gardner whose perseverance led to him stating the stock brokerage firm, Gardner Rich & Co. Gardner's amazing life story from the streets to where he ended up was beautifully captured in the film, The Pursuit of Happyness. You just also have to be prepared to shed a few tears!
(Source: Wiki)
Sarah Jessica Parker (SJP Collection)
You can imagine that with her history of being Carrie Bradshaw that Sarah Jessica Parker has always stayed in tune with the fashion world. Something that has been to her benefit with the creation and huge success of the SJP Collection which specializes in shoes.
Which means that you would also hope that you're able to get dressed up like Bradshaw would, kick on the shoes and not be sore the next day! A luxury that many women would surely be happy to pay for.
Ashton Kutcher (Jobs)
There are many people who don't think that Steve Jobs had some pretty negative qualities about him. And while I do commend Ashton Kutcher for being willing to take on the risk of that role, sadly, there are many negative qualities about the movie Jobs. Which is probably why critics ended up giving the movie a score of 28% on Rotten Tomatoes. Though if you want to see Kutcher play a role very different from something like Michael Kelso on That '70s Show, you may still enjoy this film.
(Source: Wiki)
George Clooney (Casamigos Tequila)
George Clooney and Rande Gerber were enjoying some time in Mexico when they decided to come up with an idea to create their own type of Tequila,
"We wanted one that didn't burn going down, that was super smooth...One that we didn't have to mix — typically we drink it straight or on the rocks – that we could drink all day long and not be hungover in the morning," said Gerber. Their other friend, Mike Meldman, was also involved in the process.
The company was sold to Diageo in 2017 in a deal that can be worth upwards of $1 billion.
(Source: BusinessInsider)
Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network)
It's very possible that you think that the idea of a movie based around the creation of Facebook may be something that you did not believe was going to be able to be made into anything close to resembling a good movie. But Jesse Eisenberg's phenomenal performance of Mark Zuckerberg is one of the many reasons why The Social Network was one of the best movies of 2010; with a critical consensus of 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, as well as 8 nominations at the Academy Awards.
(Source: Wiki)
Kylie Jenner (Kylie Cosmetics)
Kylie Jenner has often been seen wearing outfits that, let's just say, don't always leave a lot to the imagination. But it's possible Jenner may not mind when she gains any level of publicity as any publicity is good publicity for her brands. Which means that she's also smart enough to often be seen leaving the house wearing some cosmetics from her own brand which Forbes estimated at being worth $800 million. A brand mind you, that is also completely owned by Kylie.
(Source: Forbes)
Michael Keaton (The Founder)
I don't think I'd be able to sit here and convince you that McDonald's is something you should be eating. But I wouldn't be surprised if Michael Keaton found himself indulging in a Big Mac or two when he was getting prepared to play the founder of the fast-food giant, Ray Kroc. While the movie failed to make a splash at the box office, as it did not make back it's $25 million budget, critics still appreciated the film giving it a score of 83% on Rotten Tomatoes.
(Source: Wiki)
Will Ferrell (Funny or Die)
Will Ferrell is just one of the many amazing actors who has lent his talent to some of the videos with the company Funny or Die. But when you consider he helped found the company, you'd hope he would have been willing to star in a few of them!
The company which started with online videos has gone on to help create several television shows including Billy on the Street which has seen Eichner receive a Daytime Emmy nomination in the category of Outstanding Game Show Host.
(Source: Wiki)
Greg Kinnear (Flash Of Genius)
There are many inventions that I'm sure you use on a regular basis that you may find yourself taking them for granted. Such as the intermittent windshield wiper that you use on your car whenever the weather gets a bit ugly. Which is something you can credit to Robert Kearns. Kearns ended up filing a patent infringement lawsuit against Ford Motor Company for the device after they rejected him but used the idea anyway, a situation that was covered in the film Flash of Genius starring Greg Kinnear.
(Source: Wiki)
Khloe Kardashian (Good American)
There must be a tremendous amount of pressure to succeed if you are a member of the Kardashian family, but for Khloe, she can take a lot of pride in her Good American clothing brand.
"It wasn't about having a new denim line. It was about doing something that empowers other women, something that's going to break down barriers," said Khloe when talking about why she founded the company. Most of the clothing is aimed at women that may be a bit curvier, but body positivity for women of all sizes is still a main goal of the company.
(Source: GoodAmerican)
Audrey Tautou (Coco Before Chanel)
Several of the celebrities on our list who have made their own successful brand did so in the fashion world. But there is probably never going to be a celebrity line that invokes the level of success of Chanel which was valued at $9.6 billion in 2017.
The earlier life of Coco Chanel was on display in the film Coco Before Chanel that saw Audrey Tautou play the lead. Do you think she upped the amount of Chanel in her life after she found out she got the role?!
(Source: Wiki)
Reese Witherspoon (Draper James)
Reese Witherspoon has taken a lot of pride in her Southern heritage, but nothing she has done is perhaps more representative of that sense of pride than her decision to start the clothing brand, Draper James.
"With Draper James, our goal is to bring contemporary, yet timeless Southern style to your wardrobe and your home, no matter where you live." stated Witherspoon on the sites official website, as well as mentioning the importance of dressing with a sense of grace.
(Source: DraperJames)
Leonardo DiCaprio (The Aviator)
There was no shortage of areas where Howard Hughes could have comfortably said he had found an incredible amount of success in. His biggest pride and joy, however, may have been the Hughes Aircraft Company that was founded back in 1932. Leonardo DiCaprio got to play the role of Howard Hughes in the 2004 film The Aviator that depicted his life from 1927-1947. Though it was Cate Blanchett, who won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, who may have been the real standout star.
(Source: Wiki)
Mark Wahlberg (Wahlburgers)
Mark Wahlberg is well aware of the importance of family. Which is why he, his brother Donnie and Paul came together to create Wahlburgers, one of the best burger chains in America. There are currently 26 locations, with one of them being located outside of the United States as there is one in Covent Garden in the U.K. Though even if you've never had their burger, it's possible you enjoy the reality show Wahlburgers which is now in its 9th season.
(Source: Wiki)
Jeff Bridges (Tucker: The Man and his Dream)
In 1948, Preston Tucker had the idea of breaking into the car market with the release of the Tucker 48. But sadly, Tucker did not realize the level of difficulty that can go into this and he ended up only being able to make 51 cars with the company shutting down in 1949. Despite this, Jeff Bridges was still more than happy to play the failed car legend in the 1988 film Tucker: The Man and his Dream. You can imagine Bridges may have been even more interested in taking the role if they offered him one of the cars!
(Source: Wiki)
Nikki Bella (Birdiebee)
Nikki Bella has many things going on in her life to help keep her distracted from the relationship drama with John Cena that has dominated tabloids in 2018. Such as the fact that she and her sister, Brie, have their own clothing brand - Birdiebee - which has everything from intimate to active wear.
The core values of the company are BEE Empowered, BEE Fearless, BEE Giving, BEE You as both Nikki and Brie hope to inspire their fans through this project.
(Source: BirdieBee)
Woody Harrelson (The People Vs. Larry Flynt)
There were people out there who were disappointed by Solo: A Star Wars Movie that had Woody Harrelson as one of the leads. But despite the flop, Woody Harrelson has been one of the best actors in Hollywood for over a decade now. Something that is perhaps best represented by the fact that he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor when he played the role of Larry Flynt in The People Vs. Larry Flynt. Flynt may not be as big a name as Hugh Hefner, but he did found Hustler back in 1974.
(Source: Wiki)
Dan Aykroyd (Crystal Head Vodka)
Dan Aykroyd's biggest claim to fame was perhaps his role in the Ghostbusters franchise. And if you found yourself being afraid of ghosts in real life, it's possible you would find yourself reaching for a glass of some liquid courage to help you sleep. Such as Crystal Head Vodka, which Aykroyd co-founded back in 2007. The Vodka was awarded a gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2017; as if you needed another reason to be convinced!
(Source: Wiki)
Hugh Jackman (The Greatest Showman)
Every year there is seemingly an endless supply of awful action movies or romantic comedies, but not nearly enough musicals get made. Hugh Jackman hit it out of the park, however, with The Greatest Showman where he played P.T. Barnum - the founder of the Barnum & Bailey Circus.
The film ended up winning a Golden Globe Award for the song "This Is Me" which means that if you don't already have the music from the movie in your head from reading this entry, that it won't take you long on YouTube to understand why people loved it.
(Source: Wiki)
Jessica Alba (The Honest Company)
There may be some companies out there that you do not trust, but it may only seem natural to trust The Honest Company which specializes in household products that are also ethical. When talking about the company and the reasons for her decision to start the company, Alba said,
"I founded The Honest Company on this idea: Everything that touches you and your family--everything in your home--needs to be nontoxic, needs to be effective and beautiful to look at, and needs to be affordable."
(Source: Wiki)
Meryl Streep (Julia & Julia)
There are many amazing actresses in the world, but I don't know if any actress out there would argue with the sentiment that nobody could be declared the best of all-time besides Meryl Streep. Streep's charisma is evident when she stepped into the amazing culinary shoes of Julia Child with Julia & Julia. The movie came out in 2009 and also starred Amy Adams. And even though she did not end up being winning an Academy Award for the performance, Streep was nominated for Best Actress in a leading role, losing to Sandra Bullock in The Blindside.
(Source: Web.Archive)
Jessica Simpson (The Jessica Simpson Collection)
Jessica Simpson knows what it feels like to be taunted by the media for her physical appearance, but she probably also just hopes she reads compliments about her fashion brand, The Jessica Simpson Collection. Which is easy to write about when she's done over $1 billion in sales.
When talking about her success, Simpson stated, "When it comes to other celebrity brands, I think a lot of people do a great job, but it can't be all about them. Everybody doesn't want to just look like the celebrity, because they can't. They just want one element of that style."
(Source: DailyMail)
Steve Rogen (Steve Jobs)
When you think about Seth Rogen, your mind may start to think about some of the comedies that he has starred in that, let's just say, don't exactly require a lot of intelligence to be able to laugh at; such as Pineapple Express. But Seth Rogen completely disappeared into the role of Steve Wozniak for the 2015 film Steve Jobs, though it's possible you enjoyed Michael Fassbender's performance of Steve Jobs even more! Either way, the score of 86% on Rotten Tomatoes should make you feel confident it won't be a waste of your time.
(Source: Wiki)
