For decades, celebrities earned money through traditional endorsements: appearing in commercials, posing for brand photoshoots, and lending their name to products in exchange for lump-sum fees. But the modern celebrity economy has shifted dramatically. Today’s smartest stars are no longer satisfied with short-term paychecks. Instead, they negotiate equity deals—partial ownership in the brands they promote. This means that when the company succeeds, so do they.
These new types of partnerships have transformed actors, athletes, and musicians into powerful business moguls. Instead of being paid once for an ad campaign, they earn from stock appreciation, dividends, product sales, and even profitable exits when companies go public or are acquired.
This article takes a deep dive into the celebrities who turned endorsements into equity deals, exploring how their business savvy helped them generate long-lasting wealth far beyond what traditional endorsement contracts could offer.
Why Equity Deals Are the New Celebrity Gold Rush
In the past, celebrities earned impressive—but limited—fees for promoting brands. A major K-pop idol or actor might earn six figures for a campaign, and A-list Hollywood stars might earn millions. But once the campaign ended, the income stream died.
Equity flips the script.
By negotiating ownership stakes—sometimes as low as 1–10 percent—celebrities receive ongoing benefits:
- They earn from the company’s future growth, not just a single paycheck.
- The equity can eventually be worth far more than the original endorsement fee.
- They build long-term wealth with compounding value.
- They can leverage their fame to boost a brand’s growth, increasing the value of their own shares.
- Their influence becomes an investment vehicle.
From Hollywood to K-pop to global sports icons, celebrities who make equity-focused deals position themselves for financial transformation. Many of the richest stars today didn’t get wealthy from entertainment alone—they built their wealth by owning pieces of companies they helped make famous.
Let’s take a look at some of the most successful celebrity equity success stories and why these deals changed their net worth forever.
Rihanna and Fenty Beauty: The Blueprint for a Billion-Dollar Equity Deal
Rihanna’s partnership with LVMH to create Fenty Beauty is one of the greatest celebrity equity success stories ever. Rather than signing on as a mere spokesperson, she became a 50% owner of the brand when it launched in 2017. LVMH handled manufacturing and distribution, while Rihanna provided brand identity, creative direction, and global influence.
The results were staggering. Fenty Beauty generated over $500 million in its first year, largely driven by Rihanna’s authentic connection to the audience and the brand’s inclusive product lineup.
By 2021, Forbes estimated that Rihanna’s stake in Fenty Beauty was worth over $1.4 billion, instantly making her the wealthiest female musician in the world—not because of music, but because of equity ownership.
This remains one of the clearest examples of how celebrity endorsements have evolved into massive wealth-building opportunities.
George Clooney and Casamigos: A $1 Billion Exit
Many people associate George Clooney with Hollywood prestige, but his largest payday came from tequila—not acting. Clooney co-founded Casamigos with Rande Gerber and Mike Meldman, originally as a private-label tequila made for personal consumption. When friends started asking for it, they commercialized it with Clooney as the public face.
Clooney didn’t just endorse Casamigos—he owned it.
In 2017, Diageo purchased Casamigos for $700 million upfront plus $300 million in performance bonuses, valuing the company at a potential $1 billion. Clooney himself reportedly earned around $233 million, making him the highest-paid actor of that year despite not appearing in a major film.
This example demonstrates the immense upside celebrities can unlock when they own equity instead of just appearing in ads.
Ryan Reynolds and Aviation Gin: A Masterclass in Personal Branding Meets Ownership
Ryan Reynolds built his fortune not from movies alone, but through two strategic equity plays: Aviation Gin and Mint Mobile.
Reynolds purchased a substantial equity stake in Aviation Gin in 2018, positioning himself as the brand’s humorous, charismatic spokesman. His viral marketing campaigns—filled with self-deprecating humor—made the brand explode.
In 2020, Diageo acquired Aviation Gin in a deal worth up to $610 million. Reynolds reportedly earned a significant share of that thanks to his equity. Later, he repeated this strategy with Mint Mobile, which sold to T-Mobile for $1.35 billion, earning Reynolds another nine-figure payout.
Reynolds didn’t get lucky—he saw the power of owning instead of endorsing, and he leveraged his brand to create enormous financial returns.
BTS and HYBE: A Rare Equity Deal in K-Pop
When HYBE (formerly Big Hit Entertainment) went public in 2020, BTS members received 68,385 shares each from their CEO, Bang Si-hyuk. This gave each member ownership in the company whose success they helped create.
At the time of the IPO, those shares were valued at around $7–8 million USD per member. At peak stock prices, the value surged even higher.
This deal is revolutionary in K-pop, where idols typically do not own equity in their agencies. BTS’s equity stake set a new precedent and instantly transformed them into high-net-worth individuals—not just for their fame, but for their strategic ownership.
BTS’s situation shows how equity deals can bring unprecedented financial stability to celebrities who historically relied on performance income.
Jay-Z and D’Usse: Turning Liquor Into a Legacy
Jay-Z is known for building wealth through business ventures, and one of his strongest equity deals was with D’Usse, a luxury cognac brand co-owned with Bacardi. When Jay-Z first partnered with the company, he didn’t settle for being the face of their campaign—he secured partial ownership.
In 2023, following a public legal dispute, Bacardi purchased Jay-Z’s stake at a valuation reportedly exceeding $750 million. His equity in the brand—not his music—became one of the largest contributors to his billionaire status.
This reinforced Jay-Z’s long-standing philosophy: “I’m not a businessman; I’m a business, man.”
Kim Kardashian and Skims: A Branding Icon Becomes a Billionaire
Kim Kardashian shifted from celebrity endorsements to brand ownership with Skims, her shapewear and loungewear brand. Co-founded with Jens Grede, Skims rapidly grew into a global powerhouse valued at more than $4 billion by 2023.
Kim reportedly owns close to 35% of the company, making her stake alone worth over $1 billion. This equity far surpasses her income from endorsements, reality TV, or social media posts.
Her business transformation shows the power of converting personal branding into product ownership, turning influence into long-term wealth.
Selena Gomez and Rare Beauty: A New Era of Celebrity Equity
Selena Gomez didn’t just launch Rare Beauty as a celebrity product line—she ensured she held significant ownership in it. Rare Beauty became one of the largest cosmetic brand launches in Sephora history and exceeded $300 million in sales by year three.
Selena’s ownership stake, combined with its rapid growth and global expansion, places her among the richest young entertainers in the world. Rare Beauty is projected to become a billion-dollar brand, with Gomez holding substantial equity.
Her shift from endorsements to ownership fundamentally changed her wealth profile.
Athletes Leading the Equity Movement: Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Serena Williams
Athletes were among the earliest adopters of equity deals.
Michael Jordan famously receives equity-based royalties from Nike’s Jordan Brand, earning him hundreds of millions annually. His Jordan Brand stake is worth far more than any of his NBA earnings.
LeBron James turned down a $15 million cash deal from Reebok early in his career, choosing instead to sign with Nike—a move that led to a lifetime deal reportedly worth over $1 billion and equity-like bonuses tied to product success.
Serena Williams invested early in startups, securing equity in more than 60 companies, some of which have gone public or been acquired. She rarely endorses without equity involvement today.
These athletes understood that endorsements alone wouldn’t build generational wealth—but ownership would.
Why More Celebrities Are Choosing Equity Over Endorsement Fees
The celebrity economy has changed. Brands no longer want passive faces—they want active partners. At the same time, celebrities now understand the value of compound growth.
Equity offers:
- Long-term income rather than one-time payments.
- Huge upside potential if a company grows or sells.
- Opportunities to reinvest and diversify wealth.
- A chance to build a legacy beyond entertainment.
For celebrities whose influence can dramatically shift consumer behaviour, owning a stake in a brand they promote is simply smart business.
Final Thoughts: Equity Deals Are the Future of Celebrity Wealth
The shift from endorsement fees to equity ownership represents one of the most important financial evolutions in modern celebrity culture. From Rihanna to Jay-Z, Ryan Reynolds to BTS, and Kim Kardashian to Selena Gomez, the richest entertainers today are not relying solely on traditional fame-driven income.
They are owners, not just endorsers.
They build brands rather than just promoting them.
They participate in long-term wealth creation rather than short-term payouts.
As the global entertainment landscape continues evolving, equity deals will only become more common—and more profitable. Future stars are already learning from these pioneers that the biggest opportunities often lie not in the spotlight, but behind the scenes, on the balance sheets of the companies they help lift into success.
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