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Entity discusses Oprah Winfrey net worth

Oprah Winfrey is, by far, one of the most influential figures on the planet. Her rise to fame is the ultimate rags to riches fairytale.

Winfrey is the first female African American billionaire. And according to Forbes, she is the third richest self-made woman in the United States.

Oprah Winfrey’s net worth as of 2017 is reported to be $3 billion and counting. (Yes, queen!)

If she’s your ultimate role model, we get it. She’s totally ours, too. So let’s take a look at how Oprah got to where she is today.

Let’s start from the beginning.

To say that Oprah Winfrey had a humble upbringing would be an understatement. She grew up in poverty and was raised by her grandmother in Mississippi. For a time, the family had no indoor plumbing and Winfrey wore dresses made of potato sacks.

After graduating from Tennessee State University, Winfrey moved to Chicago in 1983. She then became the host of the morning talk show “A.M. Chicago.” While there, Oprah brought in tons of viewers and the show went from being the lowest to the no. 1 news show in Chicago.

Entity talks Oprah Winfrey net worth

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Thanks to this, movie critic Roger Ebert spotted Oprah’s star power from a mile away and recruited her to host the show “At the Movies,” which would later be renamed “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” This show would eventually become the most popular talk show in America.

Talk about a turn-around.

So where, exactly, is she getting her money? Let us break it down for you.

1 The Oprah Winfrey Show

The famous daytime talk-show began in 1986 and catapulted this media tycoon into stardom. In just the first season, Oprah had a following of over 10 million people and earned $125 million. And $30 million of that went directly to Oprah Winfrey’s net worth.

During its 25 season run, the show won 17 Emmy Awards and Oprah Winfrey’s net worth steadily climbed to $800 million by 2001.

The money Winfrey made from the show still make up the majority of her net worth today. At its peak, the show was earning the TV legend $300 million a year.

Entity talks Oprah Winfrey net worth

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Winfrey retired from the famous talk show in 2011, which resulted in a 43 percent drop in the star’s annual earnings the following year. However, she still receives a share of the profits from the series “Dr. Phil” and “The Dr. Oz Show.”

2 Films

Oprah Winfrey made her film debut as Sofia in the Steven Spielberg classic, “The Color Purple.” She was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Academy Awards. And then Winfrey later went on to produce the Broadway musical version, which debuted in 2005.

Oprah Winfrey’s company, Harpo Productions, co-produced the film “Selma,” which was nominated for Best Motion Picture at the Oscars and the Golden Globes. The historical civil rights movie may not have taken home any major awards, but it did gross roughly $500 million on a $200 million budget.

Entity talks Oprah Winfrey net worth

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3 Writing and Publishing

She ran the magazine “O, The Oprah Magazine” from 2004 to 2008. While she still participates in the publication, she has passed her torch to editor-in-chief Lucy Kaylin. Outside of the magazine, Oprah Winfrey has also co-authored five books over the years.

Her personal memoir, “The Life You Want” will be published in 2017 and is one of the most highly anticipated novels of the year. She’s been talking about this book since at least 2015. On top of this, she also has an inspirational speaking tour about how we can all live our best lives.

Entity talks Oprah Winfrey net worth

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4 The Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN)

Sadly, the Oprah Winfrey Network channel received low ratings when it initially began in 2011. Forbes estimated that between 2011 and 2013 the network was actually costing Winfrey up to $300 million. (Yikes!)

However, the popularity of the network has increased in recent years.

In 2013, OWN started earning $300 million each quarter, according to the New York Times. This is partially due to the channel’s new sitcom and drama collaborations with Winfrey’s good friend and renowned director, Tyler Perry.

Entity talks Oprah Winfrey net worth

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5 Brand Endorsements and Stock Shares

In 2015, Winfrey bought a 10 percent stake in Weight Watchers and also acts as a brand ambassador. This cost her roughly $42 million for 6.3 million shares in the company. On Winfrey’s first day as an investor in the weight loss brand, stocks abruptly shot up. Subsequently, she became $70 million richer in a single day.

Entity talks Oprah Winfrey net worth

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But how Does the Queen of TV Spend Her Fortune?

Oprah Winfrey is not typically flaunting her wealth with gold chains and fancy cars – except for when she takes her $42 million private jet on vacation. But if she’s not spending her money like Kylie Jenner, who has a collection of luxury cars, where is her money actually going?

1 Real Estate

No doubt, Winfrey’s houses are her largest expense. Her most expensive property, which she has nicknamed “The Promise Land,” is in Montecito, CA. She purchased the 23,000 square foot mansion for $50 million in 2001. The house is now worth $88 million.

She also owns a gorgeous estate in Maui and the 163 acres surrounding the property. In 2015, Winfrey purchased an 8,700 square foot mansion near Telluride, Colorado for $14 million. Winfrey also owns properties in New Jersey, Illinois and Florida.

2 Her Loved Ones

Entity talks Oprah Winfrey net worth

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The entertainment icon is known for giving away lavish gifts like cars and exotic vacations to audience members. However, her fervent generosity does not end there.

In 2009, Winfrey paid $805,000 to send her entire staff on a Mediterranean cruise. Oprah, can we work for you, too?

Aside from that, Oprah Winfrey is also an avid dog lover and it is reported that she has left her pups $30 million in her will. This is not a joke.

3 Philanthropy

Oprah has been dubbed one of the 50 Most Generous Americans on several occasions. She has donated over $400 million to various educational causes, including 400 college scholarships to students in Atlanta, GA.

She also raised more than $80 million through Oprah’s Angel Network. This sum was then donated to various charities around the world. And after Hurricane Katrina hit, Winfrey donated $10 million to help rebuild homes.

Entity talks Oprah Winfrey net worth

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Outside of those causes, Oprah Winfrey invested $400 million and started the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa. The school now accommodates over 450 students and counting.

It seems like everything she touches turns to gold.

Oprah’s net worth is $3 billion, so she clearly lives a lavish lifestyle. But, it is definitely her unwavering generosity to those in need that sets her apart.

Now that’s what we call a #WomanThatDoes. Keep doing you, Oprah!

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