Ava DuVernay Highest-Paid Director in the World

It's been a rough year for the director, but at least she has her millions of dollars to ease the pain. 53-year-old Ava DuVernay has taken the No. 1 spot on People With Money’s top 10 highest-paid directors for 2026 with an estimated $58 million in combined earnings.

UPDATE 24/03/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Ava DuVernay tops annual list of highest-paid directors

In 2023 it looked like the director’s spectacular career was winding down. Suddenly, she was back on top. People With Money reports on Monday (March 23) that DuVernay is the highest-paid director in the world, pulling in an astonishing $58 million between February 2025 and February 2026, a nearly $30 million lead over her closest competition.

People With Money’s factors

In compiling this yearly list, the magazine considers factors such as upfront pay, profit participation, residuals, endorsements and advertising work.

The American director-producer has an estimated net worth of $185 million. She owes her fortune to smart stock investments, substantial property holdings, lucrative endorsement deals with CoverGirl cosmetics. She also owns several restaurants (the “Fat DuVernay Burger” chain) in Washington, a Football Team (the “Long Beach Angels”), has launched her own brand of Vodka (Pure WonderduVernay - US), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Ava) and a fashion line called “Ava DuVernay Seduction”.

The ranking is significant for many Ava fans, who have been waiting for her triumphant return to the glory days for what seems like a lifetime.

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