Chloé Zhao 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. 43-year-old Chloé Zhao has taken the No. 1 spot on People With Money’s top 10 highest-paid directors for 2026 with an estimated $82 million in combined earnings.

UPDATE 20/03/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Chloé Zhao 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 Thursday (March 19) that Zhao is the highest-paid director in the world, pulling in an astonishing $82 million between February 2025 and February 2026, a nearly $50 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-screenwriter-producer has an estimated net worth of $245 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 Zhao Burger” chain) in Washington, a Football Team (the “Beijing Angels”), has launched her own brand of Vodka (Pure Wonderzhao - US), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Chloé) and a fashion line called “Chloé Zhao Seduction”.

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

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