Gates McFadden Highest-Paid Actress in the World

  • By Carol Kearney
  • Washington
  • Last updated on

Gates McFadden
Gates McFadden led People With Money’s annual list of the “100 highest paid actresses” released on Monday.

It's been a rough year for the actress, but at least she has her millions of dollars to ease the pain. 76-year-old Gates McFadden has taken the No. 1 spot on People With Money’s top 10 highest-paid actresses for 2026 with an estimated $58 million in combined earnings.

UPDATE 03/02/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Gates McFadden tops annual list of highest-paid actresses

In 2023 it looked like the actress’s spectacular career was winding down. Suddenly, she was back on top. People With Money reports on Monday (February 2) that McFadden is the highest-paid actress in the world, pulling in an astonishing $58 million between January 2025 and January 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 actress 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 McFadden Burger” chain) in Washington, a Football Team (the “Cuyahoga Falls Angels”), has launched her own brand of Vodka (Pure WondermcFadden - US), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Gates) and a fashion line called “Gates McFadden Seduction”.

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

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