Joanna Lumley Highest-Paid Actress in the World

It's been a rough year for the actress, but at least she has her millions of dollars to ease the pain. 80-year-old Joanna Lumley 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 30/04/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Joanna Lumley 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 Wednesday (April 29) that Lumley is the highest-paid actress in the world, pulling in an astonishing $58 million between March 2025 and March 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 British actress-model 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 Lumley Burger” chain) in London, a Football Team (the “Srinagar Angels”), has launched her own brand of Vodka (Pure Wonderlumley - UK), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Joanna) and a fashion line called “Joanna Lumley Seduction”.

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

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