The path from modelling to acting is a well-trodden one. But stunning looks only take you so far, and just a lucky, talented few have achieved genuine acclaim and serious stardom. These people have proven they're more than just a pretty face. Trading fashion spreads for movie sets and runways for red carpets, they've built stellar thespian careers, with fortunes to match.
Read on to discover the world's 25 wealthiest models-turned-actors, based on estimates by Celebrity Net Worth. All dollar amounts in US dollars.
Frequently voted the most gorgeous woman in the world, Monica Bellucci seemed destined for the fashion spotlight. The Italian beauty began modelling in her teens. After moving to Milan in 1988 at 24 and signing with Elite, she landed Elle and Vogue covers, became a Dolce & Gabbana muse, and walked top runways. But acting turned out to be her true calling.
Bellucci scored her first role in 1990 on Italian TV and broke out with the 1996 French movie L’Appartement. She has gone on to become an icon of global cinema, with star turns in Malena, Irréversible, the Matrix sequels, and Spectre.
Uma Thurman carved out a super-impressive modelling career before she caught the acting bug. Starting in 1985 aged just 15, she appeared in Glamour and made it onto the cover of British Vogue twice, in December 1985 and May 1986.
Thurman transitioned to the big screen with her 1987 debut Kiss Daddy Goodnight, but it was 1988's Dangerous Liaisons that truly put her on the map. From there, she rapidly became one of cinema's most familiar faces, thanks to standout roles in Pulp Fiction and the Kill Bill films.
At age 21, Candice Bergen achieved the holy grail of modelling – a US Vogue cover – featuring on the front of the style bible in May 1967. Bergen moved into acting soon after and became a major TV force, first with her decade-defining role in Murphy Brown and then with Boston Legal.
She later appeared as US Vogue head honcho in Sex and the City, a fitting twist for someone who'd been on the magazine's cover, and even more so now that her daughter Chloe Malle has stepped into the real editor-in-chief role, replacing the formidable Anna Wintour.
Unlike most of the names in this round-up, Cara Delevingne is still best known for her modelling career. After signing with Storm in 2009 at age 17, she became one of the defining faces of the 2010s, fronting major campaigns for Burberry, Chanel, YSL Beauty, and Tag Heuer, walking the world's elite runways and appearing on multiple international Vogue covers.
Her move into acting came in 2012 with a part in Anna Karenina, and she has since gone on to pick up major roles in Paper Towns, Suicide Squad, Valerian, and the TV series Carnival Row. But even with this solid screen CV, it's fashion that remains the foundation of Delevingne's fame and fortune.
Elsa Pataky began her career as a model in Spain before moving into acting, rising to prominence in the late 1990s with the teen drama Al salir de clase. She later built a varied résumé across Europe and Hollywood, appearing in the likes of Snakes on a Plane, Giallo, and 12 Strong.
Pataky's most notable role is Elena Neves in the Fast & Furious franchise, which has brought her international attention, as has her long-running, high-profile marriage to Hollywood A-lister Chris Hemsworth.
Gal Gadot first found fame in 2004 at age 19 when she was crowned Miss Israel. This pageant turn was the springboard for a successful modelling career, which saw her become the face of fashion brand Castro.
After completing two years of military service, Gadot moved into acting with the Israeli drama Bubot. Her big international break came in 2009 as Gisele in Fast & Furious, and global superstardom arrived in 2016 with her era-defining turn as Wonder Woman. Gadot has since headlined global hits like Red Notice and Death on the Nile, becoming one of the world's highest-paid actresses in the process.
The daughter of model Bebe Buell and Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler, Liv Tyler was born to music royalty. Her career began in front of the camera as a teen model. But she quickly lost interest in the fashion world and pivoted to acting, making her film debut in 1994 aged 17 in Silent Fall.
Roles in Empire Records, Stealing Beauty, and Armageddon followed, but it was her turn as Arwen in The Lord of the Rings trilogy that made her a global star. Tyler has since built a steady career across TV and film, with memorable roles in The Leftovers, Harlots, and 9-1-1: Lone Star.
Molly Sims was one of the most in-demand American models of the late 1990s and early 2000s. After leaving Vanderbilt University at 19 to pursue modelling, she signed with Next and swiftly entered the fashion major league, landing international Vogue covers, becoming a regular in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, fronting campaigns for Chanel, Michael Kors, and CoverGirl, and even walking the coveted Victoria's Secret runway.
Her fashion success opened the door to acting, and she later became best known for her role as Delinda Deline on NBC's Las Vegas, while continuing to work across TV, film, and lifestyle ventures.
One of the original models-turned-screen sirens, Brigitte Bardot appeared on the cover of French Elle in 1950 at the age of 15 and fast became one of France's most photographed faces. That early exposure led her into film, and by the end of the decade she was an international phenomenon courtesy of And God Created Woman. The Gallic bombshell went on to star in nearly 50 movies, from La Vérité to Viva Maria!, before retiring in 1973.
Bardot has since dedicated herself to animal rights activism and has frequently courted controversy for some of her political beliefs.
Liking this? Click the Like button above. And click the Follow button above for more great stories from loveMONEY
Kyiv-born Milla Jovovich entered the fashion spotlight at an astonishingly young age. A model from the mid-1980s, she was landing magazine covers by age 12.
Acting soon followed, with Jovovich scoring roles in 1988's Two Moon Junction and the 1991 movie Return to the Blue Lagoon. Her true breakout came in 1997's The Fifth Element, and she's been dubbed 'the reigning queen of kick-butt' for her leading role in the Resident Evil franchise. A woman of many talents, Jovovich has also forged a successful music career and had her own clothing line.
One of two Indian-born models-turned-actors in our round-up, Priyanka Chopra first entered the global spotlight as Miss World 2000, launching a thriving modelling and pageant career before becoming one of Bollywood's highest-paid actresses.
She starred in Fashion, Barfi!, and Mary Kom, then moved to Hollywood and made history fronting Quantico, the first US network drama led by a South Asian woman. The role opened the door to parts in Baywatch, The Matrix Resurrections, and other major projects, including production work. Her net worth is reported as a combined figure with her husband Nick Jonas.
Former male models are thin on the ground in this round-up, with only four making the cut. First up is Channing Tatum. After early fashion work for Abercrombie & Fitch, Sean John, and other big brands, he made the shift to acting in 2005 with Coach Carter and became a global household name thanks to Step Up, 21 Jump Street, and Magic Mike, the loosely autobiographical hit that earned him a fortune through savvy backend deals.
Tatum has since mixed blockbusters with indies, voice work, and directing.
The first of four Oscar winners in our top 25, Halle Berry made history in 2002 when she became the first Black woman to win the Best Actress Academy Award, scoring the gong for her powerful performance in Monster's Ball.
Long before her Hollywood breakthrough, Berry was blazing her own trail on the pageant and modelling circuit. A former Miss Teen All American and Miss Ohio USA, she went on to become the first African-American contestant to represent the USA at Miss World in 1986, an early hint of the barrier-breaking career to come.
A former architecture student-turned-global beauty icon, Aishwarya Rai rose to international fame after winning Miss World 1994, a title that launched her modelling career and made her one of India's most famous faces.
Acting soon followed, and Rai went on to become a global screen star, with showstopping performances in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Devdas, Guru, and the Ponniyin Selvan films, alongside high-profile English-language projects such as Bride & Prejudice and The Pink Panther 2.
Robert Pattinson first dipped a toe in modelling at age 12, mostly, as he's joked, to meet girls. The work wasn't glamorous, and he's openly cringed at some of the early underwear campaigns he shot in Asia. Acting proved a far better fit: Twilight turned him into a global sensation, and he followed this up with lauded performances in Good Time, The Lighthouse, and The Batman, solidifying his status as a serious leading man.
Ironically, Pattinson became an in-demand model after he quit the profession full-time and got into acting. He's scored numerous top jobs and has been the face of Dior Homme since 2013.
A model at age 15, Angelina Jolie stepped in front of the photographer's lens before Hollywood came calling. Acting quickly eclipsed fashion, and by 1999 she'd won an Oscar for Girl, Interrupted, pushing her into A-list territory.
Jolie then became an action heavyweight with Lara Croft, Mr & Mrs Smith, and Salt, later reshaping a Disney villain into an empire with Maleficent and taking on towering dramatic roles in movies like Maria. Alongside her screen career, Jolie has built a lasting legacy as a director and one of the world's most prominent humanitarian figures.
Cameron Diaz didn’t set out to be an actress. Signed by Elite in 1988 at the age of 16, Diaz shot global campaigns, posed for Calvin Klein and Levi's, and appeared on the cover of Seventeen as a teenager.
Her acting career began almost by chance; despite having no formal training, she won the female lead in 1994's The Mask and became an overnight star. Diaz went on to anchor box office smashes from There's Something About Mary and Charlie's Angels to Gangs of New York and Shrek, firmly establishing herself as one of Hollywood's go-to names.
Sofia Vergara started out as a teen model in her native Colombia. Spotted on a beach, she secured lots of fashion and commercial work, and shot a Pepsi ad at age 17 that aired across Latin America.
After building a solid career on Spanish-language television, Vergara hit global fame in 2009 as Gloria in Modern Family, earning multiple Emmy and Golden Globe nominations and a record-breaking $500,000 (£433k) per-episode salary. Her acting success, combined with blockbuster endorsements and lucrative business ventures, has since propelled her net worth into centimillionaire territory.
Ashton Kutcher's career began with a surprise win at a college mall modelling contest, which sent him to New York, though he later lost the next round to Josh Duhamel. Nonetheless, the opportunity kicked off a real modelling career: he signed with Next, shot campaigns for Abercrombie & Fitch and Calvin Klein, and walked runways in Paris and Milan.
Kutcher's life pivoted in 1998 when he was cast as Michael Kelso in That ’70s Show, the role that launched him from globe-trotting model to sitcom star, movie actor, and eventually, powerhouse tech investor.
Fashion provided Charlize Theron's first taste of fame. At 16, the South African star won a modelling contract in Italy and spent a year walking runways in Milan before moving to New York. Acting soon trumped modelling, and in 2003 she delivered a career-defining performance in Monster, winning the Best Actress Oscar.
Theron has since become one of Hollywood’s most versatile power players, headlining everything from Mad Max: Fury Road to Atomic Blonde, while producing and fronting major global campaigns.
Demi Moore began modelling as a teen after signing with Elite. She made her screen acting debut in 1981 at 19 and got her big break in 1985 with St Elmo's Fire, becoming an integral part of the Brat Pack, a group of Hollywood's hottest young stars.
The 1990s cemented her A-list status with Ghost, A Few Good Men, and Indecent Proposal, and she became Hollywood's highest-paid actress, earning a record-setting $12.5 million (£9.5m) in 1996 for Striptease. After years in the doldrums, Moore staged a major comeback with 2024's The Substance, winning a Golden Globe for her powerful performance in the body-horror flick.
Cutting her teeth as a model, Jane Fonda bagged two US Vogue covers during her short-lived career, gracing the front of the July 1959 and January 1960 issues. Following in the footsteps of her father Henry Fonda, she made her movie debut not long after and went on to win Oscars for 1971's Klute and 1978's Coming Home.
The multitalented star later reinvented herself as the queen of aerobics and has long been known for her activism, underscoring a cultural impact that stretches far beyond Hollywood.
Before becoming America's sweetheart, Julia Roberts briefly tried her hand at modelling. After moving to New York at 18, she signed with Click Model Management and supported herself with small modelling gigs while studying acting at the Lee Strasberg Institute.
Hollywood soon beckoned. With 1988's Mystic Pizza and Steel Magnolias the following year, she proved her talent early, and 1990's Pretty Woman catapulted her to worldwide fame. Roberts went on to dominate the 1990s box office and later won a Best Actress Oscar for Erin Brockovich, cementing her place as one of cinema's most bankable and beloved stars.
Michelle Pfeiffer didn't start out as a screen hopeful. She first entered beauty pageants while working as a supermarket cashier, a detour that led her towards acting. Early TV roles soon gave way to a breakout moment in 1983 movie Scarface, and by the early 1990s she was one of Hollywood's most in-demand leading women, earning three Oscar nominations and iconic status as Batman Returns' Catwoman.
Her net worth is reported as a combined figure with her husband, hit TV creator David E. Kelley.
Fresh off his Marky Mark rap fame, Mark Wahlberg became one of the most recognisable male models of the 1990s after he was tapped by Calvin Klein to model its underwear, famously appearing in his briefs on New York's giant Times Square billboard.
The modelling notoriety turbo-charged his transition into acting, leading to roles in Fear, Boogie Nights, and later The Departed and the Transformers franchise. Now an A-list actor, producer, and entrepreneur, Wahlberg has amassed a $400 million (£305m) fortune through TV, film, and business ventures like the Wahlburgers casual dining chain.
Liked this? Click the Like button above. And click the Follow button above for more great stories from loveMONEY
Now discover the 21 richest athletes-turned-actors, ranked