British-American screen icon Elizabeth Taylor began her career as a child star in the 1940s, with her breakout role coming in National Velvet (1944). The two-time Best Actress Oscar winner is renowned for films such as Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), Butterfield 8 (1960), Cleopatra (1963), and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966).

Though she peaked during Hollywood’s Golden Era, Taylor continued working steadily until the 2000s before retiring to focus on philanthropy. At the time of her death in 2011, her estimated net worth stood at $600 million – or around $880 million in today’s money.

That staggering fortune means that if Taylor were alive today, she would be the richest self-made actress, with a fortune primarily derived from acting. The title is currently held by Reese Witherspoon, with an estimated net worth of $440 million. Witherspoon is famous for roles in films such as Legally Blonde (2001) and Walk the Line (2005) and the TV series The Morning Show.

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