From tech moguls to entertainment icons, these wealthy celebrities believe in tough love when it comes to their fortunes. Join us as we explore why these successful parents chose not to pass their wealth down to their children, preferring instead that their offspring make their own way in the world.
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're looking at celebrities, both living and deceased,
00:08who decided against leaving their fortunes to their children.
00:11Some of these celebs may leave their kids a small piece of the pie, but not a vast majority.
00:23Number 20 – Jeff Goldblum
00:25From Jurassic Park to Independence Day to Wicked, Jeff Goldblum has starred in one blockbuster
00:30franchise after another, amounting to a reported net worth of roughly $40 million.
00:40Goldblum didn't become a father until recently, having two sons with Olympic rhythmic gymnast
00:45Emily Livingston in 2015 and 2017, respectively.
00:49In a 2024 interview, Goldblum said he didn't see a significant inheritance in his children's
00:54futures, feeling they should row their own boat.
00:56Goldblum views this as a teaching opportunity, wanting his children to discover their passions
01:00in life and work to make their dreams a reality.
01:08As Goldblum put it, I'm not going to do it for you, and you're not going to want
01:11me to do it for you.
01:13Number 19 – Andrew Lloyd Webber
01:15This composer redefined musical blockbusters with The Phantom of the Opera, Starlight Express
01:21and Cats.
01:30Those three alone have spawned billion-dollar franchises, putting Webber in contention with
01:34Paul McCartney as the UK's wealthiest music artist.
01:37That doesn't mean his kids are set for life.
01:40Webber has two children from his first marriage and three from his current one.
01:43Before becoming a billionaire, Webber explained in 2008 that he wouldn't leave his children
01:47his then-£750 million fortune.
01:51Webber said,
01:52I am not in favor of children suddenly finding a lot of money coming their way because they
01:55have no incentive to work.
01:57So I will give them a start in life, but they ain't going to end up owning the really
01:59useful group – his company.
02:04Number 18 – Anderson Cooper
02:06We all recognize this CNN news anchor, but Anderson Cooper comes from a long line of
02:11wealthy individuals.
02:16His mother was Gloria Vanderbilt, heiress to the Vanderbilt family fortune, which traces
02:20back to the Gilded Age.
02:22When Gloria Vanderbilt died in 2019, she left Cooper $1.5 million from her estimated $200
02:28million estate.
02:29Cooper agreed with his mother that he didn't need much money, not only because he's doing
02:32fine, but because inheritance can be a curse.
02:35In 2021, after the birth of his first son, but before the arrival of his second, Cooper
02:39said that he would follow his mother's example.
02:41I'm not that interested in money, Cooper said.
02:44I don't intend to have some sort of pot of gold for my son.
02:47A lot of people are going to think that you're going to inherit money and that you come from
02:53this family and they're going to make assumptions about you, but we want you to know that this
02:57is not the reality.
02:58Number 17 – Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis
03:01Although they knew each other through That 70s Show, Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis didn't
03:05start dating until well after the sitcom ended.
03:11The couple had a daughter shortly before getting married in 2015, with the birth of their son
03:15following a year later.
03:16Beyond acting, Kutcher has also become a successful businessman.
03:20Between Kutcher's estimated $200 million net worth and Kunis' net worth of $75 million,
03:25this family is living comfortably, but the kids shouldn't get too cozy.
03:29Kutcher said he'd help his children financially if they wanted to start a business and had
03:33a solid plan.
03:34As far as inheritance goes though, the couple is putting their money towards charity and
03:54other ventures rather than a trust.
03:56Number 16 – Michael Bloomberg
03:59Between his work with the Bloomberg LP company, this entrepreneur served three terms as New
04:03York's mayor.
04:11Currently worth $104.7 billion, Michael Bloomberg ranks among the 20 richest individuals on
04:17the planet.
04:18Bloomberg has already donated billions to non-profits, saying that he wants to leave
04:21a better world for his children and grandchildren.
04:24That said, Bloomberg is more interested in funding organizations that will benefit the
04:28needs of the many rather than just his immediate family.
04:31It's not as if his daughters will be destitute when he's gone.
04:33Youngest, Georgina Bloomberg, is an equestrian and philanthropist, co-running a charitable
04:38foundation with her sister Emma.
04:40The elder Bloomberg daughter is also the CEO of Murmuration, a non-profit committed to
04:44civic engagement.
04:55Number 15 – Tony Curtis
04:57Jamie Lee Curtis has been at the front line of the recent Nepo baby debate.
05:04Although Curtis and her siblings might have had certain advantages growing up, their father
05:07didn't always make things easy.
05:09When Tony Curtis died in 2010, he left most of his estate to his sixth wife, Jill Vandenberg,
05:14with the rest going toward their charity.
05:16Shortly before his death, Curtis updated his will, disinheriting all of his children.
05:20This came as a complete shock to some of his kids, who thought their father might have
05:24been manipulated during his final months.
05:26They also took issue with Vandenberg auctioning off personal items, leaving little for them
05:30to remember their father by.
05:37Legal action was taken, but the lawsuit ultimately went nowhere.
05:40Number 14 – Elton John
05:42By the end of his retirement tour in 2024, this musical icon was said to be worth £470
05:48million, more than $600 million.
05:51John is married to filmmaker David Furnish, who is also well off with $50 million to his
05:55name.
05:56Together, they have two sons through a surrogate.
06:01Although John and Furnish know the dangers of giving children a silver spoon, John acknowledged
06:05that his boys don't exactly have normal lives, desiring to give them the best childhoods
06:09possible.
06:10At the same time, he wants them to have some semblance of normality.
06:14That means having respect for money and work.
06:16While John will strive to ensure his kids grow up to be financially stable, he believes
06:19a huge inheritance would ruin their lives.
06:36Number 13 – Mark Zuckerberg
06:38Within less than five years of Facebook's launch, Mark Zuckerberg was the youngest self-made
06:44Now in his 40s, Zuckerberg ranks among the 10 wealthiest individuals alive, with a net
06:55worth exceeding $200 billion.
06:57With wife Priscilla Chan, Zuckerberg has three daughters.
07:00The same month their eldest, Max, was born, the couple started the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.
07:05Rather than leave everything to their daughters, Zuckerberg and Chan plan on investing 99%
07:08of their Facebook shares into this limited liability company throughout their lives.
07:13Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan pledged to give away 99% of their Facebook
07:19shares – the value?
07:21A mind-blowing $45 billion.
07:24This was detailed in a letter to their newborn daughter, reading,
07:27Max, we love you and feel a great responsibility to leave the world a better place for you
07:31and all children.
07:33Number 12 – Gordon Ramsay
07:35Despite his hot-headed on-screen personality, many will tell you Gordon Ramsay is a nice
07:40guy.
07:51His tough love routine isn't purely an act, however.
07:54Just as Ramsay demands a lot from the other chefs in his kitchen, he expects his children
07:58to work hard to succeed in life.
08:00When discussing his kids in 2017, Ramsay said that his money definitely isn't going to
08:04them.
08:05Ramsay clarified that he wasn't being mean, he just doesn't want to spoil them.
08:08When their kids are old enough to live independently, Ramsay and his wife, Tana Hutchison, are
08:12willing to give a 25% deposit on a flat, but not the whole flat.
08:16Even when your dad is a celebrity chef, you don't get so many free meals.
08:25Number 11 – Gene Hackman
08:27When this legendary actor made his will in 1995, he left out his three children.
08:32Hackman bequeathed everything to his second wife, Betsy Arakawa, but nobody could predict
08:36the tragedy that would befall the couple 30 years later.
08:39Hackman and Arakawa were discovered dead in their New Mexico home on February 26, 2025.
08:52It was deduced that Arakawa died first from Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome.
08:56Hackman, who had been living with Alzheimer's and other medical issues, died almost a week
09:00later.
09:01Since the couple departed within less than 90 days of each other, the fate of Hackman's
09:05$80 million estate has been called into question.
09:21It could potentially go to charity, although some have speculated whether Hackman's children
09:25will be named as heirs.
09:27Number 10 – Baron Hilton
09:29Baron Hilton was the son of Conrad Hilton, who founded Hilton Hotels.
09:33Despite his massive success in business and philanthropy, nowadays, when we hear the name
09:37Hilton, we tend to think of his granddaughter, Paris.
09:46Famous for being the queen of tabloid news at one point, some might argue that she tarnished
09:50the Hilton name with her various reality TV and celebrity heiress antics.
09:54However, Baron Hilton's actions reflect a very different view of wealth and status.
09:58Like his father, Conrad, Baron donated 97% of his wealth to the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.
10:04The foundation seeks to improve the lives of disadvantaged and vulnerable people throughout
10:08the world.
10:20Number 9 – Gene Simmons
10:22Gene Simmons of Kiss built his fortune through hard work and dedication, and he wants his
10:26children to do the same.
10:28Coming from a family that he has described as dirt-poor, his values aren't that surprising.
10:34Speaking with Michael Eisner on his CNBC show, Simmons explained,
10:37"...what I want to do is what every bird does in its nest.
10:41It forces the kids to go out there and figure it out for themselves."
10:44Basically, he wants his children to have to fend for themselves a bit and not be reliant
10:48on the mama bird, or in this case, papa bird.
10:51In the same interview, he clarified that they'll be provided for, but not made rich by his hand.
10:58Number 8 – Warren Buffett
11:03For many people, the dream is to make it big and then pass that wealth on to their children.
11:08Multi-billionaire Warren Buffett, however, doesn't believe that familial ties should
11:11dictate who benefits from his fortune.
11:14Instead, Warren pledges to give 99% of his money to charity.
11:25He's been quoted as saying,
11:32I mean, if you are this fortunate, you need to share it and do things for other people.
11:36If you were one of Warren Buffett's children, you might be a little frustrated by his logic,
11:40but it's hard not to be impressed by the man's incredibly honorable choice.
11:44Number 7 – Sean Connery
11:46Sean Connery is known to have come from humble beginnings.
11:49He dropped out of school at the age of 13 and worked a variety of odd jobs before joining the Navy.
11:54It would seem that, despite his own fame and fortune,
11:58Connery strove to give his son Jason a similarly grounded upbringing.
12:02According to DailyMail.com, in the 1980s, Jason's financial situation was so dire
12:07that he relied on the charity of other actors.
12:09Furthermore, it has been reported that Jason was to receive nothing in Sean Connery's will.
12:13When this reveal sparked gossip, Jason rose to his father's defense, stating,
12:17I honor, respect and love my father, and for good reason.
12:32Number 6 – Sting
12:34Sting, who has achieved worldwide fame for his work with the police,
12:37has said that his children will not be inheriting his money after he passes away.
12:41Being a rockstar and being a dad is a pretty difficult balancing act.
12:45He doesn't want his money to be something his kids can always depend on,
12:48saying in an interview with DailyMail,
12:50I certainly don't want to leave them trust funds that are albatrosses around their necks.
12:54It seems clear that he wants his kids to be able to depend on themselves.
12:57I have to let them run. I trust them.
12:59On a lighter note, he's joked that there won't be any money left because he'll be spending it all.
13:04Number 5 – Jackie Chan
13:06Over the course of his career, Jackie Chan has proven to be a truly multi-talented individual,
13:11applying himself as a stuntman, actor, director, and producer, and even a singer.
13:26It's little surprise that he's amassed a sizable fortune in the process.
13:29What is surprising is the fact that Jackie reportedly intends to donate
13:33much of his fortune to charity after he passes away,
13:35and once stated that his son would receive nothing.
13:47Explaining the decision, as it relates to his son, Jaycee,
13:50Jackie said in an interview with Channel News Asia,
13:52If he is capable, he can make his own money. If he is not, then he will just be wasting my money.
13:57Number 4 – Nigella Lawson
14:00Nigella Lawson was born into wealth. Her father is Nigel Lord Lawson of Flaby,
14:04and her mother, Vanessa Salmon, was an heiress. Nonetheless, Nigella earned a fortune of her
14:09very own through her work as a journalist, broadcaster, food writer, and celebrity chef.
14:30Nigella said that she plans to leave her children out of her will,
14:35explaining that she expects her children to be able to earn their own and fend for themselves.
14:39On the topic of financial security in an interview with My Weekly Magazine,
14:42she said,
14:43It ruins people not having to earn money.
14:49Number 3 – Simon Cowell
14:51Famous around the world for the harshness he has displayed on such television programs
14:55as American Idol and X Factor, Simon Cowell brings some of that stern attitude to his parenting.
15:06He has said that he doesn't plan on giving his fortune to his son after he dies,
15:10stating that he doesn't believe in passing on wealth. When asked in an interview with The Mirror
15:14where his money would go, he said,
15:16A charity, probably. Kids and dogs.
15:18Given that his son was only born in 2014, we'll likely have to wait a while to hear what he
15:22thinks about his father's decision not to give him any of that cash.
15:26Number 2 – George Lucas
15:31After selling his company to Disney for billions of dollars,
15:34you'd think Lucas might celebrate by giving his children even a fraction of that astronomical sum.
15:38But as of yet, that doesn't seem to be part of the plan.
15:46George Lucas, who you may know as the creator of Star Wars and Indiana Jones,
15:50made the giving pledge in 2010, in which he stated,
15:53I am dedicating the majority of my wealth to improving education.
15:56On the topic, he said,
15:57As long as I have the resources at my disposal,
16:00I will seek to raise the bar for future generations of students of all ages.
16:23Number 1 – Bill Gates
16:26You may know him as the creator of Microsoft, an expert at jumping over chairs,
16:30or being the on-and-off richest person in the world.
16:41While it's unlikely you know him personally, he's almost certainly affected your life in
16:44one way or another, and it seems that he plans to use his money to keep influencing people's lives.
16:49Bill Gates is very well known for his philanthropic work, and he and his wife,
16:52Melinda, plan to donate 95% of their fortune to charity.
16:56On the topic of leaving his children money, he has said,
16:59I definitely think leaving kids massive amounts of money is not a favor to them.
17:07Do you think inheritance is the root of nepotism? Let us know in the comments.
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