Tyler Perry

Tyler Perry is the only billionaire on this list who owns his own studio — Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta spans 330 acres, larger than any Hollywood studio, built on a former Confederate military base. He writes, directs, produces, and stars in most projects, with the Madea franchise grossing $1 billion across 12 films. Perry owns 100% of his content, a model that outperforms #3 Dwayne Johnson’s Seven Bucks Productions in terms of creative control. Forbes confirmed his billionaire status in 2020, and he went from homeless to billionaire without initial studio backing.