Blue Bloods Season 14’s Premiere Changes Frank & aMayor Chase’s Friendship In A Big Way (PART 3)
5. Eric Braeden – $25 million
With roughly 100 acting credits to his name, Eric Braeden has led a full career and is loved by many, most notably for his long-running role on “The Young and the Restless.” It’s also no wonder that he’s built up an estimated net worth of $25 million. Braeden took up the role of Victor Newman in 1980 and has contributed consistently to the show for decades. Over these many years, he has appeared in over 3,700 episodes of the daytime drama.
Braeden has also appeared on the “Y&R” sister show “The Bold and the Beautiful.” Another of his most famous roles of his came on the big screen: he played John Jacob Astor in the blockbuster “Titanic.” Although his character’s role wasn’t the biggest one in the movie, he starred alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet in their early days before they both rose to superstardom.
As an immigrated German in the U.S. during the 1960s, many of his early roles were as German soldiers in war dramas. His family had strong connections to the military, if only due to the fact that his father was once a major in the German army. According to his autobiography, “I’ll Be Damned,” he also survived the sinking of the MV Wilhelm Gustloff. Considering his role in “Titanic,” that’s certainly an interesting anecdote. Braeden also keeps up with the times — lately, he’s been dedicating some of his downtime to posting TikTok videos.
4. Mark Consuelos – $40 million
One half of a soap star supercouple, Mark Consuelos reportedly shares a joint net worth of around $160 million with his wife Kelly Ripa, $40 million of which allegedly belongs only to Consuelos. The two met on the set of the show that started both of their careers, “All My Children,” in 1995. They now have three adult children: sons Michael and Joaquin and daughter Lola. The couple likes to share their happiness on social media, such as on Instagram, where they commemorated their 26th anniversary.
Consuelos left the regular cast of “All My Children” in 2001, but he returned in 2010 for a special episode. His other TV appearances include “Ugly Betty,” “Friends,” “Law & Order,” “American Horror Story,” and “Riverdale.” Consuelos’ role as Hiram Lodge in “Riverdale” interestingly had him playing the villain, which he said he enjoyed very much.
Consuelos and Ripa, according to NY Daily News, have lived in a Soho penthouse as well as a $27 million townhouse on the Upper East Side which was apparently the second most expensive townhouse sold that year. Given that it’s a recently renovated townhouse from 1882 with five bedrooms and six bathrooms, it’s easy to imagine why it turned out to be so pricey.
3. Susan Lucci – $80 million
Susan Lucci is a household name in the U.S. thanks to her portrayal of Erica Kane on “All My Children.” She was featured in over 1,500 episodes, and was part of the show until its ended its broadcast run in 2011. After the long-running soap came to an end, Lucci appeared on other shows, including “Hot in Cleveland” and “Devious Maids.” In the early ’90s, she also played a short recurring role in the popular drama “Dallas.”
Her work on “All My Children “earned her an amazing 18 Daytime Emmy nominations, and she eventually won in 1999. However, her win was not without a touch of (albeit comedic) controversy. She was nominated so many times that her constant nominations without a victory were made fun of in the media. As a result, she was invited to host “Saturday Night Live,” during which the cast, the crew, and even the stagehands carried around their own Emmys. She took it well and laughed it off in an interview.
In 2016, Lucci contributed to her estimated $80 million worth by selling her $20 million home in the Hamptons, a popular holiday spot for New York’s elite. The 10,622-square-foot property was built in 1989 on 1.4 acres of land and has seven bedrooms and seven bathrooms, which is really just like a small hotel. Complete with its own pool and balconies looking out onto the ocean, it was definitely a house fit for “Daytime’s Leading Lady.”
2. Kelly Ripa – $120 million
Kelly Ripa began her 12-year run on “All My Children” in 1990, with future husband Mark Consuelos joining five years later. She has appeared in a wide range of other TV shows, including “Ugly Betty,” “Hope and Faith,” “Hannah Montana,” “30 Rock,” “Riverdale,” and the film “Marvin’s Room” alongside global stars Meryl Streep and Leonardo DiCaprio.
Another role that has contributed significantly to her estimated $120 million net worth is her hosting gig on “Live with Kelly and Ryan” (formerly “Live with Kelly and Regis.”) Starting in 2001 and continuing for over 20 years, she has filmed over 3,100 episodes of the American morning talk show alongside Ryan Seacrest.
In 2010, Ripa revealed that she suffers from misphonia, a disorder that decreases a person’s tolerance to certain sounds or the stimuli associated with those sounds. Despite that, she’s never slowed down, and has had a busy time juggling her acting career with her family duties. This is especially impressive if you consider that as she’s told it, acting isn’t a passion for her, and she doesn’t even like being on camera.
1. Lauralee Bell – $200 million
Taking the top spot is a true member of soap opera royalty — Lauralee Bell is a long-serving cast member of “The Young and the Restless” as well as the daughter of the couple who created it. The Bells also created “The Bold and the Beautiful,” and Lauralee’s father William Joseph Bell wrote on “Days of Our Lives.”
In 1977, Lauralee asked for a part on her parents’ show “The Young and the Restless,” and was allowed to participate in filming during her summer vacations. At 13, she was given some lines, and a strong response from the fans led to her receiving a recurring role as Christine “Cricket” Blair. Although she has stepped away from the series at times to focus on other projects, she’s filmed over 1,500 episodes during her tenure.
Her other projects and appearances include “The Bold and the Beautiful,” “CSI: Miami,” “Diagnosis Murder,” and “Mistress Hunter.” Bell has been married to photographer Scott Martin since 1997 and they share two children. Bell’s estimated $200 million net worth was earned from her acting work and other projects, and also inherited from her parents. This inheritance is reported to include real estate in Malibu, Los Angeles, which is also where Bell and her family live.