The Lost Boys star Jami Gertz, now a billionaire, makes rare public appearance

Gertz rose to fame with '80s films including "Sixteen Candles" and "Less Than Zero."

By Sharareh Drury

April 21, 2026 4:33 p.m. ET

Tony Ressler and Jami Gertz. Credit:

Stefanie Keenan/Getty

- Jami Gertz rose to fame in ‘80s films like *Sixteen Candles* and *The Lost Boys*.

- The actress-turned-billionaire attended LACMA's opening gala for the David Geffen Galleries on April 16 with husband Tony Ressler.

- Gertz and Ressler co-own the Atlanta Hawks.**

Jami Gertz is back in the spotlight.

The '80s star-turned-billionaire, famous for roles in *Sixteen Candles*, *The Lost Boys*, and *Twister*, made a rare public appearance with her husband Tony Ressler at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s opening gala for its new David Geffen Galleries on April 16.

The philanthropic couple's appearance comes amid their donation of $50 million to the museum and the new galleries’ south wing being named the Ressler Family Wing, according to the *New York Times*. Gertz's connection to the institution goes back over a decade, as she has served as the LACMA board’s co-chair since 2015.**

Tony Ressler and Jami Gertz in 2024.

Vivien Killilea/Getty

Gertz wed the private equity investor in 1989, and the couple has a daughter and three sons together. Since their nuptials, the two have built a lucrative empire, which includes purchasing the Atlanta Hawks in 2015 for $720 million.

"It’s not your everyday Hollywood actress tale," Gertz acknowledged of her transition from the screen to basketball team owner when speaking to *The Hollywood Reporter* in 2018.

The *Still Standing* actress also addressed stereotypes around her marriage to Ressler, who is worth over $10 billion, according to *Forbes*. "Everyone thinks I married a rich guy," she shared. "But I made more money — way more money — than Tony when I met him. I paid for our first house. I paid for our first vacation. I married him because I fell in love with him."**

'The Lost Boys' first look at Broadway adaptation of cult classic film revealed (exclusive)

'80s Child Stars: Where Are They Now?

Kiefer Sutherland and Jami Gertz in 'The Lost Boys'.

Warner Bros./Courtesy Everett

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our ******EW Dispatch newsletter******.***

Gertz made her film debut in the 1981 romance film *Endless Love*, but launched into stardom thanks to her role in 1987's *Less Than Zero *alongside* *Robert Downey Jr.

Later roles included starring in *The Lost Boys *with Kiefer Sutherland and Corey Feldman, and *Twister *with Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt, as well as television roles in *Square Pegs*, *Still Standing*, and *The Neighbors*.**

- Celebrities & Creators

Original Article on Source

Source: “EW Celebrities”