Oprah Winfrey has become a business and media mogul generating an incredible amount of money. With her name plastered all over her projects, Oprah has created a successful empire, bringing fans, fame and fortune. She is most known as a celebrated talk show host, as well as an actress, author, producer and philanthropist. She has engaged herself in many projects and organizations over the years, helping build her empire while helping those in need.
Surprisingly, the television legend did not always have her well-known moniker. Oprah was born January 29, 1954 with the name Orpah Gail Winfrey. Her name was consistently mispronounced as “Oprah” by other people, causing the new name to stick. She grew up poor in Kosciusko, Mississippi, wearing dresses made out of the potato sacks and being forced to take the bus with people who worked for her classmates’ families. Feeling out-of-place, Oprah began stealing money from her mother so she would be able to fit in more with her classmates.
Her mother didn’t approve of the rebellion, and sent her off to live with her father in Nashville, Tennessee. Oprah’s father was strict and wanted his daughter to focus more on her education. She quickly became an honor’s student and joined the East Nashville High School’s speech team. Oprah was finally able to show off her talents, placing second in the nation in dramatic interpretation.
This was just the beginning for Oprah, her skills helping her launch an impressive career, leading her to an even more impressive net worth of almost $3 million. The star has acquired a number of stunning vacation homes along the way, almost as breathtaking as her current residence.
Moving From Radio To Television
Oprah started her career in media at a young age, working part time at WVOL, a radio station in a suburb outside Nashville. She worked there for a few years throughout both high school and college. Stepping her game up, Oprah reached a bigger audience after moving to Nashville’s station WLAC-TV, now known as WTVF-TV. There she became both the youngest news anchor and the first black female news anchor at the station. She moved to Baltimore, Maryland, in 1976 to work for a station there before becoming the co-host of WJZ’s local talk show “People Are Talking” two years later.
The rising star relocated once again and moved to Chicago, Illinois, in 1983. She was signed on to host “A.M. Chicago,” a somewhat popular morning talk show in the area. Within months of Oprah serving as host, the show’s ratings skyrocketed. Her talent was apparent to both viewers and head hunters, leading her to sign a syndication deal with King World Productions.
Oprah’s very own television show was born. “The Oprah Winfrey Show” premiered nationwide in September 1986, becoming an instant success. The show expanded to have one-hour long episodes and included a long list of topics discussed. It went from being seen as a type of gossipy-show to a broadcast that raised awareness of social issues. The show was most popular for the incredible interviews with celebrities, in which Oprah asked them to discuss their own views on the world and share the charities they were involved with.
Oprah’s Television Stardom
Prior to becoming a popular TV host, Oprah received a full scholarship to Tennessee State University after winning an oratory contest. She studied communications and took her time with her final project. She finally received her bachelor’s degree of arts and science in 1987, well after she had grown accustomed to being famous.
With fame comes controversy, which Oprah came to know. Her show received criticism for not being completely authentic, with complaints about the factuality of some of her guests, such as Dr. Oz and Dr. Phil. Both men have since gone on to have their own shows, both of which were launched and supported by Oprah.
Oprah also entered the acting world while managing to stay prominent as a fantastic talk show host. In 1985, she starred in the movie “The Color Purple.” She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the role. Oprah later went on to produce the Broadway musical version of the movie in 2005. She was also cast in the drama miniseries, “The Women of Brewster Place,” in 1989. Oprah also lent her voice to a handful of animated movies throughout her acting career, such as “Charlotte’s Web,” “Bee Movie” and “The Princess and the Frog.”
Oprah’s media talents surpassed acting and working as a talk show host. She helped expand television by co-founding the Oxygen network. She also is the president of Harpo Productions, which is the star’s unique name spelled backwards. Harpo Films, a division of the production company, signed an exclusive deal with HBO in 2008, promising to help develop and produce scripted series, documentaries and movies.
Read It And Weep
With her success furthering in the production side of television, Oprah took a shot and launched her own channel in January 2011 called OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network. Just a few months later, the series finale of her infamous talk show aired, but Oprah was far from being done with work.
According to The Guardian, Oprah’s Book Club began in 1996 with all of the club’s picks becoming instant bestsellers. The club continues to make an impact on the publishing industry today. It has also grown in such popularity that a show with the same title premiered November 2019 on OWN. Oprah has also founded and created “O, The Oprah Magazine” in collaboration with Hearst Communications. According to Business Insider, the magazine had roughly 2.4 million monthly subscribers in 2018, making it one of the top women’s magazines in the United States.
Oprah’s love for books isn’t just reading them, it’s also writing them. She has co-authored five books, including a memoir and a book about weight-loss. Her passion for helping others achieve their weight-loss goals inspired her to partner with Weight Watchers, simply known now as WW. According to Barron’s, Oprah has been involved with the company since 2015. As of 2020, she owned 4.8 million WW shares, helping her personal net worth grow.
Oprah’s talent to create commotion around anything she discussed on her talk show or in her everyday life has been dubbed as “The Oprah Effect.” Essentially, the legend has a superpower in promoting anything and everything to the nation through her incredible speaking abilities, trustworthiness and well-liked personality.
How Oprah Used Her Name To Help Others
Using her name once again, Oprah’s company created a website that provided resources and interactive content related to the successful woman’s shows, magazines, book club and charities she was involved with. It has reached a huge audience, averaging more than 70 million page views and more than six million users per month. The site also brings in roughly 20 thousand emails per week.
Oprah’s career has expanded to many different areas and helped her receive a number of accolades. “The Oprah Winfrey Show” received an incredible 34 Emmy Awards with seven of those awards being specifically for Oprah’s hosting abilities. The show was also considered the number one talk show in 1986, and stayed at the ranking for a total of 14 seasons. Oprah herself was named one of the 100 Most Influential People of the 20th Century by Time magazine in 1998. She used her skills to her advantage and landed herself a teaching position. She taught at Northwestern University’s J. L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management in 1999.
Oprah also used her network to bring help to those in need. She created the Oprah’s Angel Network in 1998, a charity established to encourage people to help others. It helps a number of charities and non-profit organizations. Oprah’s Angel Network started humbly during an episode of the star’s hit show, where she asked viewers to collect spare change to donate for scholarships. The support for causes Oprah talked about on her show was huge, leading to the evolution of Oprah’s Angel Network.
What Is Oprah Really Worth?
The wondrous amount of work and projects Oprah has involved herself in has led her to bring in plenty of earnings. She managed to take a simple talk show and turn it not only into a hit for 25 years, but created a media and business empire. Oprah has become a household name and is known for being a self-made billionaire, crossing the threshold at 32-years-old. According to Forbes, her partnership with Discovery Communications brought in a healthy chunk of change. The media mogul partnered with the company to create her own TV network, purchasing 25.5 percent of Discovery Communications. The share is currently worth about $75 million, according to Forbes.
Forbes has ranked her on a litany of lists showcasing her success and net worth. As of April 2021, Oprah is ranked 9th on America’s Self-Made Women of 2020 list, 20th on Power Women of 2020 and 1174th on Billionaires in 2021, according to Forbes. Her current net worth is $2.6 million.
Somehow during her strenuous career, Oprah has found time for romance. She has been dating her long-time boyfriend Stedman Graham since 1986. A year later, Graham surprisingly made an appearance on her TV show. Well, his voice made an appearance. He called into the show to ask Oprah openly on the air just how much she told her best friend, Gayle King, about their relationship. Oprah looked happy at the sound of his voice and called him sweet names for all to hear, like “Steddy” and “baby.”
A Power Couple Move
The couple was engaged back in November 1992, but never proceeded with a wedding. Graham is known for being a former basketball player, as well as a current educator, author, businessman and speaker. His expertise is as a public relations executive. Long-lasting relationships in Hollywood seem fleeting, but this pair is still together.
Oprah has managed to do it all. She has grown a huge empire, acquired an abundance of wealth and found real love. One might wonder what else Oprah could possibly ever want or need. Well, with all that cash comes opportunities for investment, like housing. Oprah owns a number of lavish vacation homes, including places in Hawaii, Colorado, Washington state and the Caribbean island Antigua. While they each have their own beauty and charm, none can compare to Oprah’s current place of residence in Montecito, California, where she lives with her long-time boyfriend.
Oprah first fell in love with her current home in 2001 when she was invited to a party at the estate, according to Love Property. The property wasn’t even on the market at the time, but “The Oprah Effect” was no match for the owners. Oprah used her charm and a large check of $52 million to buy her dream home.
The property originally stretched a total of 42 acres but has almost doubled in size and worth since Oprah’s purchase. She and Graham have worked together renovating the house to match their personal styles, taking the once beautiful house and making it a stunning home.
The Promised Land
The now 70-acre property is known as the Promised Land and is currently worth more than $100 million, according to Love Property. It is surrounded by an abundance of large trees, sweeping over the estate. It looks like a magical enchanted forest with a huge mansion, serene pond and gorgeous garden placed perfectly in the center.
The main house is 23 thousand square feet filled with several living rooms, an office, six bedrooms, 14 bathrooms, a renovated kitchen, a library, a wine cellar and two home theaters. Oprah’s love for reading and writing is apparent with books in almost every room. The home also has a large walk-in closet where Oprah is able to store her beautiful clothing collection.
Outside the main house is just as stunning as the inside. It is full of rose gardens, orchards, fountains and a koi pond. Oprah and Graham are able to stay in shape and entertain their guests with their tennis courts and pool. Their guests are also welcomed to stay the night if needed in their gorgeous two-bedroom guest house, spanning 4000 square feet.
With plenty of rooms and amenities, it’s a wonder why Oprah would ever leave her stunning home. The interior is warm and welcoming, while the outside looks like a picturesque estate fit for royalty. Oprah started as a poor girl from the south who worked hard at her education and career, growing into the incredible success story she is today. Oprah is definitely one of the most successful women to date, with a beautiful home and empire to prove it.
What is your favorite part of Oprah’s beautiful home? Let us know, and be sure to ask your friends and family what they think, too!
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