American Celebrities Quietly Building Businesses Outside Entertainment
For many American celebrities, fame is no longer limited to movies, music, television or sports. A growing number of stars are using their public profiles to build businesses in industries that have little to do with the entertainment world.
Instead of simply appearing in advertisements for existing companies, some celebrities are becoming founders, investors, co-owners and creative leaders. Their businesses now cover areas such as beauty, fashion, food, beverages, technology, sports and consumer products.
The trend has created a new type of celebrity entrepreneur. These stars can use their audience to introduce a product, but the long-term challenge is turning that attention into a business that can stand on its own.
Here are some American celebrities who have built notable businesses beyond their traditional entertainment careers.
Table of Contents
Rihanna – Building a Beauty and Fashion Empire
Selena Gomez – Growing Rare Beauty
Ryan Reynolds – From Hollywood to Business
Kim Kardashian – Expanding SKIMS
Blake Lively – Entering the Beauty Industry
Dwayne Johnson – Building a Beverage Business
Jennifer Garner – Investing in Family-Focused Products
Why Celebrities Are Moving Into Business
The Difference Between Endorsements and Ownership
What Celebrity Businesses Mean for the Future
Conclusion
1. Rihanna – Building a Beauty and Fashion Empire
Rihanna is one of the clearest examples of an entertainer turning personal influence into a major business operation.
Her Fenty Beauty brand was created around the idea of making cosmetics available to a wider range of skin tones. The company says Rihanna was inspired by the lack of products that adequately served different skin tones and types.
Fenty eventually became much more than a celebrity makeup line, developing into a broader brand presence in beauty and fashion.
Rihanna's business journey demonstrates how a celebrity can identify an opportunity within an industry and use an existing audience to introduce a different type of product.
2. Selena Gomez – Growing Rare Beauty
Selena Gomez has also built a major business outside her music and acting career through Rare Beauty.
Launched in 2020, Rare Beauty was designed around a message of individuality and moving away from unrealistic expectations of perfection. The company's official mission emphasizes self-acceptance and inclusivity.
The business has also been connected to Gomez's interest in mental-health advocacy through the Rare Impact Fund.
Recent reporting from PEOPLE says the fund has raised more than $30 million and supports youth mental-health organizations in different parts of the world.
For Gomez, Rare Beauty has become an important part of her career outside music and television.
3. Ryan Reynolds – From Hollywood to Business
Ryan Reynolds has developed one of the most recognizable celebrity business portfolios in America.
Rather than concentrating on a single product category, Reynolds has been involved in businesses spanning advertising, spirits, telecommunications, sports and technology.
He became associated with Aviation American Gin and later invested in Mint Mobile. He also co-owns Welsh football club Wrexham AFC with Rob McElhenney.
His Maximum Effort company has also become an important part of his business strategy, particularly through creative advertising.
TIME has highlighted Reynolds' approach of using storytelling and humor to market companies in which he has an ownership interest.
His involvement with Aviation Gin is also documented by Diageo, which announced its acquisition of Aviation and said Reynolds would retain an ongoing ownership interest at the time of the deal.
4. Kim Kardashian – Expanding SKIMS
Kim Kardashian has moved well beyond reality television and social media to build a major fashion business.
SKIMS focuses on shapewear, underwear, clothing and other products designed around different body shapes and sizes.
The company has continued expanding its product categories, demonstrating how Kardashian's influence can be converted into a consumer brand with an identity separate from television.
Her business career is part of a larger movement in which celebrities are becoming involved in the creation and ownership of companies rather than relying entirely on traditional entertainment income.
5. Blake Lively – Entering the Beauty Industry
Blake Lively has also expanded into consumer products through her beauty business.
Her hair-care brand, Blake Brown, represents a move into an industry where celebrities increasingly have opportunities to build businesses based on their personal interests and public image.
In a 2026 interview reported by PEOPLE, Lively discussed the launch of Blake Brown and described her husband Ryan Reynolds as someone who plays a role in her business and creative life.
Her move illustrates how actors can take an interest in products that have a connection to their own experiences while developing a business beyond film.
6. Dwayne Johnson – Building a Beverage Business
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has also developed interests outside acting and professional wrestling.
One of his notable ventures is Teremana Tequila, a beverage brand that has become part of his broader entrepreneurial portfolio.
Johnson's business activities fit into a wider trend among entertainers who use their public personalities to create consumer brands.
The important distinction is that these ventures require more than celebrity recognition. Product quality, distribution, marketing and customer loyalty ultimately determine whether a business can continue growing.
7. Jennifer Garner – Investing in Family-Focused Products
Jennifer Garner is another Hollywood figure who has entered the consumer-products space.
She became associated with Once Upon a Farm, a company focused on organic food products for children and families.
The business is an example of how celebrities can choose industries connected to their personal interests rather than simply creating merchandise related to their acting careers.
It also shows that celebrity entrepreneurship is not restricted to fashion and cosmetics.
8. Why Celebrities Are Moving Into Business
There are several reasons celebrities are increasingly interested in entrepreneurship.
Building long-term income
Entertainment careers can be unpredictable. Movies, television projects, music releases and other opportunities may come and go.
A successful company can potentially provide another source of income that is not directly tied to appearing on screen or performing on stage.
Having greater control
A celebrity who owns part of a company has more involvement than someone who simply signs an endorsement deal.
They may participate in product development, marketing, branding and major business decisions.
Using an existing audience
Celebrities already have millions of followers across social media platforms. That audience can provide an initial group of potential customers when a new product launches.
However, an audience alone does not guarantee that a company will succeed.
Building something that can outlive fame
Some celebrity entrepreneurs are thinking beyond their entertainment careers.
A strong company can potentially continue operating even when its founder is taking fewer acting or music roles.
9. The Difference Between Endorsements and Ownership
One of the biggest changes in celebrity business culture is the move from endorsement to ownership.
In a traditional endorsement arrangement, a celebrity may be paid to promote somebody else's product.
In an ownership model, the celebrity can have an equity stake or a founder role in the company.
That difference matters because ownership can connect the celebrity's financial interests to the company's long-term performance.
Ryan Reynolds' business career is a notable example of this approach. TIME reported that he has invested in and helped promote multiple companies rather than simply serving as a traditional advertising spokesperson.
10. What Celebrity Businesses Mean for the Future
Celebrity entrepreneurship is unlikely to disappear soon.
As social media continues to connect entertainers directly with consumers, celebrities have more opportunities to introduce products without depending entirely on traditional advertising.
At the same time, the growing number of celebrity businesses means competition is becoming tougher.
Having a famous founder can generate attention when a company launches, but customers still expect good products, reasonable pricing and reliable service.
The most interesting businesses may therefore be those that can eventually establish their own identity beyond the celebrity who helped create them.
Conclusion
American celebrities are increasingly showing that their careers can extend far beyond movies, television and music.
Rihanna has built a major presence in beauty, Selena Gomez has developed Rare Beauty, Ryan Reynolds has built a diverse investment portfolio, Kim Kardashian has expanded SKIMS, and other stars such as Blake Lively, Dwayne Johnson and Jennifer Garner have entered different areas of consumer business.
The bigger story is not simply that celebrities are launching brands. It is that some are becoming entrepreneurs who participate directly in building companies.
For fans, these ventures offer another way to follow their favorite stars. For the celebrities themselves, successful businesses can provide an opportunity to create something that exists beyond their entertainment careers.
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