Raquel Welch Net Worth: From a S*x Icon to a Smart Businesswoman

Raquel Welch was a s*x icon in Hollywood, but she was also a smart businesswoman who proved herself in the field. In 2023, when she died at age 82, Raquel Welch net worth was estimated at $40 million, thanks to her successful film and TV career, endorsements, and business sense.

What Was Raquel Welch Net Worth?

When Raquel Welch died in February 2023, her estimated net worth was $40 million. About a quarter of her money came from a lawsuit she won against MGM Studios for $10.8 million. Welch was fired from the 1980 movie version of Cannery Row by John Steinbeck, and Debra Winger took her place. The studio said that they fired Welch because she insisted on getting her hair and makeup done at home instead of at the studio. Welch said that MGM made up the story to get out of paying her $250,000 fee for the movie, since Winger was willing to work for less money.

Welch was also the face of Foster Grant eyeglasses, MAC Cosmetics, a HAIRuWEAR wig line, a jewellery brand, and a skincare line, in addition to her successful film and TV careers. She also starred in and made the book and video series The Raquel Welch Total Beauty and Fitness Program.

How Did Raquel Welch Become Famous?

Welch was born Jo Raquel Tejada in Chicago in 1940. When she was a young child, her family moved to San Diego. She started taking ballet lessons when she was seven. After 10 years, she was told that her body wasn’t right for the art, so she stopped. She then started going to beauty pageants, where she won a number of titles. She wanted to act, so she got a theatre scholarship to go to San Diego State University, where she met and married her high school sweetheart, James Welch.

In 1958, Welch started acting in local plays and working as a weather girl for a San Diego TV station. Welch moved to Dallas, Texas, after she and her husband broke up. There, she worked as a cocktail waitress and as a part-time model for Neiman Marcus. She then moved to Los Angeles, where she met agent Patrick Curtis. Together, he helped her become known as a s*x symbol.

Welch became famous in 1966 because she was in two movies: Fantastic Voyage and One Million Years B.C. In the second movie, Welch was famously seen in a bikini made of deer skin.

How Did Raquel Welch Manage Her Success?

Welch stayed true to herself throughout her career and didn’t change to fit what Hollywood expected of her. She insisted on using her full name, Raquel, even though the studios warned her that it might be hard for people to say. She also kept the last name “Welch” after she got divorced so that Hollywood wouldn’t cast her only in Latino roles. Welch also went up against a big movie studio and won when they allegedly tried to ruin her reputation.

Welch was also a smart and ahead-of-her-time businesswoman. She was one of the first stars to put her name on things like lingerie and lifestyle items, which turned out to be a very profitable niche. When her acting career slowed down, she got more endorsements, which gave her enough money to live well until she died in 2023.