Entertainment

Jonathan Van Ness’ Net Worth: About the Queer Eye Star and How He Makes His Fortune

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8m ago

Mar 15, 2024 / 1321 Views

Evan Walker

American hair wizard, actor, producer, comedian and television personality Jonathan Van Ness’s net worth is a testament to his successful trajectory in the world of glamour and showbiz. He is one part of the Fab Five of Netflix’s Queer Eye (2018-), openly gay, bold, fashionable, and, most importantly, unapologetic.

Over the years, Queer Eye, featuring Tan France, Bobby Berk, Antoni Porowski and Karamo Brown, has amassed a wide follower base and collected several awards on the way. Since its inception, the show has also won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Structured Reality Program for six years straight.

Season 8 dropped on Netflix in January 2024 (marking the last instalment with Berk) and Van Ness is drawing attention as its OG cast member. From their personal life to their wealth, we decode the rise of this grooming expert and show host.

What is Jonathan Van Ness’ net worth?

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Van Ness has an estimated net worth of USD 8 million. This puts him in the same league as his other Queer Eye castmates, France and Porowski. However, going by the figures quoted by the website, it places him a little shy of Berk, who has an estimated wealth of USD 10 million and Brown, who has a fortune of around USD 9 million.

On the other hand, NetWorthSpot estimates his net worth to be around USD 22.58 million and states that Jonathan Van Ness earns around USD 4.5 million per year.

However, in 2022, Sportskeeda reported his fortune stood at USD 5 million.

Jonathan Van Ness’ career highlights, personal life and more

Jonathan Van Ness’ salon and haircare line

Jonathan Van Ness net worth — Image credit: Jonathan Van Ness/ @jvn/ Instagram

Before anything else, Jonathan Van Ness is an expert hair stylist and grooming expert! According to The Cinemaholic, he began his career in Los Angeles as a personal assistant at Sally Hershberger Salon in 2009.

Many hurdles and successes later, Van Ness works at two other LA-based salons — MoJoHair and Stile Salon. He co-founded both with Monique Northrop of Arte Salon in New York City.

In 2021, Van Ness took their adept knowledge of the craft to the next level and launched his haircare line, JVN Hair. It is a sustainable, cruelty-free label that makes non-gendered products for all hair types. Such Business ventures and his passion for work have helped him buoy their net worth.

Jonathan Van Ness’ acting and television career

Van Ness has been a part of the entertainment industry for a long time, which has boosted his net worth. From reality shows to spin-offs and even music videos, he has done it all.

A major highlight is a 2013 collaboration with Erin Gibson where he performed a recap of a Game Of Thrones episode for Funny or Die. It was later turned into a web series parody, Gay of Thrones (2013-2019), which earned three Primetime Emmy nominations in the Outstanding Short Form Variety Series category.

Then there is Queer Eye, which needs no introduction for the impact it has on Van Ness’ journey. In an interview, they said, “Having Queer Eye become a success and giving me the platform it’s given me, the desire for me to want to share about my experiences in those realms became stronger over time,” quoted NPR.

In 2019, the grooming guru also appeared on Taylor Swift’s “You Need To Calm Down” music video. Besides these, featuring in shows like About My Father (2023), I Heart Arlo (2021), Big Mouth (2017-2024) and Spinning Out (2020) have helped Jonathan Van Ness propel his net worth. The television personality has made appearances in Nailed It and Lip Sync Battle.

Jonathan Van Ness has his own Netflix show

In 2022, he launched his own Netflix show Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness, based on his podcast of the same name. In this show, the American hairdresser lets curiosity be his guiding star as he sits down with experts from various fields like architecture, science and fashion.

Questions like “Are bugs gorgeous or gross?” “Why is hair so major?” “Why don’t you love figure skating as much as I do?” and “Are Skyscrapers Huge Divas?” make for some very interesting episodes, states Netflix. It marks the first time that Van Ness became a television producer.

Although it may not be clear how much he made from this six-episode show, it is expected to push his net worth as it has earned a 100 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Watch 'Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness' here

Jonathan Van Ness’s podcast

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A post shared by Jonathan Van Ness (@jvn)

Besides being the widely followed television personality and the adept hair stylist that he is, Van Ness also wears the hat of a podcast host. According to his website, the Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness podcast started in 2016 and, even though the spin-off show has ended, it continues to grow strong.

Inviting all curious minds, the logline on his website reads, “A weekly exploration of all the things Jonathan Van Ness is curious about. Come on a journey with Jonathan and experts in their respective fields as they get curious about anything and everything under the sun.”

According to IMDb, his other podcasts include Whistle Through The Shamrocks (2021-) and Heads Will Roll (2020-).

Did you know he has penned books?

Besides all the onscreen and styling acclaim, Jonathan Van Ness has also achieved success as an author. In 2019, he wrote a revelatory memoir, Over The Top: A Raw Journey To Self-Love. The New York Times bestselling book talks about his childhood, dealing with sexual abuse and addiction, being HIV positive, landing his onscreen roles and becoming an amateur figure skater.

The same year, Jonathan Van Ness made history as the first non-female solo cover star of Cosmopolitan UK in 35 years.

His other authorial credits include Love That Story: Observations From A Gorgeously Queer Life (2022) and Peanut Goes For The Gold, a unique children’s picture book which follows a non-binary guinea pig’s adventures.

Van Ness has contributed to the 2018 book Queer Eye: Love Yourself. Love Your Life. along with the other Queer Eye cast members and his upcoming book Gorgeously Me is slated to hit the shelves in the summer of 2024.

Standup comedy

Van Ness’ comedy shows are another pillar of his growing net worth. In 2019, he embarked on the Jonathan Van Ness: Road to Beijing show, which was followed by Imaginary Living Room Olympian in 2022. The shows have earned high reviews and were sold out across 40 cities in the US, Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand.

In 2023, he started the Fun and Slutty With Jonathan Van Ness comedy tour. From Montreal to Boston and Washington DC, his shows have amassed huge footfall. Far from slowing down, Van Ness is adding more dates to their lineup. The show focuses on LGBTQ+ subjects, sheds light on his unapologetic self-expression, and touches upon various subjects that the TV personality is passionate about.

Speaking about his tryst with standup comedy, he wrote in an Instagram post, “Standup is where I feel the most true version of myself. Growing in this art form, traveling [sic.] the world, and meeting the hot sluts at my shows is one of the most motivating and joyful experiences of my life.”

Jonathan Van Ness is openly gay and non-binary

The Cinemaholic reports, “In 2010, [Van Ness] learned that he [they] was [were] gender non-conforming, and non-binary, with his preferred gender pronouns being he/him/his.” However, his Instagram account mentions he/she/them as his preferred pronouns. In 2020, he announced his marriage to his best friend Mark Peacock via an Instagram post.

PEOPLE states Peacock, a UK-born, worked at Men’s Health UK as an editorial assistant and product development manager. Later, he took up a Business development role at an event production company in September 2018.

Coming to Van Ness’ early life, he was born on 28 March 1987 in Quincy, Illinois to Jonathan Lyle Van Ness and Mary Winters.

Jonathan Van Ness has beautiful homes

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A post shared by Jonathan Van Ness (@jvn)

Both Van Ness and Peacock are avid plants and pet parents. Besides maintaining a garden, they have two cats, named Bug the Second and Larry, and a dog. Although details about these furballs are not clear, it is evident they like to spend on some posh pet indulgences.

With his kind of net worth, Van Ness maintains a stunning real estate portfolio as well. The couple primarily lives in Austin, Texas, where Van Ness was filming Queer Eye season six. According to a 2022 report by House Digest, their home has a relaxed vibe replete with local artwork, an open kitchen and a huge living room.

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A post shared by Jonathan Van Ness (@jvn)

It also has a gorgeous backyard garden where the couple spends time farming. A casual den, plush sofas and a warm colourway make it a cosy abode.

According to a 2019 report by PEOPLE, Van Ness joined forces with AllModern designer Maggie Lydecker Kanter for their New York City apartment. It is replete with a “chic, cosy cottage vibe with a rustic Miss-Honey’s-cottage-from-Matilda aesthetic,” states the publication. With ample open spaces, cat-proof interiors, a breezy vibe, and a luxe living room with a leather sofa and a gallery wall, it is the quintessential NY cabin that matches his personality.

Charity and other causes

Jonathan Van Ness is a highly proactive champion of LGBTQ+ rights, mental Health awareness, HIV awareness and demolishing beauty standards, gender fluidity and much more.

With JVN Hair, he has also entered the sustainability segment and rendered help towards environmental causes. He supports a number of charitable organisations and endeavours like The Trevor Project, Planned Parenthood, Safe In Austin and Trans Santa.

(Main and feature image: Jonathan Van Ness/ @jvn/ Instagram)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

-Who is the richest Queer Eye member?
With a net worth of USD 10 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth, Bobby Berk is the richest Queer Eye cast member.

-Where does Jonathan Van Ness live?
Jonathan Van Ness lives in Austin, with their husband Mark Peacock and their pets.

-Why is Jonathan Van Ness famous?
Jonathan Van Ness is a famous hairdresser, grooming expert, television personality and popular podcast host. He gained major acclaim as the cast member of the Netflix reality show Queer Eye.