Here's How Much Valerie Bertinelli Is Really Worth
Valerie Bertinelli has been in the spotlight since she was a teen and, despite how she's transformed over the course of career, some things about her haven't changed. For one, her bond with the late Eddie Van Halen will last forever and she'll always be a devoted mother to their son, Wolfgang Van Halen. (Take, for instance, when she went into full proud mom mode and got beyond emotional over Wolfgang's Grammy nomination in April 2022.) For another, she's never been shy about speaking her mind. Case in point: In September 2021, Bertinelli spilled about a particularly negative celeb encounter without a single qualm.
Equally unfaltering has been Bertinelli's dedication to her career. It's safe to say she loves working and is showing no signs of stepping away from her many lucrative projects. Since getting her start on the small screen, she's juggled a number of hustles like a total pro, including an impressive career as a TV chef. She's so good at juggling multiple projects that she's managed to amass a seriously impressive net worth. Here's how much Valerie Bertinelli is really worth and how she earns her cash.
Valerie Bertinelli's worked in showbiz for decades
Valerie Bertinelli has had a successful acting career that's lasted decades, starting with her first gig in a 1974 episode of "Apple's Way" when she was just 14. The following year, she snagged her breakout role on "One Day at a Time," playing Barbara Cooper. She filmed a whopping 214 episodes, per IMDb. The series would also earn her a huge fanbase, plus three Golden Globe nominations, including two consecutive wins for Best Supporting Actress in 1981 and 1982.
Following her early successes, Bertinelli continued to act steadily through the '80s and '90s. In 2010, she got the lead in "Hot in Cleveland," which, as Entertainment Weekly reported at the time, broke records for TV Land when it made its debut. In 2012, she got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, but after "Hot in Cleveland" went off the air in 2015, she decided to pursue passions outside of acting. However, in 2022, she made a surprise announcement: She's back acting. Bertinelli revealed on Instagram that she and "Modern Family" star Ariel Winter were filming a pilot for a show called "Hungry."
While we can't say for certain how much her long-running acting career has made her, it feels safe to assume it's been good to her bank account. According to Celebrity Net Worth, her "Hot in Cleveland" costar Betty White was reportedly paid $75,000 an episode, so do with that information what you will.
A Jenny Craig was way lucrative
Valerie Bertinelli earned a nice payout when she was approached by Jenny Craig in 2007 to be a spokesperson for the brand. However, as she told New York Daily News, she wasn't totally happy with the request at first. "It was one of those, 'Oh criminy, they know I'm fat, too' moments," she recalled. Even so, she accepted the offer and agreed to lose weight. Despite her initial trepidations, the partnership turned out to be a win-win for both parties. Oh, and it was apparently a win for a certain celebrity news magazine, too.
Per "Celebrity Inc., How Famous People Make Money," when Bertinelli appeared on the cover of People at the start of her Jenny Craig gig, it was a major hit — so much so, Forbes included her on that year's roundup of celebs who are magazine cover gold. And speaking of gold, Bertinelli reportedly got $1 million a year from Jenny Craig. Meanwhile, the brand was also making a good pile of change.
Per ABC News, the company was raking in new clients at the time thanks to its various celebrity endorsements and, as Jenny Craig CEO Patti Larchet explained, Bertinelli was a big part of that success. "I think everybody knows who Valerie is," Larchet said. "She's the kind of woman, she's very genuine. You think, 'I could be her friend.' I think that's why she's resonating."
Valerie Bertinelli turned food into a lucrative career pivot
Valerie Bertinelli may have a complicated relationship with food but she's turned her passion for cooking into a lucrative career. After she stepped back from acting in 2015, she didn't actually leave the small screen — she simply pivoted. The actor debuted her own cooking show, titled "Valerie's Home Cooking," on Food Network in 2015. On the series, Bertinelli shares her spin on family recipes (think savory staples like marinated lamb chops and sweet delights like chocolate marble love cake) while entertaining audiences with her signature good humor and laid-back nature. That same year, she also signed on to co-host "Kids Baking Championship" with Duff Goldman and promptly had a second hit on her hands. She also has more accolades in her hands: In 2019, "Valerie's Home Cooking" won two Daytime Emmys.
While her exact salary hasn't been confirmed, the biggest Food Network stars earn millions a year and, given her popularity, Bertinelli is likely up there with them. As proof of how much the network values her, Discovery renewed her contract in December 2021, so she could keep filming her two shows, plus develop new ones.
Bertinelli is all for it. Speaking of the partnership in a network press release, she enthused, "Throughout my life food has always been a central part of some of my happiest memories and becoming a part of the Food Network family has continued to be a rewarding dream come true."
Valerie Bertinelli has sold a lot of books
Valerie Bertinelli wears many hats, and in addition to her successful TV career, she's also become a best-selling author. Her impressive resume includes five books, which have solidified her status as an accomplished writer. Her debut, "Losing It: And Gaining My Life Back One Pound at a Time," was published in 2008 and became a New York Times #1 Bestseller. The memoir, a candid look back on her life, was quickly followed up with an equally unvarnished sequel, "Finding It: And Satisfying My Hunger for Life without Opening the Fridge," in 2009. Nothing was off-limits as Bertinelli reflected on life, love, weight, religion, and beyond and her honest approach clearly resonated with readers.
Jump to 2012 and Bertinelli decided to try something new, publishing her first cookbook, titled "One Dish at a Time," which was packed with Italian-inspired recipes. It too was well received and she soon published another, "Valerie's Home Cooking," in 2017.
While we don't know how much she's earned from putting pen to paper, celebrity authors can bank millions for their memoirs and it's clearly been a worthwhile venture for Bertinelli. So much so that she published a third memoir, "Enough Already: Learning to Love the Way I Am Today," in 2022. The tome features her take on turning 60 and landed on the New York Times Best Seller list while also debuting at No. 3 on Amazon's list of most sold books of the week the moment it was released.
Her real estate investment is worth millions
It was 2001 when Valerie Bertinelli and Eddie Van Halen split after over 20 years together. According to Entertainment Weekly, the rocker remained in their Studio City, California, home while Bertinelli and their son, Wolfgang Van Halen (who was 11 at the time), moved out. By 2002, Bertinelli and Wolfgang were in a stunning home in the Hollywood Hills. And a stunning home in those particular Hills comes at a price: The sprawling mansion, which was built in 1948, cost a cool $2.25 million. While Entertainment Weekly reported that Bertinelli and Eddie bought the home together, SFGate noted that noted that celebrity columnist Marilyn Beck maintained that just the actor scooped it up. Whatever the case, the digs are impressive.
In 2018, Food Network Magazine (via People) visited Bertinelli at her home and although they didn't confirm outright if it was the same property, outlets like Closer Weekly have reported that she's still in the house that she purchased in 2002. Understandably, Food Network Magazine gushed over the mansion's huge library and unbelievable kitchen (Bertinelli's two favorite rooms), as well as the outdoor pizza oven and an infinity pool boasting views of Los Angeles. As if that wasn't impressive enough, the magazine also highlighted the wine vines, which were planted and tended by Bertinelli's then-husband, Tom Vitale. Talk about living in luxury.
Valerie Bertinelli's tidy net worth
Valerie Bertinelli hasn't always had it easy. In fact, there are a number of tragic details about her life that even her biggest fans may not know about. Over the years, she's had to endure numerous hardships, like losing a brother, struggling with body image issues, and the death of her first husband, Eddie Van Halen. Despite being divorced, the pair remained close and had nothing but love for one another. She even paid a devastating final goodbye to the rock star in her 2022 memoir, "Enough Already: Learning to Love the Way I Am Today." In an excerpt published by People, Bertinelli shared how "I love you" was the last thing Van Halen said to her and their son, and it was the last thing they said to him before he stopped breathing.
Despite such pain, Bertinelli has also enjoyed a number of wonderful successes in both her personal and professional life. These days, she's a loving mom who shares an incredibly close relationship with her son and a super-duper successful businessperson. Between her acting, cooking, and writing, she's showing absolutely no signs of slowing down and, to date, her decades-long career has earned her an impressive net worth of $20 million.