Meet Walter Salles: The Billionaire Director Behind Brazilian Best Picture Nominee 'I'm Still Here'

The Brazilian director has a long history with the Academy Awards and is the heir to a billion-dollar empire in Brazil.

Brazilian director Walter Salles has captured the film industry’s attention not only for his Oscar-winning film ‘I’m Still Here,’ but also for being one of the richest filmmakers in the world.

With a net worth of $4.5 billion, Salles is surpassed only by George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, who each hold $5.3 billion. While his career as a filmmaker has been successful with projects like ‘I’m Still Here,’ ‘The Motorcycle Diaries,’ and ‘Central Station,’ as well as his role as a producer in the acclaimed ‘City of God,’ his wealth is doesn’t just come from from his work in cinema.

Salles comes from a family that has built a significant fortune through the banking industry.

His grandfather, João Moreira Salles, founded Casa Bancaria Moreira Salles, laying the foundation for the family’s fortune. His father, Walter Moreira Salles, later inherited and rebranded the company as Unibanco.