If you look at a list of the wealthiest actors on the planet, you won’t see names like Tom Cruise or Julia Roberts at the very top. Instead, you'll find Jami Gertz. It’s wild. Most people know her as the "richest actor in the world" because of her business empire and ownership of the Atlanta Hawks, but for a huge chunk of us, she will always be Star, the girl with the big hair and the mysterious gaze in The Lost Boys.
The Jami Gertz 80s era wasn't just a career launch; it was a cultural vibe. She was everywhere—from the quirky hallways of high school sitcoms to the dark, neon-soaked streets of 1987’s grittiest dramas. She had this specific look: approachable but a little bit dangerous. It’s why directors kept casting her as the "it" girl who wasn't quite what she seemed.
The Breakthrough: From Square Pegs to Seventeen Candles
Jami Gertz basically started as the girl next door, but with way more personality. Honestly, if you grew up watching TV in the early eighties, you probably first saw her as Muffy Tepperman on Square Pegs. It only lasted one season (1982–1983), but playing that preppy, over-the-top character alongside a young Sarah Jessica Parker made her a face you couldn't forget.
Soon after, she popped up in the John Hughes universe.
In Sixteen Candles (1984), she played Robin. It wasn't the lead, but being in a Hughes movie in the mid-eighties was like getting a golden ticket. It established her as part of that core group of young Hollywood elite. She wasn't just "some actress"; she was part of the scene.
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A Rapid Rise in 1986
By 1986, things got serious. Gertz was suddenly a leading lady. She did Quicksilver with Kevin Bacon, where she played Terri, a bike messenger. Then came Crossroads, a movie about blues music where she starred alongside Ralph Macchio. You've got to remember, 1986 was a massive year for teen-centric cinema, and Gertz was right in the middle of it. She had this ability to look sophisticated and youthful at the exact same time, which made her perfect for the "older girl" roles that younger audiences looked up to.
Why Jami Gertz 80s Roles Defined a Generation
If we’re being real, two movies in 1987 changed everything for her: The Lost Boys and Less Than Zero.
In The Lost Boys, she played Star. This wasn't just a role; it was an aesthetic. The leather, the curls, the "half-vampire" mystery. She was the emotional anchor for Jason Patric’s character, Michael. Joel Schumacher (the director) knew exactly what he was doing by casting her. She looked like a rock star, but she felt human.
Then there was Less Than Zero.
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This movie was dark. Like, really dark. Based on the Bret Easton Ellis novel, it followed wealthy, drug-addicted youth in Los Angeles. Gertz played Blair, the girlfriend caught between a spiraling Robert Downey Jr. and a desperate Andrew McCarthy. It was a heavy performance. While people often talk about Downey Jr.'s breakout in that film, Gertz provided the heart. She played Blair with a sort of exhausted elegance that perfectly captured the "empty" feeling of that specific 1980s subculture.
The Style Legacy
- The Hair: Big, voluminous, and perfectly perm-adjacent.
- The Fashion: She moved from the "preppy" look in Square Pegs to the boho-goth-vampire look in The Lost Boys effortlessly.
- The Vibe: She had this specific "cool older sister" energy that made every girl want to be her and every guy have a poster of her on their wall.
The Pivot and the Billion-Dollar Aftermath
What's fascinating about Gertz is what happened after the decade ended. A lot of 80s stars struggled to find their footing in the 90s. Jami did things differently. She actually took a break and moved to Paris for a bit to work as a scent designer for Lanvin. Talk about a plot twist.
She came back, did Twister in 1996 (playing the somewhat frantic Dr. Melissa Reeves), and had a legendary guest spot on Seinfeld—the "can't spare a square" episode. But the real shift happened when she married Tony Ressler. Together, they built a massive business profile.
When people search for Jami Gertz today, they’re usually looking for her net worth (which is reportedly in the billions). But the foundation of that public profile was built on those 1980s performances. She wasn't just a "celebrity"; she was a working actor who understood the industry.
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How to Revisit the Best of Jami Gertz
If you want to understand why people are still obsessed with her 1980s run, you have to watch her films in a specific order to see the range.
- Watch The Lost Boys first. It's the quintessential Gertz.
- Move to Less Than Zero. This shows her dramatic chops and her ability to handle heavy material alongside icons like RDJ.
- Find Square Pegs clips. It’s amazing to see where she started compared to the "cool girl" roles she landed later.
The Jami Gertz 80s era wasn't just a flash in the pan. It was a decade where she proved she could be funny, tragic, and incredibly cool all at once. Whether she's sitting courtside at an NBA game or appearing in a cult classic, that 80s sparkle is still there.
To get the full experience of her 80s legacy, look for the 4K restoration of The Lost Boys. It highlights the incredible cinematography that made Star such an iconic character. If you're a fan of 80s TV, tracking down the "Double Date" episode of Family Ties is also a great way to see her comedic timing early on.