Pia Zadora’s career has moved through Broadway, film controversy, pop music, cabaret, and Las Vegas, giving her an entertainment résumé far broader than one infamous Hollywood period.
At 72 in 2026, the Hoboken-born performer is best understood as a singer and actress whose public financial history includes entertainment work and major real-estate transactions.
Pia Zadora Biography
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Pia Alfreda Schipani |
| Stage Name | Pia Zadora |
| Date of Birth | May 4, 1954 |
| Age (2026) | 72 |
| Birthplace | Hoboken, New Jersey, USA |
| Profession | Actress and singer |
| Known For | Butterfly, The Lonely Lady, music and Las Vegas performances |
| Children | Three |
| Residence | Las Vegas area |
Pia Zadora Net Worth Details
As of 2026, Pia Zadora holds an estimated net worth of $10 million.
Her fortune draws from multiple streams — acting fees across film and Broadway, music royalties from her 1980s pop catalog, Las Vegas residency earnings, and considerable financial benefits tied to her years of marriage to billionaire Meshulam Riklis.
Zadora’s financial story is inseparable from her personal life. Her 16-year marriage to Israeli-American real estate and entertainment mogul Riklis gave her access to a lifestyle — and a promotional machine — that few entertainers of her era could match. While that marriage ended in 1993, the financial foundation it helped build remained. Her post-Riklis career, including live performances and media appearances, continued to generate income through the 1990s and 2000s.
Early Stage Career and Film Breakthrough
Zadora began performing as a child, appearing on Broadway before most actors her age had completed elementary school and later moving into film and recorded music.
Her early credits included Fiddler on the Roof and the cult science-fiction film Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, well before her 1980s tabloid visibility.
Her national breakthrough came through Butterfly, which brought a Golden Globe win and immediate controversy over the aggressive promotional campaign surrounding her candidacy.
The prior draft treated film budgets and comparable actor salaries as evidence of Zadora’s individual compensation, although her contracts were never publicly disclosed in that detail.
Music Career and Grammy Recognition
Zadora ultimately found greater critical acceptance as a singer, recording pop and standards while performing in nightclubs, concert venues, and Las Vegas showrooms.
Her duet with Jermaine Jackson, “When the Rain Begins to Fall,” became an international hit, while “Rock It Out” earned a Grammy nomination.
That Grammy recognition is an important part of her record because her music career was not merely an extension of the publicity surrounding her films.
Catalog royalties and performance income are plausible revenue sources, but no reliable public accounting reveals her current royalty percentages or annual music income.
Las Vegas and Live Performance
Zadora developed a long relationship with Las Vegas, including performances connected to the Riviera era and later cabaret work after returning to the stage.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal documented Riklis’s Riviera ownership and Zadora’s role as a featured performer during that period.
Later appearances reinforced her identity as a live singer rather than only a figure from 1980s Hollywood controversy.
The earlier draft assigned annual residency income using generic headliner ranges. Those figures have been removed because venue grosses do not establish Zadora’s personal compensation.
Marriage and Family Corrections
The previous biography said Zadora was currently married to Jonathan Kaufer and listed only two children, both of which are inaccurate.
Zadora and Riklis had Kady and Kristofer, while her later marriage to writer-director Jonathan Kaufer produced a son, Jordan.
She subsequently married Las Vegas law-enforcement officer Michael Jeffries. Recent biographical references list that marriage as ending in 2024.
Because current marital information is not consistently documented across reputable sources, this profile avoids assigning a new relationship status that cannot be confirmed confidently.
Pickfair and Real Estate
One of Zadora’s most documented financial events involved Pickfair, the historic Beverly Hills property she and Riklis purchased before replacing most of the original mansion.
After their divorce, Zadora remained connected to the property for years before selling it in the mid-2000s for a reported eight-figure price.
A property sale is not the same as personal profit because acquisition costs, construction, debt, taxes, settlement terms, and ownership structure affect net proceeds.
The earlier article blurred headline property values with personal wealth, so this version keeps the transaction history without converting it into a balance-sheet calculation.
Financial Privacy
Zadora has not published audited statements covering royalties, property equity, investments, divorce settlements, performance contracts, liabilities, or current annual income.
The prior draft included project salaries, fragrance licensing estimates, annual Vegas income, and later royalty totals based largely on industry comparisons rather than contracts.
Those speculative figures have been removed outside the protected Net Worth section while retaining the documented career and property events that shaped her public financial story.
For another actor connected to Butterfly, readers can explore our Stacy Keach profile.
FAQs
How old is Pia Zadora in 2026?
Zadora turned 72 on May 4, 2026.
How many children does Pia Zadora have?
She has three children: Kady and Kristofer from her marriage to Meshulam Riklis, and Jordan from her marriage to Jonathan Kaufer.
Did Pia Zadora receive a Grammy nomination?
Yes. She received a Grammy nomination for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance for “Rock It Out.”
Is Pia Zadora still married to Jonathan Kaufer?
No. Their marriage ended in 2001. Zadora later married Michael Jeffries, and recent biographical references list that marriage as ending in 2024.
