Indigo Naess is an American photographer, entrepreneur, and outdoor enthusiast best known as the eldest son of Norwegian businessman and mountaineer Arne Naess Jr. and singer and actress Diana Ross. Born on October 7, 1987, Ross grew up surrounded by both entertainment and adventure, but he has largely built his own career away from his mother’s music career.
He has worked as a photographer and has developed interests in outdoor activities, travel, and business. Ross is also known for his connection to the Naess family’s environmental and adventure-oriented background. He is married to Kimberly Naess, and the couple have children together. Although he occasionally appears in public with his famous family, Ross generally maintains a relatively private lifestyle.
Bio Table
| Full Name | Ross Arne Naess |
|---|---|
| Born | October 7, 1987, in Greenwich, Connecticut |
| Age | 38 (as of 2026) |
| Mother | Diana Ross, singer, actress, and Motown/Supremes icon |
| Father | Arne Naess Jr., Norwegian shipping magnate, businessman, and mountaineer, born Arne Rudolf Ludvig Raab; died January 13, 2004, in a climbing accident in South Africa |
| Parents’ Marriage | 1986–2000 |
| Full Sibling | Evan Ross, actor and musician, married to singer Ashlee Simpson since 2014 |
| Half-Siblings | Rhonda Ross Kendrick, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Chudney Ross (from Diana Ross’s earlier relationships); Christoffer, Katinka, and Leona Naess, and Nicklas and Louis Naess (from Arne Naess Jr.’s other relationships) |
| Occupation | Photographer, producer, businessman |
| Notable Ventures | Co-founder of The Warwick, a Los Angeles nightclub; owner of Like a Gentleman Barbershop and Untapped; producer of the 2014 film “Acid Girls” |
| Spouse | Kimberly Ryan, owner of Madre Wine; married in either 2016 or 2017, depending on the source — see below |
| Children | Two sons with Kimberly Ryan |
| Net Worth | One source cites approximately $500,000; not independently confirmed |
Who is Ross Arne Naess?
Ross Arne Naess, also known as Ross Naess, is an American photographer, entrepreneur, and outdoor enthusiast. He is the eldest son of legendary singer and actress Diana Ross and Norwegian businessman and mountaineer Arne Næss Jr. Born on October 7, 1987, he grew up in a famous family but has pursued interests in photography, adventure, travel, and business.
Ross has worked as a photographer and has been involved in various outdoor and lifestyle projects. He is married to Kimberly Naess, and they have children together. Although he is occasionally seen with his mother and siblings at public events, Ross generally keeps his personal and professional life relatively private.
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Born Into Two Very Different Legacies
Ross Arne Naess was born October 7, 1987, in Greenwich, Connecticut, the eldest child of Diana Ross, one of the defining voices of Motown, both as the lead singer of The Supremes and in her solo career, and Arne Naess Jr., a Norwegian shipping magnate and mountaineer. His parents married in 1986, a year after Diana Ross met Naess on a trip to the Bahamas, and the marriage lasted until their divorce in 2000. His father died on January 13, 2004, in a climbing accident in South Africa’s Groot Drakenstein Mountains after his climbing gear reportedly came loose from the mountainside, a well-documented tragedy covered at the time by outlets including the BBC and The New York Times.
Ross grew up as part of an unusually large blended family. He has one full brother, Evan Ross, the actor and musician now married to Ashlee Simpson, and several half-siblings on both sides: Rhonda Ross Kendrick, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Chudney Ross from his mother’s earlier relationships with Motown founder Berry Gordy and music executive Robert Ellis Silberstein; and Christoffer, Katinka, and Leona Naess, along with Nicklas and Louis Naess, from his father’s first marriage and later relationship. That’s nine siblings and half-siblings in total, a genuinely large family network that’s been described across multiple sources as close-knit, with the extended Ross-Naess family regularly appearing together at weddings, birthdays, and other milestone events.
A Career Built Behind the Lens
Despite his parents’ fame, Ross has built his professional life primarily as a photographer, alongside work as a producer and entrepreneur. He co-founded The Warwick, a Los Angeles nightclub, and owns Like a Gentleman Barbershop and Untapped, rounding out a hospitality-and-lifestyle-focused business portfolio distinct from either of his parents’ careers. He produced the 2014 film “Acid Girls” and appeared as a child in the 1991 television special “Diana Ross: When You Tell Me That You Love Me.” In adulthood, he’s made occasional media appearances, including on “Celebrity Family Feud” and at Essence’s Black Women in Hollywood event, generally in connection with his mother rather than as an independent media figure.
One source describes him attending business administration studies after schooling in Los Angeles and later pursuing philanthropic work focused on environmental conservation and social justice, a detail that’s plausible given his family’s public profile but isn’t independently corroborated with the same specificity as his business ventures and should be read with appropriate caution.
A Marriage With a Minor, Unresolved Date Discrepancy
Ross married Kimberly Ryan, the founder of Madre Wine, though sources disagree on the exact year one cites 2016, while another describes the wedding as taking place in June 2017, with Diana Ross reportedly helping lead the ceremony. Given that Kimberly was described in at least one account as expecting their second child around the time of a June 2017 wedding, that later date appears somewhat more consistent with the broader family timeline, though this piece isn’t treating either figure as definitively confirmed over the other. The couple has two sons together.
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Net Worth
Indigo Naess exact net worth is not publicly verified. Online estimates vary considerably, with some sources placing his wealth around $800,000 to $1 million, while others claim higher figures.
Because there is no reliable public financial record confirming a specific amount, it is safest to describe Ross Naess’s net worth as unknown, rather than present a speculative figure as fact. A recent 2026 family-wealth analysis also leaves him unranked because a credible current estimate could not be verified.
FAQs
Who is Ross Naess?
He is the eldest son of singer Diana Ross and Norwegian businessman Arne Naess Jr., working as a photographer, producer, and entrepreneur.
Who was Ross Naess’s father?
Arne Naess Jr., a Norwegian shipping magnate and mountaineer who died in a climbing accident in South Africa in 2004.
Does Ross Naess have siblings?
Yes, a full brother, actor and musician Evan Ross, and several half-siblings from both parents’ other relationships, including Tracee Ellis Ross and Leona Naess.
What does Ross Naess do for a living?
He works as a photographer and producer and co-owns several Los Angeles businesses, including a nightclub, a barbershop, and a boutique.
Is Ross Naess married?
Yes, to Kimberly Ryan, founder of Madre Wine, in either 2016 or 2017 depending on the source.
What is Ross Naess’s net worth?
No verified figure exists. One source cites roughly $500,000, but this isn’t independently confirmed.
Final Words
Indigo Naess, widely known as Ross Naess, is an American photographer, producer, and entrepreneur who has built his own career while growing up as the son of singer Diana Ross and Norwegian businessman and mountaineer Arne Naess Jr. His interests in photography, outdoor activities, entertainment, and business have shaped a career that is separate from his mother’s music legacy.
Ross has also developed a family of his own with Kimberly Ryan, with whom he has two sons. Although his famous family has kept him connected to the entertainment world, Ross has generally maintained a relatively private lifestyle. His exact net worth remains unverified, and the available online estimates should therefore be treated cautiously.
