The Cowboys actor Bruce Dern has an estimated net worth of $10 million. Dern began starring in Hollywood flicks in the 60s and started gaining attention for his villainous roles in the 70s and the 80s.
Dern, 88, might be heading into his 90s but has no plan to say goodbye to Hollywood. The veteran actor has nine projects in line, with most of them being indie projects.
The two-time Oscar nominee has tried to shed more light on sensitive topics as he ages. His next movie, The World’s Happiest Man, is with Nepali actors Dayahang Rai and Hari Bansha Acharya, which delves into the story of Bhutanese-Nepali refugees who reside in the Ohio-Pennsylvania area.
Many consider Dern severely underrated, but the actor isn’t bothered about fame. His only child, Laura Dern, is also a Hollywood star who will go down as one of the best actresses to grace the silver screens.
What Is Bruce Dern’s Net Worth In 2024?
The Roses Are For The Rich actor Bruce Dern has an estimated net worth of $10 million. Dern has continued to leave fans in awe with his stellar performances—bringing something fresh to the table despite having worked since the ’60s.
Even at 88, the thought of retirement doesn’t cross the mind of this young actor. In a 2023 interview with The Guardian, the actor said, “Acting is what I do and who I am. I’ll keep at it as long as I can. I can’t remember lines as well as I used to, but I’m good enough.”
The actor’s fans certainly loved hearing that, as even after crossing 80, Dern’s performance hasn’t lost its charm. In fact, in 2019, Dern had three critically acclaimed movies running simultaneously in the theatres—Freaks, Peanut Butter Falcon, and Once Upon A Time In Hollywood.
The list only shows Bruce’s versatility. At his age, the actor hasn’t stopped working in commercial, big-budget movies like Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, but also makes sure to work in indie projects like Peanut Butter Falcon.
At this point, the actor has worked on more than 200 projects and has certainly earned a lot. But now, money is probably the last thing on his mind. He built his net worth through his successful acting career, but many believe Dern is an underrated act.
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The Movies That Built Bruce Dern’s Career Earnings
Bruce Dern didn’t get the main role early on. He didn’t get them later as well. The actor was satisfied with being known as the villain.
So, as a villain, his paycheque wasn’t as hefty as the leading actor. We can assume that Dern might have taken home a salary below $500,000 during the 70s. If Al Pacino received $5 million for Godfather in 1972, a cheque below $500,000 for Dern isn’t a far-fetched thought.
Dern’s first big movie, The Cowboys, was released in 1972, and it was also the movie that brought him tons of attention. After all, he became the first man to kill John Wayne in the films. Bruce became one of America’s most hated men.
That same year, he played another villainous role in the movie The King of Marvin Gardens. His character, Jason Staebler, is not an outright villain but is seen as a manipulative character.
But he has played a protagonist as well. In the 1972 film The Silent Running, Dern played Freeman Lowell, an ecologist who cares for the last remaining forests in space.
A few years later, he starred in Francis Coppola’s movie The Great Gatsby, sharing the screen alongside Hollywood’s highest-paid actor Robert Redford. Dern never became the highest-paid actor, and by the 90s, Dern couldn’t be selective about his work.
In a 1996 interview with The Oklahoman, Dern said, “I never wanted to be a leading man. That wasn’t for me. Acting is acting, whether you’re the big kahuna or a little fish.”
Dern stressed that he didn’t like being under the microscope and said there was nothing comfortable about being Hollywood’s leading man.
Bruce further said, “You don’t plan on landing those types of roles; it just happens. It’s something I probably used to take for granted.”
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Bruce Dern Comes From Wealth, And His Next Generation Will Stay In It
Bruce Dern’s story isn’t that of a rags to riches. The actor belongs to an aristocratic family from Illinois.
Dern’s grandfather, George Dern, was the Former United States Secretary of War. He also served as the sixth governor of Utah for eight years, from 1925 to 1933.
His father, John Dern, was a lawyer and the law partner of Adlai Stevenson. Stevenson is the godfather of the Hollywood actor, who ran for the presidency twice in 1952 and 1956 but lost both times to Dwight D. Eisenhower in a landslide.
Bruce Dern married Diane Ladd, a fellow actress whom he met during the Off-Broadway production of Orpheus Descending. The two tied the knot in 1960 and had their first daughter after a while.
But tragedy struck the family, as their oldest daughter, Diane, died in a drowning accident at 18 months. In 1967, the couple had their second daughter, Laura Dern.
Many of you might be more familiar with Laura, even more than Bruce. If Bruce has only been nominated for Oscars twice, his daughter has one to show for.
Laura began her acting career in 1973 as a child actress, but her actual career kicked off in the 80s. Before winning her first Oscar for Marriage Story in 2019, Laura had been nominated for the same category, “Best Supporting Actress,” twice for Rambling Rose and Wild.
Previously, Bruce even admitted that his daughter has had a better career than him. Laura Dern is also richer than her dad and has an estimated net worth of $20 million.
From reading celebrity blinds to keeping up with scores of all the different sports happening worldwide, Shreeyukta can’t simply have enough of the entertainment world.
