Eddie Barbanell is an American actor who unfortunately has Downs Syndrome, but that is a positive for his career; his most famous role was as Billy in the film “The Ringer” in 2005. He was born on the 14th of August 1977, in Coral Springs, Florida.
How rich is Eddie Barbanell, as of early 2017? Sources estimate his net worth at $500,000, earned largely from his acting career which began in 2000.
Eddie Barbanell Net Worth $500,000
After attending Coral Springs High School, Barbanell left in 1996 and began acting in the year 2000. He first appeared in several stage plays, and trained at the Florida Youth Theatre in Boca Raton, the Opus Theatre, and at the Coconut Creek Recreation Centre.
Barbanell first appeared in a movie in 2005, “The Ringer”, in which he played the character of Billy. A sports comedy starring Johnny Knoxville and Katherine Heigl, the movie received mixed reviews – it featured over 150 people with disabilities. In 2010, Barbanell again appeared with Knoxville in “Jackass 3D”. In 2011, he appeared in the movies “Hall Pass” and “National Lampoon’s 301: The Legend of Awesomest Maximus”, before moving to TV for “Down”, a feature length programme which dealt with issues concerning Down Syndrome people and their companions. Regardless, his net worth was rising steadily.
In 2011, Barbanell secured a recurring role on the sitcom “Workaholics”, in which he plays Bradley Murphy. One of the stars of the show, and writer, Blake Anderson, cited a scene in which Barbanell appeared as his favourite of the season. He worked with MTV, the network responsible for producing “Jackass”, again in 2013, when he appeared in “Ridiculousness”. In 2014, he played the role of an orderly in “Dumb and Dumber To”. His most recent credit was in 2015, when he appeared in “Addicted to Fresno”, these credits all amassing and contributing significantly to his net worth.
Aside from his acting work, Barbanell also competes in the Special Olympics, and has done so for nearly twenty years, and in 2006, he took a place on the Special Olympics International Board of Directors. His sports include volleyball, tennis, and bowling. He also plays basketball for the Tamerack Bulldogs in Ft. Lauderdale.
Barbanell has spoken publicly on his disability, appearing in a 2016 documentary called “Diffability Hollywood”. He runs his own blog where he writes about his life and career, but which was last updated in 2010. There, he discusses events such as his visit to President Obama to support the signing of Rosa’s Law, a law which removes terms such as “mental retardation”, and instead replaces these terms with “people first” language. He has also discussed this issue at high schools and at public speaking events, and has even been called on to speak at Harvard University. He is an active campaigner and spokesman for rights for disabled people.
In his personal life, Barbanell has maintained a close friendship with “Jackass” star Johnny Knoxville and, through his work with the Special Olympics, is also friends with newswoman Maria Shriver.
He wrote fondly on Maria’s mother, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, on the event of her death, paying tribute to her work for people with intellectual disabilities. On his blog, he credits Ron Lane as his acting coach, and states that it was he who taught him how to perform Shakespearean roles.
