Elisabeth Judson Shue is an actress born in Wilmington, Delaware, USA on 6th October 1963. She became famous from starring in films like “The Karate Kid” (1984), “Cocktail” (1988), “Back to the Future Part II” (1989), “Back to the Future Part III” (1990), “Leaving Las Vegas” (1995), “The Saint” (1997) and “Hollow Man” (2000). The winner of several acting awards, Shue has also been nominated for a Golden Globe, a BAFTA Award and an Academy Award. Her latest engagements include her role as Julie Finlay in the TV police drama series “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” from 2012 to 2015.
Have you ever wondered how rich Elisabeth Shue is? According to sources, it has been estimated that Elisabeth Shue’s overall net worth is $12.5 million. Elisabeth has earned her net worth mostly by acting in some of the most popular films during the 1980s and 1990s. Her television appearances have only increased her net worth and popularity.
Elisabeth Shue Net Worth $12.5 Million
Elisabeth was raised in Wilmington – she is of German and English ancestry, as her mother was the offspring of William Brewster, the Pilgrim leader and her father’s family emigrated to the USA in the 19th century. After her parents’ divorce, Shue spent most of her childhood with three brothers, one of whom is actor Andrew Shue. She attended Columbia High School in New Jersey and continued her education at Wellesley College. In this period, Elisabeth first found interest in acting, thanks to her work in TV commercials from time to time, which was a fine way to pay for college. She could be seen in ads for Burger King, Hellmann’s Mayonnaise and DeBeers Diamonds. However, she decided to transfer to Harvard University in 1985, but when just a semester away from graduation, Shue left to start her acting career. Tragically, the same year her older brother died in a swimming accident. Elisabeth finished her studies later, eventually graduating from Harvard in 2000.
Shue made her film debut starring beside Ralph Macchio in “The Karate Kid” in 1984, a role that won her a Young Artist Award for Best Young Supporting Actress. This led to a series of roles during the ‘80s, as Elisabeth was later seen in the TV series “Call to Glory” (1984/5), the British horror film “Link” (1986), a notable role rewarded by Saturn Award, and her first starring role was in “Adventures in Babysitting” (1987), then starred opposite Tom Cruise in “Cocktail” (1988).
Elisabeth’s next engagements were in the sequels “Back to the Future Part II” (1989) and “Back to the Future Part III” (1990) in which she appeared as Jennifer Parker next to Christopher Lloyd and Michael J. Fox. Immediately after, in May 1990 Elisabeth made her Broadway debut by playing in “Some American Abroad”, and in 1993 performing in “Birth and After Birth”. Perhaps her most notable role came in 1995 where she starred as a prostitute in “Leaving Las Vegas”, with Nicolas Cage. This performance earned her a series of nominations, including an Academy award nomination for Best Actress and nominations for a BAFTA, SAG and Golden Globe Awards for Best Actress. Shue won the Independent Spirit Awards for Best Actress and the National Society of Film Critics Awards, thus increasing the actress’s reputation and net worth.
During the ‘90s she played in several films such as “The Trigger Effect” (1996), Woody Allen’s “Deconstructing Harry” – starring with Billy Crystal, Demi Moore and Robin Williams – “The Saint” (1997) in which she showed her action movie abilities, and “Palmetto” in 1998. All contributed to her growing net worth.
Her acting career continued to flourish throughout the 2000s thanks to roles in movies and TV series, with Elisabeth playing side-by-side with Robert De Niro, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Jessica Lange. Shue even started a project with her brother Andrew, producing the film “Gracie” (2007), a story more or less depicting the siblings childhood and the life of their older brother William.
Some of Elisabeth’s latest activity includes her appearances in the comedy-film “Hamlet 2” (2008), TV series “Curb Your Enthusiasm” (2009) and horror-comedy film “Piranha 3D” (2010). In early 2012, she joined the cast of “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” and the same year she appeared in three theatrical films. Clearly her net worth continues to grow.
In her personal life, Elisabeth is married to film director Davis Guggenheim(m.1994) with whom she has three children.
Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead, National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress
Nominations
Academy Award for Best Actress, Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture – Drama, BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role, Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie Actress, Teen Choice Awar...
Movies
Leaving Las Vegas, The Karate Kid, Adventures in Babysitting, Hollow Man, The Saint, Cocktail, Piranha 3D, House at the End of the Street, Behaving Badly, Back to the Future Part II, Palmetto, Chasing Mavericks, Soapdish, The Trigger Effect, Cousin Bette, Back to the Future Part III, Mysterious Skin...
TV Shows
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Call to Glory
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Quote
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[on acting] The darker, more complex and emotional the part is, the easier it is for me. But I don't take any of that stuff home with me at the end of the day.
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I may look like the girl next door, but you wouldn't want to live next door to me.
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On Cocktail (1988): "If I'd known that it was just going to be about these guys throwing drinks around, then I might have had some second thoughts . . ."
Elisabeth replaced Claudia Wells as Jennifer Parker, Michael J. Fox' girlfriend, in the two sequels to Back to the Future (1985). Claudia's mother was dying from cancer, requiring the re-casting.
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The 2007 film Gracie (2007) is based upon events that occurred in her and her brother Andrew Shue's lives.
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She was amongst the final candidates for the female lead in Say Anything... (1989). According to director Cameron Crowe, "Elisabeth Shue did an amazing version of the graduation speech". Jennifer Connelly was runner-up to Ione Skye, who got the role in the end.
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Elisabeth and Davis became the parents of their third child, a daughter named Agnes Charles Guggenheim, on June 18, 2006.
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Was cast as the female lead in the Jim Carrey movie The Number 23 (2007) but had to drop out just weeks before shooting because of her pregnancy. Shue was replaced by Virginia Madsen.
Named her son after her late older brother, William Shue, who died on August 24, 1988 at the age of 26 from a freak swimming accident while on family vacation. A rope broke on a tire swing and he was thrown into a tree branch, impaling him. He was enrolled at Rutgers University's Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine at the time of his death. Her brother Andrew Shue witnessed the accident.
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Daughter, Stella Street, was born weighing 6 lbs. 7 oz. [March 2001]
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Graduated from Harvard University 8 June 2000 with a degree in Government. Shue was one semester short of earning her degree when she dropped out to pursue her career 15 years ago. She returned to Harvard in the spring of 2000.
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Majored in Government at Wellesley College; transferred to Harvard University in 1985; planned to become an attorney.
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Was an accomplished high school gymnast, with aspirations to the state finals, at Columbia High School in Maplewood, New Jersey. Her brother, Andrew Shue, and Zach Braff also attended Columbia High School.
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Got started in commercials as "The Burger King Girl.".