Kirsten Simone Vangsness was born on 7 July 1972, in Pasadena, California USA, of part-Norwegian and Italian descent. Kirsten is a writer and actress, probably best known for being a part of the show “Criminal Minds”, portraying Penelope Garcia, an FBI Technical Analyst. Aside from television, Kirsten is also known for her theatre work, having won various awards. She’s also done written work for “Criminal Minds”, and has been featured in the Los Angeles Times. All her endeavors have helped put her net worth to where it is today.
How rich is Kirsten Vangsness? As of 2017, sources estimate a net worth that is at $4 million, mostly earned through a successful career as an actress, which began in the late ’90s. As she continues her career, her wealth is expected to increase, especially if she can repeat her salary of $100,00 per episode of “Criminal Minds” late in the series.
Kirsten Vangsness Net Worth $4 Million
Kirsten attended Cerritos High School where she had her first acting opportunity on stage. She matriculated in 1990, and then attended Cypress College, moving to California State University, Fullerton and graduating in 1995 with a degree in Theatre. While looking for acting roles, Vangsness worked a variety of jobs such as being a grant writer, restaurant hostess. and a dinner-theatre performer, at a thematic restaurant that hosted a murder mystery dinner. Her first television acting opportunity came in a commercial for Diet Dr. Pepper, but eventually she found work in theatre, becoming a part of the Theatre of NOTE in Los Angeles, and won a Los Angeles Drama Critics Award and Golden Betty Award for her various performances. Some productions she’s been a part of include “Perfuct”, “The Learned Ladies”, Spider Bites”, and “The Fan Maroo”, which all contributed to her net worth.
After many performances, she was then given opportunities in film and television, including movies such as “A-List”, “In My Sleep” and “The Chicago 8”. Television shows that she’s been a part of include “Phil of the Future”, and “LAX”. She was then cast to be a part of “Criminal Minds” which started airing in 2005, and has now been a part of the show for more than 250 episodes. She was also given the opportunity to co-write a few episodes, such as “Nelson’s Sparrow” and “A Beautiful Disaster”. This has been a significant contributor to her net worth.
Vangsness has established herself as a writer too, and her work is usually seen in Los Angeles Magazine. She has also appeared in the spin-offs series from “Criminal Minds” which are “Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior”, and “Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders”, appearing in “Beyond Borders” as a special guest. She recently went back to theatre for a noir spoof entitled “Kill Me, Deadly”, of which she was also the executive producer, and has written several acts of the show too. Most recently, she appeared in the horror-thriller film “Dave in a Maze” in 2017, so her ner worth is still rising.
For her personal life, it is known that Vangsness dated Melanie Goldstein in 2006, and they were engaged but cancelled it in 2013. She then revealed in 2015 that she had a boyfriend, and was unsure of her sexuality. She became engaged to her boyfriend, actor/writer Keith Hanson, in November 2015.
"A-List" (2006), "In My Sleep" (2010), "The Chicago 8" (2011), "Kill Me, Deadly" (2015), "Axis" (2016), "From the Mouths of Babes" (2014-2016, documentary)
TV Shows
"The Tomorrow Show" (2016), "Criminal Minds" (2005-), "In My Sleep" (2010), "Criminal Minds: Suspect Behaviour" (2011), "Pretty the Series" (2010-2012), "Good Job, Thanks!" (2011-2013)
I am always sort of delightedly surprised when someone recognizes me because as far as I'm concerned, I'm just going to work and getting paid to act and that alone is fantastic, I forget people watch it too. [Interview with Style Bible, September 2010.]
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Fact
1
Co-wrote the Criminal Minds (2005) episode Criminal Minds: Nelson's Sparrow (2015), which features the (off-screen) murder of Jason Gideon, the character Mandy Patinkin played in seasons one and two, and the first two episodes of season three.
2
Graduated from California State University Fullerton Theatre & Dance Dept.
3
Is 50% Norwegian; her father is from Norway. Her mother is of Italian ancestry.
4
Was updated as a featured performer in the 2006 season of Criminal Minds (2005).
5
In 2005, she won the LA Drama Critics Circle Natalie Schafer Award for Best Emerging Comedic Actress. The award was given to her on March 21, 2005, at the Coronet THeatre.
6
She is a member of Theatre of NOTE in Los Angeles, California, and continues to perform there.
7
She is a solo performer and her writing has been published in the Los Angeles Times Magazine.
8
Her day jobs included substitute teacher, child counselor, restaurant hostess, personal assistant, grant writer, and murder mystery dinner theater actress. Her first paid acting job was a Diet Dr. Pepper commercial.
$4 Million
