Sam Rockwell was born on 5 November 1968, in Daly City, California USA, to mother Penny Hess and father Pete Rockwell, both parents being actors. He is an actor, probably best known for his roles in “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind”, “Matchstick Men”, “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”, “Choke”, “Moon” and “Seven Psychopaths”.
So just how rich is Sam Rockwell at present? According to sources, Rockwell’s net worth reaches $15 million, as of mid-2016. He has acquired his wealth through his acting career.
Sam Rockwell Net Worth $15 Million
Rockwell’s family moved to New York when he was two years old, but divorced three years later and his father moved to San Francisco where Rockwell was raised by his father, and spent summer vacations with his mother. It was through his mother that he became involved in theater – at the age of 10 he played Humphrey Bogart in an East Village improve comedy sketch which starred his mother. He attended San Francisco School of Arts but dropped out before graduation. He later attended Outward Bound-style alternative high school Urban Pioneers, and during his senior year made his film debut in the 1988 horror “Clownhouse”. After graduating, he moved to New York to pursue his career in acting, and began training at William Esper Studios while working as a busboy in restaurants and delivering burritos by bicycle. He also took a job as an assistant of a private detective. Still, his net worth was established.
During the early 90s Rockwell got small guest roles in the television series’ “The Equalizer”, “NYPD Blue” and “Law and Order”, as well as minor roles in films “Last Exit to Brooklyn” and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”. In 1994 he played the title character in the comedy film “The Search for One-Eye Jimmy” and did a beer commercial for Miller. During this time he also appeared in the films “Safe Men” and “Jerry and Tom”. In 1996 he was cast as an eccentric man-child in the independent film “Box of Moonlight” – although the film disappeared at the box office, Rockwell’s role brought him recognition. The following year he appeared in the film “Lawn Dogs” as lawn mower Trent, a performance which brought him Best Actor awards at both the Montréal and Barcelona Film Festivals. His net worth was steadily improving.
Gaining considerable notice, the actor was soon involved in big-budget feature films. In 1998 he was cast in Woody Allen’s “Celebrity”, and went on to appear in the Stephen King‘ prison drama “The Green Mile”, in a science fiction satire “Galaxy Quest” and in Michael Hoffman’s “Midsummer Night’s Dream” the following year. The year 2000 saw Rockwell in the film “Charlie’s Angels” playing villain Eric Knox. He got his first leading role as the host of “The Gong Show” Chuck Barris in the 2002 comedy “The Confessions of a Dangerous Mind”. The following year he appeared in “Matchstick Men” co-starring Nicholas Cage and in 2005 he played Zaphod Beeblebrox in the film version of “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”. His net worth was rising.
He starred in the 2008 film “Snow Angels”, and played Victor Mancini in the black comedy film “Choke” of the same year. The actor was seen as Charley Ford in the 2009 Brad Pitt’ film “The Assassinations of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford”, and starred as Sam Bell in the science fiction film “Moon”. In 2010 he appeared in the “Iron Man 2” playing weapons’ developer Justin Hammer, and in “Conviction” as a convict Kenny Waters. The following year he played a bar owner Doc in “Cowboys & Aliens”, and starred in the 2012 crime black comedy film “Seven Psychopaths”, in the 2013 comedy drama film “Way, Way Back” and thriller “A Single Shot”, and in the 2014 comedic drama “Better Living Through Chemistry”.
Continuing to display his versatility, more recently, Rockwell appeared in the 2015 films “Don Verdean”, “Poltergeist” and “Mr. Right”. All contributed to his net worth. During his career Rockwell has appeared in over 70 movies, and also in television series such as “Prince Street”, “Stella” and “Drunk History”. Through his involvement in the film and television industries, the actor has established himself as a recognized figure and amassed significant personal wealth.
Being a long-time member of the LAByrinth Theater Company, Rockwell has also appeared in numerous plays, including “The Last Days of Judas Iscariot”, “North of Mason-Dixon”, “Dumb Waiter”, “Zoo Story”, “Hot L Baltimore”, “Goosepimples”, “Love and Human Remains” and other.
In his private life, Rockwell remains determinedly unmarried, but has been with his partner, actress Leslie Bibb since 2007.
Montreal World Film Festival (1997), Golden Space Needle Award for Best Actor, Newport Beach Film Festival (2013), Berlin International Film Festival(2003), Sundance Film Festival (2008), Hollywood Film Awards (2010), Boston Film Festival (2010)
Music Groups
Peace
Nominations
Academy Award, Satellite Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, Independent Spirit Award, Scream Award for Best Sci-Fi Actor, Saturn Award for Best Actor,
Movies
"Confessions of a Dangerous Mind", "Matchstick Men", "Moon" (2009), "Iron man 2" (2010), "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy", "Choke", "Moon", "Seven Psychopaths"
TV Shows
"Mr. Right" (2015), "The Last Days of Judas Iscariot", "Dumb Waiter" (2001), "Zoo Story" (2001), "Law and Order", "The Gong Show", "Hot L Baltimore" (2000), "Goosepimples" (1998), "Love and Human Remains"
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Trademark
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Muscular legs.
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Roles in low budget Independent Films
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Mellow Drawling Voice
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Often works some sort of dance into his roles
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Frequently plays sleazy and immoral characters
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Often plays characters from small towns and/or with simple backgrounds
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Quote
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[to Christopher Walken] Your accent is very particular. It's like, you start with a guy who doesn't use punctuation: he's got the sense of humor of Jackie Mason but he does Shakespeare. So you mix these all together and you get Chris. And he's from Queens!
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[on the death of his Louis & Frank (1998) co-star Tony Curtis] The guy was such a sweetheart. Beautifully neurotic, in a very endearing, kind of Woody Allen way.
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I definitely don't want to become a parent. It's not my bag. - Interview with Chrissy Iley, November 11, 2007.
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God, I hate LA. It's an evil place. So uncreative. You can't walk anywhere, that's what really gets me. I lived there for eight months. It's something that you've really got to do when you're starting out. You join the scrum of pilot season. Even as an unknown, you can make the most phenomenal amount of money. But it's so awful. You go in to a room with 20 network executives, who are all holding popcorn and they watch your screen test in total silence. Not even a chuckle. It's all very businesslike.
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I worked in a lot of restaurants. Busing, mostly. I was a food runner. I was an extra on soap operas. An extra on commercials. Typical actor, huh? I delivered burritos by bicycle. All that stuff. My last real job was delivering food for this trendy restaurant. That sucked. Jobs suck! I hate jobs. This is better. I've got to remind myself, because I get bitchy sometimes. It could be a lot worse.
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After a while, you stop thinking that the film you're in is going to be your big break. I mean, I was sure that the TV show I did in 1989 was going to make me.
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I did the odd bit of theater from the age of ten, but I spent most of my time doing the usual teenage things - you know, thinking I was black, trying to break dance and smoking a lot of dope.
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When I took acting classes and being drunk was the assigned impediment of the day, a lot of people would go out the night before and get drunk. That's not research! Research is going to bar... and drinking coffee.
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I prefer film over TV. I don't prefer film over theater. With TV there's less time to shoot and everything is rushed. You have too many hands and cooks. There's the network and the producer and the writers. Too many people getting involved and stirring the mix. It doesn't make for good art.
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I do prefer theater. The whole process of film is just so tedious. You're there for 18 hours a day, there's so much idle time. You just burn out. Also, there isn't the camaraderie you get in the theater.
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I've seen a lot of people change into double-glazed celebrities. Sudden fame is a really hard test of character. I wouldn't want to be Leonardo DiCaprio, much as I like him, because it can't be good for you at that age. I actually think that no-one should be allowed to be famous until they're 30.
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[1998 Quote]: I just see myself as a character actor. I'd like to be a star in the same way as Gary Oldman or John Malkovich are famous, who get to do character pieces and not act like movie stars.
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Stage is where it really happens for an actor because it makes full use of whatever you have to give.
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[1999 Quote]: I'd like to be an action hero, but I don't think they'd ever make me that type of leading man. I'm too quirky. If they put me in Speed 3, two days later they'd go, "Yep, we're gonna have to fire him now. Can we get someone more mainstream?" I like to make weird choices. If you watch Paul Newman, or even Cary Grant, they weren't always thinking good things. Who knows what the hell Cary Grant was thinking? He could be smiling at a woman and having some really dirty, nasty thoughts. That's what made them interesting leading men.
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I really want to work with Gary Oldman. I want to play his brother or something. Or have him direct me or I just want to get inside that guy's head, you know and I know, I just feel that I know the guy even though I don't know him. I feel like I know him. If he reads this, it's going to freak him out, he's gonna want to stay away from me, "Oh, Jees, this guy's a psycho!" I love his ballsiness. Whether you agree with his choices or not, the guy's got 'cajones' -- he's got balls. And you know, he goes for it. I just think he's great.
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Safe Men (1998) was exhausting, although I had a great time on it. I have a special place in my heart for Safe Men. That was a true independent film, in a budget sense. There were no trailers. Steve [Steve Zahn] and I were hanging out. It was guerrilla filmmaking. But we had a blast. And such good actors. For such a low budget, we had top rate actors, Michael Lerner, Harvey Fierstein. Steve Zahn, by far, one of the best actors I have ever worked with. He is a truly gifted actor. Skilled. He comes from the stage, he's from ART (American Repertory Theater). He's a farm boy turned theater actor, turned film actor. He builds barns and hunts deer and drinks beer and drives a Chevy Nova. He's a man, he's a real man.
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I feel a little strange all the time, a little bit off-center. I never feel that people are as nutty as me.
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[on why he was fired from G.I. Jane (1997)]: I gave them no alternative, because I didn't want to learn how to scuba dive. I wouldn't mind learning in the Bahamas, but I didn't want to learn at three o'clock in the morning.
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[2002 Quote]: I'm originally from San Francisco. I might move there some day. But, I like LA, I have fun in LA. It's a fun town if you've got money in your pocket. It's a good town.
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I've played so many hicks and country bumpkins. It's hilarious, because I've always lived in cities.
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Money is power and power gives you choice.
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I think of myself as a journeyman actor. I've got some talent and I work hard, but people like Brando or Pacino-those people are touched by God.
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I want to be a character actor, but I also want to make some money.
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I've been in more than 20 movies. You just do the best you can and try to make a living. Whether it's The Green Mile (1999), Galaxy Quest (1999) or Lawn Dogs (1997). There's no difference, not for me.
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[on his part in The Green Mile (1999)]: I guess Wild Bill is a disgusting, racist, pedophile freak. But I'd been wanting to play a psycho, a juicy one. I saw him as Huck Finn meets Satan. The kind of part Gary Oldman or John Malkovich might play. It's just a cool part.
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[on what he would do if he wasn't an actor]: I have no skills. There's absolutely nothing I know how to do. So I'd be fucked otherwise. I'm very fortunate to be an actor. I know I'm very lucky to be doing this. And though I'm not sure where I'm going to end up -- whether it's in major films, independents, or theater work -- I'm just happy getting to do roles that are really juicy, meaningful and allow me to keep adventuring the way I have been.
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[Recalling a period he went through when he was 18]: I watched Raging Bull (1980) like 50 times. I wanted to be Italian. For a year I was Italian; that's all I did. I could do all that New York street stuff to the point where I would get feedback from my auditions, "He's too New York, he's too urban" and I was from San Francisco, really.
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I have a constant sort of melancholy approach to acting that fuels me. I want to do everything.
Had a minor appearance in Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988) but his part was removed from the final cut. The scene was the one of the "lover's lane" of sorts, when the Terenzi brothers drive up in their ice cream truck.
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To memorize lines, he says he dictates them into a tape recorder in a monotone, so he won't get used to any inflection before he's had a chance to consider which speech pattern would be appropriate for the character.
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Filmed his scenes for Jarhead (2005) in one day. His scenes were later deleted.
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Told Carson Daly in a talk-show appearance that he dropped out of G.I. Jane (1997) because he didn't want to get cold filming the night time SCUBA scenes.