Born Taylor Edwin Hackford on the 31st December 1944, in Santa Barbara, California USA, Taylor is a film director, writer and producer, best known to the world for directing such films as “An Officer and a Gentleman” (1982), “White Nights” (1985), and “Ray” (2004), among many other differing creations. Taylor’s career started in the early ‘70s.
Have you ever wondered how rich Taylor Hackford is, as of mid- 2017? According to authoritative sources, it has been estimated that Hackford’s net worth is as high as $30 million, an amount earned through his successful career in the entertainment industry. Apart from films, Taylor has also directed a number of music videos, such as “Against All Odds”, performed by Phil Collins, and Lionel Richie’s “Say You, Say Me”, among many others, which have also improved his wealth.
Taylor Hackford Net Worth $30 Million
Taylor was born to Mary and Joseph Hackford. After high school, he enrolled at the University of Southern California, from which he graduated with a law degree in 1968. Taylor then joined the Peace Corps, and was sent to Bolivia, where in his spare time he began experimenting with Super 8 film. After he returned to the States, Taylor found a job at KCET-TV, opting out of a law career. During his KCET years, Taylor worked as a producer as well, putting his name on such productions as “Homewood” (1970) – a special by Leon Russell – and a documentary about poet Charles Bukowski, “Bukowski” (1973), which was directed by Richard Davies.
Before the ‘70s ended, Taylor ventured out on his own, and in 1978 directed the short film “Teenage Father”, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film. Two years later he teamed up with scriptwriter Edward Di Lorenzo to film “The Idolmaker”, a biopic about Bob Marcucci, a rock promoter and producer; the film received high praise and Taylor’s name resounded around Hollywood. In 1982 he directed the romantic drama “An Officer and a Gentleman”, starring Richard Gere, Debra Winger and David Keith, while in 1985 he directed the Academy Award- winning drama “White Nights”, with Mikhail Baryshnikov, Gregory Hines and Jerzy Skolimowski in the lead roles. Before the ‘80s ended, Taylor also worked on the documentary “A Tribute to Rick Nelson” (1986), and romantic drama “Everybody’s All-American” (1988).
Taylor continued successfully into the ‘90s, serving as director for several high-profile films, such as “Blood In, Blood Out” (1993), based on the true story about the life of poet Jimmy Santiago Baca, then the mystery drama “Dolores Claiborne” (1995), based on the book by Stephen King, and starring Kathy Bates, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Christopher Plummer. In 1997 he directed the highly acclaimed mystery thriller “The Devil’s Advocate”, which starred Keanu Reeves, Al Pacino, and Charlize Theron; the success of these films increased Taylor’s net worth to a large degree. Having earned a name as a director, Taylor could now only go further, and that he did; in 2004 he directed the biopic about famous musician Ray Charles, “Ray” (2004), with Jamie Foxx in the lead role, supported by the likes of Regina King and Kerry Washington, among many other stars. The film earned Taylor an Academy Award- nomination in the category Best Achievement in Directing, while he won the Black Reel Award in category Best Film, Drama, and a Grammy Award.
After “Ray”, Taylor stepped down from directing for several years, returning in 2010 with the drama “Love Ranch”, starring Helen Mirren, Joe Pesci and Sergio Peris-Mencheta. In recent years, Taylor directed the comedy “The Comedian” (2016) with Robert De Niro as the lead actor, and is currently working on the biopic about country western icons George Jones and Tammy Wynette, entitled “George and Tammy”, which will be released in 2018.
Apart from directing, Taylor also produced all films he directed, and put his name on several other creations, such as “The Long Walk Home” (1990), and “When We Were Kings” (1996), among others, which also increased his wealth.
To speak further of Taylor’s accomplishment in the entertainment industry, he served as the President of the Directors Guild of America from 2009 until 2013.
Regarding his personal life, Taylor has been married to actress Helen Mirren since 1997. He also has two marriages behind him; firstly to Georgie Lowres from 1967 until 1972; the couple has one child together. Then in 1977, he married film director and producer Lynne Litman, with whom he also has one child. The couple divorced in 1987.
Academy Award for Best Short Film (Live Action), Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media, Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media, Independent Spirit Truer than Fiction Award
Nominations
Academy Award for Best Picture, Academy Award for Best Director, Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Feature Film, Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Director, Satellite Award for Best Director, David di D...
Movies
Parker, The Devil's Advocate, Ray, An Officer and a Gentleman, Love Ranch, Proof of Life, White Nights, Dolores Claiborne, Blood In Blood Out, Against All Odds, The Idolmaker, Everybody's All-American, The Comedian, Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll, Teenage Father, La Bamba, When We Were Kings, Mortal Thou...
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You've got to respect the script's integrity. The changes you make should complement the project instead of fighting it... the bottom line of any film is the script.
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In terms of input, I think that when the director gets involved, the script usually changes a bit. It's written from a particular point of view, and the director's the one to visualize it, interpret what the story is up on the screen. I just think that those people who say well, the script is incidental, its all my stamp and so forth, are full of baloney.
3
Russell Crowe is very difficult, but it's worth it. He's the real thing. I can tell you this. Russell Crowe was just as difficult before he was an international star as he was afterwards.
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You'd be surprised how many movie stars still care about the work.
5
When I finish a film, I put it away and I never look at it again.
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The director's job should give you a sense of music without drawing attention to itself.
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Well I don't think I've scored my life exclusively to Ray Charles.
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We all get paid very, very well, and we have responsibilities.
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I really believe you can predict when someone has a great attitude, a real well of talent.
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This devil loves mankind because men are going to always make the choice that will send him into ascendancy. He's been winning the game for a long time.
11
The SAS is the most elite of the special forces in the world. They are not people who go out and advertise; they keep it inside. They don't want anybody to know about them.
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Music has always been an important thing to me in my life and understand I've worked in the music business.
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I'm not in front of the camera, they are. I encourage them; I build up as much of their confidence and ego as possible. They've got to take control; I can't act it out.
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I try to get the best performance an actor can give.
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I also know what looks good before the camera, how to move the camera, and how to get a story on the screen.
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But the process of making a film is not glamorous. Certainly not my films.
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I feel very comfortable shooting music, and I think you can see that.
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I make films about working class people.
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It's much easier to work with an unknown.
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Show business is one of those things that people can use to get themselves out of the lower rung of society.
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Ray Charles, in his own way, it's like at the beginning, Ray Charles changed American music, not once but twice.
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Look at Walter Huston in The Devil and Daniel Webster: It's an incredible performance.
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If people are worried about the size of their trailers, I kind of say their priorities are off.
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My creative partner is a writer, and he's got an executive producing credit on this film. We've made three films together and I would never underestimate the impact of a writer.
25
It's very clearly stated in the film: You make your own choices, and what you're always fighting is ego.
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But, unfortunately, sometimes that affirmation creates a sense that you deserve special treatment and recognition in areas where you're not so talented.
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Because when you have millions of people with this kind of need for gratification, and the culture is saying that it's possible for everyone to satisfy all of their needs and desires all of the time, there are obviously going to be clashes - clashes of ego.
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And it's a question of how far we're willing to go in order to let the ego shine, in order to let that beacon penetrate not only the local scene but the world.
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It isn't glamorous until after the film is finished, and you are at the premiere and getting your picture on the cover of magazines.
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The whole concept of the devil is a metaphor on one level.
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It was the era of Tab Hunter and Rock Hudson; they all had a certain look.
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But a writer's contribution is literary and a film is not literary. When you take that stuff off the page, and cast the people who are going to fit into those roles, that's what being a director is.
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An actor has to embody a role.
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Fact
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Served in the Peace Corps.
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Has directed three actors in Oscar-nominated performances: Louis Gossett Jr., Debra Winger, and Jamie Foxx. Gossett and Foxx won Oscars for their performances.
$30 Million
