How much is Clifton Powell worth?
| Net Worth: | $500 Thousand |
|---|---|
| Profession: | Professional Actor |
| Date of Birth: | March 16, 1956 (age 66) |
| Country: | United States of America |
| Height: | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) |
About Clifton Powell
Clifton Powell, whose full name is Clifton Lewsi Powell Jr., is an American film actor, director, and producer. From 1981 until now, he has starred in over 240 films and television series including Menace II Society, Dead Presidents, Next Friday, Civil Brand, and Norbit. To this day, one of his best roles on television is in the 2004 biographical film Ray, which earned him nominations for an NAACP Image and Screen Actors Guild Awards.
The talented actor became famous in the 1980s when his acting career began. Clifton was born on March 16, 1956, in Washington, D.C. He grew up in the residential neighborhood Mayfair Mansions located in the northeast part of D.C. He attended the DeMatha High School before being moved to the Duke Ellington School of Arts, from which he earned his degree in 1974. He had a passion for acting ever since his childhood years, however, he was never given the opportunity to perform on stage or anywhere else.
After his high school graduation, the entertainer moved to California to pursue an acting career. Throughout the late 1970s, he began taking part in numerous acting schools and theatres where he was able to improve his skills. After failing to land an acting role for several years, he finally won the audition for a role in the 1981 television movie Ephraim McDowell’s Kentucky Ride.
He was given a supporting role in the drama, which was more than enough for him to kickstart his career in the film industry.
After making his professional debut on television, he began auditioning for many other projects. He was given the opportunity to star mostly in advertisements and commercials, with the exception of the 1984 crime drama Alphabet City, which earned him a small amount of money but a lot of experience that would foster his career.
In the early 1990s, he participated in many films and television series such as Tour of Duty, Heat Wave, Cop Rock, Gabriel’s Fire, and Jake and the Fatman. He had regular appearances on the series Equal Justice, In the Heat of the Night, and The Sinbad Show, before he won his first major role in the 1992 classic Roc. He remained on the show for two years, and besides gaining a lot of popularity, he earned enough to live and work as a professional actor, appearing in the likes of Menace II Society.
His directing debut came in the 2009 comedy Man of Her Dreams. That year, he also directed the musical There’s a Stranger in My House. Recently, he had a recurring role in the action television series Chase Street, where he’s also an occasional director.
Concurrently with his acting, the television star became successful mainly because of his abilities to work as a director and (co-)producer. Since the last decade of the 20th century, Clifton attained mainstream recognition with his performances in many fan favorites such as Menace II Society, Dead Presidents, Why Do Fools Fall in Love, Rush Hour, and Next Friday. But perhaps the movie that really established him as one of the best (supporting) actors is the 2004 biographical Ray.
Simultaneously with his critically acclaimed acts in hundreds of films and series, Powell made his video game debut in the 2004 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, where he voiced the major character, Big Smoke. Around the same time, he became a producer of several television productions. His debut as a producer came in the 2005 comedy/crime Golden Empire Among some of the most well-received films that he produced ever since are The House of Malik, The North Star, Soul Custody, and most recently The Next 24.
Powell’s Total Net Worth
Clifton Powell has over 250 acting credits to his name and although they have often been small parts, his earnings have added up to a total of around $1.2 million. An average of about $4,800 per role, but remember, many of Powell’s acting appearances may have been paid less than $1,000 or not been paid at all. Some of his popular roles, like Chauncey in Menace II Society and Pinky in Next Friday are far from starring roles. Powell earned far more from his appearances as Jeff Brown in Ray and also from his role as Rex Fisher in Saints & Sinners.
While Powell has had some legal trouble, he was exonerated and appears to be a responsible member of society who can look after the money that he has earned. Having earned so little in his career he has managed to stay in lower tax brackets, in general, retaining more of his earnings. That said, and all things considered, it still makes his net worth only about $500 thousand.
Summing-Up
Clifton Powell is best known for his many supporting roles in popular direct-to-video, independent, and television films, as well as some television series and reality shows. He began his career in the 1980s and for the past four decades, he has participated in more than 245 movies. Even now, the reminiscent actor, whose net worth stands at a little over $500 thousand, continues to not only act but also direct and produce multiple films and television series.
