How much is Gerard Butler worth?
| Net Worth: | $60 Million |
|---|---|
| Profession: | Professional Actor |
| Date of Birth: | November 13, 1969 (age 53) |
| Country: | United Kingdom |
| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
About Gerard Butler
Gerard Butler is a Scottish actor and producer best known for his roles in 300 and Law Abiding Citizen. In the course of his 25 year career, his films have grossed hundreds of millions of dollars at the box office. Butler’s work has been wide ranging, from action star to Spartan King to leading man. He has shared the big screen with some of the biggest stars in Hollywood, including Jodie Foster, Christian Bale, Hilary Swank and Angelina Jolie. Butler’s roles have ranged from bit parts to supporting cast to lead roles, and from romantic leading man to voiceovers in animated films.
Born in Scotland in 1969, 53 year old Butler initially considered a legal career. But his preference for late nights and alcohol, along with an intense ambition to be famous, eventually steered him in the direction of acting. It wasn’t until Butler was 27 that he decided to cast his lot into becoming a thespian. By the time he reached 30, he had taken the plunge and relocated to Los Angeles. Once there, he started gaining steady employment by landing parts in films such as Lara Croft:Tomb Raider- The Cradle of Life, Tomorrow Never Dies and Dracula 2000.
Butler was quite willing to do anything it took to gain exposure. He drew upon his earlier work in theater and even took voice lessons from a singing instructor to prepare himself for a lead part in the film version of Phantom of the Opera. For 300, he trained relentlessly for months to attain the look of a warrior on the battlefield. In the mid 2000’s, leading up to his breakthrough, he honed his craft, taking roles in the dramas Dear Frankie and The Game of Their Lives. Butler also found time to delve into the fantasy genre in Beowulf and Grendel, as well as voicing narration for a documentary entitled Shadow Company.
By his mid thirties, Butler had amassed an impressive list of credits under his belt, especially considering the late start he had gotten in an industry that seeks out youthful talent. His career had come together, but what came next, no one could have anticipated..
In 2006, Butler won the lead role in 300, a historical fantasy in which Butler’s character, the Spartan King Leonidas, leads 300 men into an absurdly daunting effort to fend off more than 300,000 Persian invaders. The film was novel for its time, in that the filming was done in a way as to maintain the motif of the comic book from which it emerged. Reception to the film was beyond what anyone could have imagined. It grossed over $450 million during its run, and Butler would reap the rewards of such a thunderous, earth quaking achievement more than anyone.
As a direct result of the success of 300, Butler was propelled into stardom, and the offers started flooding in. Gerard took advantage of the opportunities, trying his hand at romantic comedies in P.S. I Love You and The Ugly Truth, with Swank and Katherine Heigl, respectively. 2009 would see Butler join forces with Jamie Foxx in Law Abiding Citizen, a vigilante thriller. While the film was panned by critics, it still raked in more than $120 million during its run. Butler also was nominated for a People’s Choice award for “Best Action Star” for his performance.
As a new decade arrived, Butler filmed with Jennifer Aniston in the action comedy The Bounty Hunter, which grossed over $130 million and provided further proof that Butler was a jack of all trades in the motion picture industry. The film was poorly received, Butler and Aniston both being nominated for “Worst Actor/Actress” and “Worst Screen Couple”. At this point, such a reception raised the question of a movie that seemingly bombs, yet earns over $100 million-was it a disaster or was it a hit movie? I suppose the answer lies within each of us to determine for ourselves!
What is it about Butler, though? Is it the looks? The accent? The versatility? The action figure physique? Most likely, it’s a combination of all those and more. Before Butler even knew he wanted to act, he knew he wanted to be famous. That might be a subtle difference, but in Gerard’s case, acting became the vehicle to reach the intended goal of fame. It is ultimately why he gave up on a career in law. It’s why he sang in rock bands and took singing lessons. It’s why he understood he would need to relocate to LA to have a shot at achieving his foremost ambition-fame. To many, that logic might feel backwards. To Butler, it became a means to an end. It just so happened that through hard work and determination, he was able to reach heights that very few people ever could. Maybe it was a late start and he was more mature and focused than a younger version of himself could ever be? Whatever the case, his body of work has earned in the hundreds of millions. He’s managed to make a lot of people happy, and a lot of people wealthy while making himself famous and wealthy. All in all, really not a bad deal!
Summing-Up
Scottish born actor Gerard Butler’s work has spanned numerous genres of moviedom. His versatility and willingness to go above and beyond to make a character realistic and believable is second to none. Like many of us who may not find success immediately, he paid his dues and worked hard with the talent he was given, while biding his time and seizing opportunity when it presented itself…almost like being one of 300 taking on 300,000, if you think about it!
