What Is Judith Light's Net Worth?
Judith Light is an American actress who has a net worth of $16 million. Judith Light's career began on stage, where she honed her craft in regional theater before making her Broadway debut. However, it was her role as Karen Wolek on the daytime soap opera "One Life to Live" that brought her national attention. Her performance in this role, particularly in a groundbreaking courtroom scene, earned her critical acclaim and two consecutive Daytime Emmy Awards. This role was pivotal in establishing Light as a serious and talented actress.
In the 1980s, Light's career took a turn towards primetime television with her role as Angela Bower on the popular sitcom "Who's the Boss?" This role showcased her comedic talents and further broadened her appeal. The success of "Who's the Boss?" solidified her status as a household name.
Throughout her career, Light has continuously returned to the theater, demonstrating her deep commitment to the stage. Her performances in plays like "Wit" and "Other Desert Cities" have been particularly notable, earning her accolades and respect in the theater community.
In recent years, Light has taken on roles in several critically acclaimed television series, including "Ugly Betty," "Transparent," "The Politician" and "Julia." Her performance in "Transparent" was especially lauded, earning her multiple Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. These roles have showcased her ability to tackle complex characters and sensitive topics with nuance and empathy.
Beyond her acting career, Light is known for her activism, particularly in LGBTQ+ rights and HIV/AIDS awareness. She has been a vocal advocate for equality and has used her platform to bring attention to social issues.
(Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage)
Early Life
Judith Ellen Light was born on February 9, 1949, in Trenton, New Jersey. Raised in a Jewish household, Light graduated from high school in 1966. She then attended Carnegie Mellon University and studied acting. After a rigorous few years in college, Light graduated with a degree in drama.
Early Career
Light's first acting role came in 1970 when she booked a role in a production of Richard III at the California Shakespeare Festival. Five years later, she truly arrived on the scene with a role in a Broadway production of "A Doll's House." One year passed before she appeared on the Broadway stage once again with a production of "Herzl." During this period, Judith advanced her stage career through theatre companies like the Milwaukee Repertory Theater and the Seattle Repertory Theatre.
"One Life To Live"
Although the '70s started strong for Light, she was panicking by the end of the decade. Unable to land any parts, she even considered quitting acting altogether after her financial situation worsened. As the theater world seemed to shut its doors on Judith, she reluctantly turned to television instead. Despite promising herself that she would never accept a role on a soap opera, she agreed to audition for "One Life to Live" in 1977 after learning that there was a daily salary of $350.
Although Judith initially auditioned for a role as an understudy, she was instead cast in the main role of Karen Wolek. Not only did this role come with excellent compensation, but it also gave Judith the chance to truly flex her acting muscles. Throughout the various storylines of "One Life to Live," Judith's character became an alcoholic and a prostitute. Her acting performances helped "One Life to Live" become one of the highest-rating series in the late '70s and early '80s.
After a memorable scene involving Judith's character admitting to her entire town that she was a prostitute, Light won her first Daytime Emmy Award in 1980 for "Lead Actress in a Daytime Drama Series." Light's acting skills were so incredible during this scene that acting instructors continue to show it to their students as an example. The next year, she won another Emmy award for the same role.
Who's the Boss?
After leaving "One Life to Live" in 1983, Light booked a role on "St. Elsewhere." In the '90s, Judith played Angela Bower on the ABC sitcom "Who's the Boss?" The show, which also starred Tony Danza, Alyssa Milano, Danny Pintauro, and Katherine Helmond, proved to be very successful in terms of ratings, and critics today rank it as one of the best sitcoms ever made. During this period, Light also booked roles in various TV movies, such as "Stamp of a Killer," "The Ryan White Story," and "Wife, Mother Murderer."
After her time on "Who's the Boss?" came to a close, Light starred in "Phenom," another ABC sitcom. Towards the end of the '90s, she appeared in the short-lived CBS sitcom "The Simple Life." Once again, she split her time between television series and made-for-TV movies like "Men Don't Tell" and "Too Close to Home." By 1999, Judith had finally returned to the stage with an off-Broadway production of "Wit." She had to shave her head to play the role of a cancer patient in this play.
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2000 to the Present
In the 2000s, Light appeared in TV series like "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" and "The Stones." In 2006, Judith rose to prominence once again with a key role in the series "Ugly Betty." This earned her more accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award nomination and a Screen Actors Guild Award. After a few failed television pilots, Light focused more on movies such as "Ira & Abby," "Save Me," "Last Weekend," and "We'll Never Have Paris." Also in the 2010s, Judith appeared in the Broadway play "Lombardi," receiving a Tony Award nomination for her performance. Further plays during this period included "Other Desert Cities" and "The Assembled Parties."
During the next few years, Light gained recognition for her appearances in series like "Dallas" and "Transparent." In 2015, Judith appeared on the Broadway stage once again with "Therese Raquin." In 2018, Light was praised by critics for her performance in the FX series "The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story," which earned her another Emmy nomination. In 2019, she booked a guest-starring role in the Netflix series "The Politician" before joining the main cast in 2020.
Relationships
In 1985, Judith married Robert Desiderio, a television actor. Since 2010, the pair has been bicoastal. While Judith lives in New York City, Robert lives in Southern California. Light also owns property in Beverly Hills and Aspen, Colorado.
