What is Sam Worthington's Net Worth and Salary?
Sam Worthington is an Australian actor who has a net worth of $30 million. Sam Worthington gained early recognition in his home country through his role in the critically acclaimed film "Somersault" (2004), which earned him an AFI Award for Best Lead Actor.
However, Worthington's international fame skyrocketed with his role as Jake Sully in James Cameron's groundbreaking sci-fi epic "Avatar" (2009). His portrayal of a paraplegic Marine who finds a new life on the alien planet of Pandora was both compelling and emotionally resonant, showcasing his ability to blend physicality with depth of character.
Worthington continued to establish himself in Hollywood with roles in action films like "Terminator Salvation" (2009) as Marcus Wright and "Clash of the Titans" (2010) as Perseus. These roles highlighted his capability in action-oriented roles, combining physical prowess with a strong screen presence.
Apart from action cinema, Worthington has also shown his range in dramas and thrillers. His performance in "The Shack" (2017), where he played a grieving father, was particularly noted for its emotional depth. Additionally, he has appeared in various Australian productions, maintaining a connection with his roots.
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Early Life
Samuel Henry John Worthington was born in Godalming, Surrey, England, on August 2, 1976. Although he was born in England, he and his family moved to Perth, Western Australia, when he was just six months old. In Australia, he grew up in Warnbro, a suburb of Perth, along with his sister Lucinda. His mother, Jeanne J. (née Martyn), was a homemaker, and his father, Ronald W. Worthington, worked as a power plant employee.
Worthington was a student at John Curtin College of the Arts, in Fremantle, Western Australia. The school specializes in the dramatic arts. There, he studied drama, but did not actually graduate. After he left school, he worked a series of odd jobs, including in construction, and settled in Sydney. It was while in Sydney and working as a bricklayer that he landed a scholarship to the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA).
Early Career
One of Worthington's first acting roles was alongside Adam Garcia in the Australian dance film "Bootmen" (2000). Then, in 2003, he starred in the low budget Australian comedy film "Gettin' Square". "Getting' Square" was actually nominated for several awards at Australian ceremonies, such as the AFI Awards, Inside Film Awards, Australian Comedy Awards, and the Critics Circle Awards. He followed this up in 2004 with the film "Somersault", for which he actually won the AFI Award for Best Lead Actor. He then gained greater recognition in Australia for his role in the popular television series "Love My Way" (2004), as Howard, the main character's love interest.
Worthington started off his international acting career in Hollywood with a role in the film "The Great Raid" (2005). He then appeared in the films "Rogue" (2007) and "Terminator Salvation" (2009). "Terminator Salvation" is the fourth installment of the "Terminator" film series, and co-starred Christian Bale, Anton Yelchin, and Bryce Dallas Howard, among others.
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Avatar
Worthington's big break that truly catapulted him into widespread international fame came in 2009, when he starred in James Cameron's sci-fi epic film "Avatar". "Avatar" broke records as the highest-grossing film of all time, grossing more than $2.73 billion worldwide ($3.3 billion after adjusting for inflation). It held the record for highest-grossing film for a decade until "Avengers: Endgame" broke it in 2019. In fact, before he landed his breakout role in "Avatar", Worthington had sold most of his belongings for about $2,000 and was living in his car.
More Success
In 2010, Worthington starred in the action fantasy film "Clash of the Titans". It was a join Australian-American production that also starred Gemma Arterton, Mads Mikkelsen, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, and Alexa Davalos. He reprised his role as Perseus in the sequel film, "Wrath of the Titans", in 2012. Other films he has appeared in include "Dirty Deeds" (2002), "The Great Raid" (2005), "Macbeth" (2006), "Last Night" (2010), "Texas Killing Fields" (2011), "Man on a Ledge" (2012), "Drift" (2013), "Sabotage" (2014), "Cake" (2014), "The Keeping Room" (2014), "Paper Planes" (2015), "Kidnapping Freddy Heineken" (2015), "Everest" (2015), "Hacksaw Ridge" (2016), "The Shack" (2017), "The Titan" (2018), and "Fractured" (2019).
In addition to his on-screen acting endeavors, Worthington has provided voice work for various video games. He voiced Captain Alex Mason, the main protagonist of the game "Call of Duty: Black Ops" (2010). He then reprised his role as Mason in the sequel games, "Call of Duty: Black Ops II" (2012) and "Call of Duty: Black Ops 4" (2018).
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Personal Life
Worthington was first linked to Australian actress Lara Bingle in October 2013. They married in December 2014, and have two sons together: Rocket Zot (born in 2015) and Racer (born in 2016). Worthington had a brush-in with the law in February 2014, when he was arrested in New York City for punching the paparazzo Sheng Li. The encounter began when Li allegedly kicked Worthington's girlfriend, Bingle, in the shin. Worthington was able to avoid jail time by accepting a conditional discharge deal. Li later filed a $3.7 million civil lawsuit against Worthington, but the two parties settled out of court and did not ultimately go to trial.
Real Estate
In May 2018, Worthington and his wife Lara Bingle dropped $8 million to buy a mansion in Los Angeles. The seller was actor Simon Kinberg. Sam and Lara listed this home for sale in February 2020 for $9.25 million. In May 2021, Sam and Lara finally accepted $8.2 million. Here's a video tour of their former property:
