What is Kurt Sutter's Net Worth?
Kurt Sutter is an American writer, director, producer, and actor who has a net worth of $40 million. That is a combined net worth with his wife of many years, actress Katey Sagal.
Kurt Sutter is best known for creating the FX series "Sons of Anarchy" (2008–2014), which he wrote and executive produced. Kurt also directed eight episodes and played "Big" Otto Delaney in 20 episodes of the series. Sutter created the "Sons of Anarchy" spin-off "Mayans M.C." (2018–2023) and the historical fiction drama "The Bastard Executioner" (2015), and he served as a writer and executive producer on both shows. Kurt also played The Dark Mute on "The Bastard Executioner." Sutter was a writer and producer on the FX crime drama "The Shield" (2002–2008), and he directed the 2006 episode "Wins and Losses." He wrote and produced the 2015 sports drama "Southpaw," and he appeared in the 2021 film "Chaos Walking." He also hosted and executive produced the Discovery Channel docuseries "Kurt Sutter's Outlaw Empires" (2012) and the weekly live vlog "Intercoarse with Kurt Sutter" (2014).
Early Life and Education
Kurt Sutter was born Kurt Leon Sutter on May 5, 1960, in Rahway, New Jersey. His mother worked as a secretary for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark, while his father worked at the General Motors plant in Linden. Kurt grew up with two older sisters in Clark, New Jersey, and he attended Roselle Catholic High School. After graduating in 1982, he enrolled at Rutgers University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in mass media in 1986. Sutter subsequently moved to New York City, where he got involved in theater and taught at the Gately/Poole Acting Studio. In 1997, he began attending graduate school at Northern Illinois University in pursuit of a Master of Fine Arts in performance and directing.
The Shield
Sutter got his start on television in 2002 when he was hired as a staff writer for the FX crime drama series "The Shield." He went on to make his acting debut on the show in its fifth episode, "Blowback," playing Armenian mob hitman Margos Dezerian. Sutter played that role in three more episodes through 2004. He continued writing episodes for the show, and was promoted to story editor for season two. Sutter's involvement increased over the years as he became a co-producer, then supervising producer, and finally executive producer for the show's final two seasons. "The Shield" came to an end in late 2008.
Sons of Anarchy
As "The Shield" ended, Sutter was getting to work creating a new crime drama series for FX: "Sons of Anarchy." The show, which premiered in 2008, focuses on an outlaw motorcycle club and its activities in the fictitious town of Charming, California. Kurt served as the show's head writer, penning the majority of the 92 episodes across its seven-season run through 2014. He also appeared on "Sons of Anarchy" in the recurring role of incarcerated motorcyclist Otto Delaney. Among his other roles, Sutter executive produced the show and directed the season finales of all seven seasons. "Sons of Anarchy" led to a spin-off, "Mayans M.C.," in 2018.
Other Television Shows
In 2015, Kurt created a new FX series, "The Bastard Executioner," a historical fiction drama set in early 14th-century Wales. He also wrote and executive produced the show, and he starred in the main role of Ludwig Von Zettel, better known as "The Dark Mute." Ultimately, "The Bastard Executioner" was canceled after one ten-episode season.
In October 2019, Sutter was fired from FX due to multiple complaints about his unprofessional behavior on set. Kurt then wrote a letter to the cast and crew of "Mayans M.C." that read, in part:
"Apparently, Disney HR and Business Affairs has conducted an investigation into the unacceptable conditions that have been created on the set of 'Mayans' in season 2. As you know, I've removed myself quite a bit this season, allowing others to take a bigger role in producing the show. It appears that philosophy has backfired. It's been reported by writers, producers, cast and crew that my absence and subsequent behavior when there, has only created confusion, chaos, hostility and is perceived as abandonment. Or at least that's how Disney has interpreted it. I'm sure it's true."
"Mayans M.C." co-creator Elgin James took over showrunning duties, and the series ran for three more seasons. In 2021, it was announced that Sutter would be teaming up with Netflix as the director of the horror film "This Beast" and the creator of the Western series "The Abandons."
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Film Career
Beyond his work on television, Sutter has some film credits to his name. He is the writer of the 2015 boxing drama "Southpaw," directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Rachel McAdams. Later, in 2021, Sutter made his film acting debut in the dystopian science-fiction action thriller "Chaos Walking," directed by Doug Liman and based on Patrick Ness's series of YA novels. He played Cillian Boyd, one of the adoptive fathers of the protagonist Todd Hewitt, played by Tom Holland. Among his other film credits, Sutter directed the horror film "This Beast" for Netflix.
Personal Life
Kurt married actress Katey Sagal on October 2, 2004, in a private ceremony at their Los Angeles home. The couple welcomed daughter Esme via a surrogate on January 10, 2007. Sagal played Gemma Teller Morrow on "Sons of Anarchy" and Annora of the Alders on "The Bastard Executioner."
Sutter is stepfather to Sagal's children from a previous marriage, Sarah Grace White and Jackson White. Jackson is an actor best known for the television series "Mrs. Fletcher" and "Tell Me Lies." Kurt is a vegan and an animal rights activist. He is a motorcycle enthusiast, and he told the "LA Register," "I've done promotional videos for Harley and rather than paying for my time, I usually take it in motorcycles." Sutter began riding in his twenties and eventually built a custom motorcycle, though Sagal reportedly asked him to stop riding after he became a father.
Awards and Nominations
Sutter earned three Primetime Emmy nominations for "Sons of Anarchy": Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music (2009) and Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics for "Day Is Gone" from the episode "A Mother's Work" (2014) and "Come Join the Murder" from the episode "Papa's Goods" (2015). In 2009, Kurt won an ASCAP Film and Television Music Award for Top Television Series for "Sons of Anarchy."
Real Estate
In 2005, a year after marrying, Katey and Kurt paid $3.7 million for a home in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles. They attempted to sell the home for $4.75 million in 2010, ultimately accepting $3.8 million in December of that year. The buyer was "American Idol" house musician Rickey Minor.
In December 2010 they purchased a new 1.5-acre home in a gated community in Bel Air called Moraga Estates. They paid $3.7 million. They bought the home from "Desperate Housewives" creator Marc Cherry. Katey and Kurt sold their Bel Air mansion for $7.7 million in April 2022.
In February 2022, Sutter and Sagal paid $5.825 million for a 4,723 square foot home in the Hollywood Hills. The four-bedroom, four-bathroom home was built in 1923, and a guesthouse sits on the .46-acre property.
