What is Micheal Ironside's Net Worth?
Michael Ironside is a Canadian actor who has a net worth of $6 million. Over the course of his long and illustrious career, Ironside has appeared in over 200 features. Some of his best-known work includes "Top Gun," "Starship Troopers," "Total Recall," "Free Willy," "The Perfect Storm," "The Machinist," "Terminator Salvation," "Extraterrestrial," and 2021's "Nobody." In addition, Michael is an established voice actor who is perhaps best known for voicing Sam Fisher in the popular video game series "Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell." He also booked a voice role in the film "Bolt," and several voice roles in various animated series.
Early Life
Frederick Reginald Ironside was born on February 12th of 1950 in Toronto, Canada. Raised by a housewife and a street lighting technician in a family of British descent, Frederick grew up alongside four siblings. His artistic talents became clear at a very young age, as he won a prize for a play he had written at the age of 15. He eventually attended the Ontario School of Art. During his university years, Frederick also won the Senior Writing Award at Riverdale Collegiate Institute.
Career
Michael Ironside developed a specialty for playing "tough guys" and villains early in his career. One of his first roles was as an "evil telepath" in the 1981 film "Scanners." He also played a serial killer in the early-80s film "Visiting Hours." During this period, he explored additional television opportunities in shows like "The A-Team." However, it wasn't until the miniseries "V: The Final Battle" that Michael truly began to break through as a mainstream actor.
This role led directly to one of his most iconic roles, that of "Jester" in the 80s hit "Top Gun." He followed up with a number of notable roles in the late 80s, including "Extreme Prejudice," in which he also played a member of the military. In 1990, he teamed up with Arnold Schwarzenegger, playing an assassin. He then continued to appear as villains in early-90s films such as "Highlander II: The Quickening" before joining the cast of shows like "ER" and "seaQuest DSV." Throughout the rest of the early 90s, Ironside booked roles in movies like "Killer Image" and "Dead Man's Revenge." In 1997, he booked a major role in "Starship Troopers." The film received negative reviews upon release, mostly because audiences did not realize that it was intended to be satire. However, it proved to be a modest box office success with a gross of over $121 million on a budget of $105 million. As time went on, however, critics have re-evaluated the movie and praised its "keenly aware sendup of right-wing militarism," in the words of Calum Marsh of "The Atlantic."
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By the turn of the millennium, Michael had booked a central role in the well-received disaster movie "The Perfect Storm." He also appeared in "The Machinist" alongside Christian Bale in 2004. By 2009, he had reunited with Bale once again in "Terminator Salvation." During his career, Ironside has explored numerous voice acting opportunities. He is known for voicing the villain Darkseid in the DC Animated Universe, playing the character in productions like "Superman: The Animated Series," "Justice League," and "Justice League Unlimited." He also reprised the role with 2020's web series "Harley Quinn." He received widespread praise for his performances, with many comparing it to that of Mark Hamill's work with the Joker.
He has also voiced Batman in "Batman: The Dark Knight Returns." Video game fans around the world know him as the voice of Sam Fisher, the central character in Ubisoft's popular series "Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell." He reprised this role in many of the original game's sequels before ultimately being replaced by a young actor. In a Reddit AMA, Ironside stated that he does not resent Ubisoft's decision to replace him, and he understands the need for a younger performer as they made the switch to motion-capture technology. He also stated that he was initially reluctant to accept the role of Sam Fisher, feeling that it was too bloody, violent, and one-dimensional. However, the development team gave Ironside the chance to change the character to his liking, and he subsequently accepted the role. Another notable video game role came with "Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars," in which he provided a full motion-capture performance.
In addition, Ironside has appeared in a number of notable television shows over the years. This includes "Smallville," in which he played Lois Lane's father. Throughout the late 2000s to early 2010s, he also appeared in shows like "The Beacon" and "Burn Notice."
During the 2010s, Michael has booked roles in films like "X-Men: First Class" and the cult hit "Turbo Kid." He also continued to appear in shows like "Justified," "Walker, Texas Ranger," "The Flash," and "The Alienist."
Medical Issues
Michael Ironside has dealt with considerable medical issues in the past, having survived both prostate and thyroid cancer.
Real Estate
In 2019, it was reported that Ironside had sold his home in Laurel Canyon for $1.52 million. The Hollywood Hills residence was offloaded for $80,000 below the original asking price. Originally built in the 1950s, this residence lies in a cul-de-sac and features a pool house, a two-car garage, and a stone-lined swimming pool and spa. Spanning 2,341 square feet of living space, the residence also boasts four bedrooms, beamed ceilings, a corner brick fireplace, and a balcony with treetop views.
