Gary Oldman is such a prominent actor that it might surprise you that he was originally rejected from his first application to acting school. Let Oldman’s life story be a lesson that anyone could surprise you and the person we have at one day could be the ones to laugh last. And you know what they say about he who laughs last. Let’s take a look at his career over the years, starting with his net worth!
Gary Oldman Net Worth: $50 Million
Gary Oldman’s net worth is estimated to be around $50 million. Let’s take a look at his career over the years to see how he earned such a net worth!
The Early Years
Oldman was born in New Cross, London, and studied with the Young People’s Theatre in Greenwich during the 1970’s. He tried to attend the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art but was rejected, with the school going so far as to advise him to find another line of work. Eventually, he won a scholarship to attend the Rose Bruford College in Sidcup, Southeast London, earning a BA in Acting in 1979.
1979–1990
After finishing school, Oldman was the first in his class to get professional acting work, appearing in a stage production based on Dick Whittington and His Cat. Continuing on stage for most of his early career, Oldman made his film debut in Colin Gregg’s Remembrance. His big break was playing real-life rocker Sid Vicious in the 1986 film, Sid and Nancy. In 1987, Oldman gained his third starring film role as Joe Orton in Prick Up Your Ears, earning him a BAFTA nomination for Best Actor.
1991–2000
In the early 1990’s, Oldman relocated to the United States, becoming his permanent residence. Making his big break into Hollywood, he starred as Count Dracula in Francis Ford Coppola’s romance-horror film, Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Both his portrayal of the infamous vampire and his work in 1994’s Léon: The Professional helped paint him as an actor who could pull off villainous roles. Other films he appeared in towards the end of the decade included True Romance (1993), The Fifth Element (1997) and Lost in Space (1998).
2000-2009
Towards the start of the new millennium, Oldman appeared in the two-part Friends episode “The One With Chandler and Monica’s Wedding,” earning him an Emmy Award nomination. After a brief slump, Oldman returned to prominence with the Harry Potter film series, playing Harry Potter’s godfather, Sirius Black. He also portrayed James Gordon in Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins, a role that he reprised in 2008 sequel, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises.
2010-Present
Oldman’s portrayal of British spy George Smiley in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy in 2011 earned him a BAFTA nomination. In 2012, he appeared in remakes of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and RoboCop. In 2015, he appeared in Child 44. In 2017, he starred in The Space Between Us. In 2017, Oldman starred as British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour, earning him the Academy Award for Best Actor.