Rutger Hauer Net Worth

What was Rutger Hauer's Net Worth?

Rutger Hauer was a Dutch actor who had a net worth of $16 million at the time of his death in 2019. Rutger Hauer was known for his roles in such films as "Turkish Delight," "Soldier of Orange," "Nighthawks," "Blade Runner," "The Hitcher," and "Hobo with a Shotgun." He also acted on television, with credits including the series "Floris," "The 10th Kingdom," "True Blood," and "Porters."

In 2013 Rutger was knighted in the Order of the Netherlands Lion. Rutger was an well-known environmentalist and AIDS activist. He founded an AIDS awareness called the Rutger Hauer Starfish Association. All the proceeds from his 2007 autobiography were donated to his foundation. Unfortunately, Rutger Hauer died on July 19, 2019 at the age of 75.

Early Life and Education

Rutger Hauer was born on January 23, 1944 in Breukelen, Utrecht, Netherlands during the German occupation of the country. His parents, Teunke and Arend, were both actors who ran an acting school in nearby Amsterdam. Hauer had three sisters. As a youth, he attended a Rudolf Steiner school to hone his creativity. However, Hauer left school at the age of 15 to join the Dutch merchant navy. When he came back home, he worked odd jobs while finishing his high school degree at night. Hauer subsequently attended the Academy of Theater and Dance in Amsterdam, but dropped out to join the Royal Netherlands Army. Unhappy with the use of deadly weapons, he ultimately left the service after a few months and returned to acting school, graduating in 1967.

Start of Film Career

Hauer had his international career breakthrough in his major feature film debut, Paul Verhoeven's 1973 romantic drama "Turkish Delight." The film was a global commercial hit, and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. Two years later, Hauer made his English-language acting debut in the British adventure thriller "The Wilby Conspiracy." After that, he returned to Dutch cinema and made such films as "Katie Tippel," "The Year of the Cancer," "Max Havelaar," "Soldier of Orange," "Woman Between Wolf and Dog," and "Spetters."

Film Career in the 1980s and 90s

In 1981, Hauer made his Hollywood film debut playing the terrorist Wulfgar in the action crime thriller "Nighthawks." The same year, he appeared in the historical drama "Chanel Solitaire." Hauer went on to play arguably his most famous role in 1982: replicant antagonist Roy Batty in Ridley Scott's science-fiction film "Blade Runner." In the film, he delivers the renowned "Tears in rain" monologue. Following "Blade Runner," Hauer appeared in Sam Peckinpah's suspense thriller "The Osterman Weekend" and Nicolas Roeg's psychological drama "Eureka." His subsequent credits were "A Breed Apart," "Ladyhawke," and "Flesh & Blood." In 1986, Hauer played the titular homicidal character in the thriller "The Hitcher." Also that year, he starred in the action film "Wanted: Dead or Alive." Hauer's final films of the decade included "Blind Fury," "The Blood of Heroes," and "Bloodhounds of Broadway."

In the early 1990s, Hauer starred in such films as "Past Midnight," "Beyond Justice," "Split Second," "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," and "Arctic Blue." He appeared in four films in 1994 alone: "Surviving the Game," "Nostradamus," "The Beans of Egypt, Maine," and "Blood of the Innocent." The year after that, Hauer starred in the science-fiction film "Mr. Stitch." He was in two more science-fiction films, "Crossworlds" and "Precious Find," in 1996. Over the subsequent years, Hauer starred in the German crime film "Knockin' on Heaven's Door"; the science-fiction films "Omega Doom" and "Deathline"; the crime thriller "Bone Daddy"; and the action thriller "New World Disorder," among other titles.

Late Film Career

Hauer remained a prolific film actor in the 21st century, appearing in dozens of films all the way until his passing. In the '00s, he was in such films as "Lying in Wait," "Scorcher," "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind," "Sin City," "Batman Begins," "Moving McAllister," and "Barbarossa." Hauer's notable credits in the 2010s include "Hobo with a Shotgun," "The Mill and the Cross," "The Rite," "The Heineken Kidnapping," "Dracula 3D," "Il Futuro," "The Letters," and "The Sisters Brothers." Following Hauer's death in 2019, there were multiple posthumous releases, including "Break," "Tonight at Noon," and "Emperor."

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Television Career

Hauer's first role on television was as the titular knight in the 1969 Dutch series "Floris," which was directed by Paul Verhoeven. He went on to reprise his role in the German remake of the series in 1975. Later, in 1982, Hauer portrayed Nazi mastermind Albert Speer in the acclaimed ABC television film "Inside the Third Reich." He appeared in another acclaimed television film, "Escape from Sobibor," in 1987; for his portrayal of Jewish Holocaust survivor Aleksandr Pechersky, he earned a Golden Globe Award nomination. Hauer continued appearing in television films throughout the 1990s, including "Wedlock," "Blind Side," "Voyage," "Amelia Earhart: The Final Flight," "Fatherland," and "Hostile Waters." For "Fatherland," he earned his second Golden Globe Award nomination.

In early 2000, Hauer appeared in the NBC fantasy miniseries "The 10th Kingdom," playing the huntsman of the Evil Queen. Over the next few years, he made guest appearances on the shows "Alias" and "Smallville," and starred in the TNT miniseries adaptation of "Salem's Lot." In 2005, Hauer appeared in the NBC television film adaptation of "The Poseidon Adventure," and in 2007 appeared in the Scottish television film "Starting Over," an adaptation of the Robin Pilcher novel. He went on to star in the miniseries "Flight of the Storks" in 2012. Following that, from 2013 to 2014, Hauer played the recurring role of Niall Brigant in the final two seasons of the HBO series "True Blood." He was subsequently in episodes of "Galavant," "The Last Kingdom," and "Mata Hari." Hauer's last two television roles were in the American horror anthology series "Channel Zero," in 2018, and on the British sitcom "Porters," from 2017 to 2019.

Personal Life and Death

With his first wife, Heidi Merz, Hauer had his only child, Ayesha. She became an actress. Hauer wed his second wife, Ineke ten Cate, in 1985; they had been together since 1968.

On July 19, 2019, Hauer passed away at his home in Beetsterzwaag, Friesland, Netherlands. A private funeral service was held five days later.