Peter Berg Net Worth

What is Peter Berg's Net Worth?

Peter Berg is an American actor, director, producer, and writer who has a net worth of $50 million. Peter Berg has established himself as a multifaceted talent in Hollywood, seamlessly transitioning between acting, directing, producing, and writing over a career spanning more than three decades. Berg initially gained recognition as an actor in the 1990s, most notably for his role as Dr. Billy Kronk in the medical drama series "Chicago Hope." However, it was his move behind the camera that would define his most significant contributions to the entertainment industry.

Berg's directorial breakthrough came with the 2004 sports drama "Friday Night Lights," which he adapted from H.G. Bissinger's book. Berg and Bissinger are second cousins. The film's success led to the critically acclaimed television series of the same name, which Berg executive produced and occasionally directed. This project showcased his ability to bring authentic, character-driven storytelling to both big and small screens.

As a director, Berg has developed a distinctive style that often explores themes of heroism, masculinity, and American values through a nuanced lens. His filmography includes action thrillers like "The Kingdom" (2007) and "Lone Survivor" (2013), the superhero film "Hancock" (2008) starring Will Smith, and disaster films such as "Deepwater Horizon" (2016) and "Patriots Day" (2016). These latter films, based on real-life tragedies, demonstrated Berg's skill at balancing spectacle with respectful portrayals of true events.

Berg has cultivated a productive creative partnership with actor Mark Wahlberg, collaborating on multiple projects that blend action with substantive storytelling. Through his production company, Film 44, Berg has expanded his influence across television and film.

Early Life

Peter Berg was born Peter Winkler Berg on March 11, 1964, in New York City. He grew up with a Christian mother, Sally, and a Jewish father, Laurence (a U.S. Marine), and he has a younger sister named Mary. Peter's second cousin is H. G. Bissinger, the author of the 1990 book "Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, and a Dream." Berg's mother worked at a psychiatric hospital, and she co-founded the youth group Catalog for Giving. Peter attended The Taft School in Watertown, Connecticut, and after graduating in 1980, he enrolled at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota, majoring in theater history and theater arts. He earned his degree in 1984 and moved to Los Angeles the following year.

Career

After moving to L.A., Berg found work as a production assistant, and he made both his film and television debut in 1988, appearing in the thriller "Miracle Mile" and an episode of "21 Jump Street." In 1989, he appeared in the films "Never on Tuesday," "Going Overboard," "Tale of Two Sisters," "Race for Glory," "Heart of Dixie," and "Shocker," followed by "Genuine Risk" (1990) "Late for Dinner" (1991), "Crooked Hearts" (1991), "A Midnight Clear" (1992), "Fire in the Sky" (1993), "The Last Seduction" (1994), and "Cop Land" (1997). His directorial debut was 1998's "Very Bad Things," which starred Cameron Diaz, Christian Slater, Daniel Stern, and Jeremy Piven. Peter created the TV series "Wonderland," which aired on ABC in 2000, and he directed the 2003 film "The Rundown," an action comedy starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Seann William Scott. He then directed 2004's "Friday Night Lights," and two years later, he developed the TV series of the same name and served as an executive producer on the show. Berg followed "Friday Night Lights" with the 2007 thriller "The Kingdom," which starred Jamie Foxx, Chris Cooper, and Jennifer Garner, whom he had previously worked with when he guest-starred on "Alias" in 2002.

Peter next directed Will Smith, Charlize Theron, and Jason Bateman in the 2008 superhero film "Hancock," which grossed $629.4 million at the box office. His 2009 Hulu ad featuring Alec Baldwin was named the best commercial of Super Bowl XLIII by "Time" magazine and "The New York Times," and that year, he also directed an ESPN documentary entitled "Kings Ransom." He wrote the 2010 action film "The Losers," and in 2012, he directed "Battleship," which brought in $303 million at the box office. Berg then directed the 2013 war film "Lone Survivor" (which he also wrote and produced) and two 2014 episodes of the HBO series "The Leftovers." In 2016, he directed the films "Deepwater Horizon" and "Patriots Day," then he directed and produced 2018's "Mile 22" and 2020's "Spenser Confidential. Peter has also produced several television projects, including HBO's "Ballers" (2015–2019) and the USA Network's "Dare Me" (2019). In March 2021, Berg's production company, Film 44, signed a first-look deal with Netflix.

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Personal Life

Peter married Elizabeth Rogers on August 28, 1993. They divorced in 1998. They have a son named Emmett. Berg dated model/actress Estella Warren from 2002 to 2006 and comedian Whitney Cummings from 2012 to 2013.

Caitlyn Jenner Comments

In 2015, Peter received criticism after he shared his displeasure with ESPN's decision to give Caitlyn Jenner the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. On Instagram, he posted a photo of Army veteran Gregory D. Gadson next to a photo of Jenner, writing, "One Man traded 2 legs for the freedom of the other to trade 2 balls for 2 boobs. Guess which Man made the cover of Vanity Fair, was praised for his courage by President Obama and is to be honored with the 'Arthur Ashe Courage Award' by ESPN?" Berg later wrote:

"I have the utmost respect for Caitlyn Jenner and I am a strong supporter of equality and the rights of trans people everywhere. I also believe that we don't give enough attention to our courageous returning war veterans, many of whom have sacrificed their bodies and mental health for our country and our principals — principals that include the freedom to live the life you want to live without persecution or abuse."

Awards and Nominations

Berg earned two Primetime Emmy nominations for "Friday Night Lights," Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series in 2007, and Outstanding Drama Series in 2011. He won a Fun Radio Trophy for "Very Bad Things" at the 1998 Deauville Film Festival, and "State of Play" earned a Sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Short Sports Documentary in 2017. In 2016, Peter and Mark Wahlberg were honored with a Spotlight Award from the National Board of Review for collaborating on "Patriots Day." The "Chicago Hope" cast was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 1996, 1997, and 1998, and Berg received Writers Guild of America Award nominations for New Series for "Friday Night Lights" (2007) and Best Adapted Screenplay for "Lone Survivor" (2014). "Lone Survivor" also earned him a Saturn Award for Best Director and a Satellite Award for Best Screenplay, Adapted.

Peter received two nominations from the Black Reel Awards for Television for "Ballers," Outstanding Comedy Series in 2017 and 2020. He has earned Online Film & Television Association Award nominations for "Chicago Hope" (Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series), "Friday Night Lights" (Best Writing in a Drama Series), and "Hell or High Water" (Best Picture). Berg also received an Awards Circuit Community Award nomination for Best Motion Picture for "Hell or High Water" and a Golden Eagle Award nomination for Best Foreign Film for "Hancock."

Real Estate

For over a decade, Peter has owned a mansion in LA's Brentwood neighborhood. In 2008, he bought a 2-acre plot of land in Montana's ultra-exclusive Yellowstone Club, a 13,000-acre private ski and golf community. He proceeded to build an extremely impressive 4,800-square-foot contemporary home that has majestic views of the Spanish Peaks mountain range. In October 2015, he listed the home for just under $7 million.

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