Nick Nolte Net Worth

What Is Nick Nolte's Net Worth and Salary?

Nick Nolte is an American actor who has a net worth of $50 million. Nick Nolte's career spans over five decades, marked by intense performances, rugged charisma, and a willingness to take on emotionally complex roles. He first gained widespread recognition in 1976 with the ABC miniseries "Rich Man, Poor Man", which earned him instant stardom and a Golden Globe nomination. Nolte solidified his leading man status in the 1980s with films like "North Dallas Forty", "48 Hrs." (opposite Eddie Murphy), and "Down and Out in Beverly Hills", showcasing his versatility in both dramatic and comedic roles.

Throughout the 1990s, Nolte became known for playing flawed, world-weary characters in critically acclaimed films such as "The Prince of Tides" (1991), which earned him his first Academy Award nomination, and "Affliction" (1997), which brought him a second. His gravelly voice, weathered looks, and emotional intensity made him a go-to actor for roles requiring a mix of vulnerability and volatility.

In the 2000s and 2010s, Nolte's career took on a more character-actor flavor. He received his third Oscar nomination for "Warrior" (2011) and gained critical praise for his work in "The Thin Red Line", "Hotel Rwanda", and the TV series "Graves". He also lent his voice to animated features and continued working in both film and television.

While Nolte's off-screen life included legal troubles and battles with addiction—most notably his infamous 2002 mugshot—he ultimately managed to rehabilitate his public image and continued acting well into his seventies. His body of work reflects a career driven by intensity, risk-taking, and emotional honesty, making him one of the most respected and enduring actors of his generation.

Early Life

Nick Nolte was born on February 8, 1941, in Omaha, Nebraska. Raised alongside an older sister, Nick attended elementary school in Waterloo before enrolling in high school in Omaha. During his high school years, Nolte became the kicker for the school football team but was later expelled after a beer-related incident. Despite his disciplinary issues, Nolte still graduated in 1959.

After high school, he attended several universities, including Pasadena City College, Arizona State University, Eastern Arizona College, and Phoenix College. In many cases, he attended these institutions on various sports scholarships. Nolte continued to play football throughout his college years, becoming a tight end and a defensive end. He also became a successful baseball and basketball player.

Sports were always Nolte's focus, and his academic performances failed to match his success in athletics. After his grades began to slip to the point of no return, Nick shifted his attention towards the world of theatre and left college. He first became involved with the Pasadena Playhouse before attending the Stella Adler Academy in Los Angeles. During this early period, Nolte traveled the nation, working for several regional theatres.

(Photo by Bob Riha, Jr./Getty Images)

Career

Some of Nick's earliest work was as a model. In 1972, he posed for a national advertisement for a jean shirt for Clairol. He first gained recognition as an actor after appearing in the miniseries "Rich Man, Poor Man." This sparked the beginning of his film career, which spanned over forty different films. His trademark gravelly voice became one of his defining features, and he later attributed this to "thick vocal cords."

After more TV appearances in series like "Griff" and "Barnaby Jones," Nolte went on to star in television films like "Winter Kill" and "Adams of Eagle Lake." During the '70s, he starred in feature films like "The Deep," "Who'll Stop the Rain," and "North Dallas Forty." Throughout the '80s, Nick continued his film career with roles in films like "48 Hrs.," "Under Fire," "Down and Out in Beverly Hills," "Extreme Prejudice," "Grace Quigley," and "Another 48 Hrs."

During the '90s, Nick started to gain recognition for his acting work, starting with an Academy Award nomination for his role in the 1991 film "The Prince of the Tides." Further roles in the '90s included "Cape Fear," "Lorenzo's Oil," "Affliction," "Jefferson in Paris," and "Afterglow." During this period, he gained recognition for his role in the war film "The Thin Red Line."

During the 2000s, Nolte followed up with roles in movies like "Clean," "Hotel Rwanda," "Peaceful Warrior," "Warrior," and the Ben Stiller comedy "Tropic Thunder." He also continued his television career with appearances in series like "Luck." In the 2010s, Nick appeared in movies such as "Parker," "A Walk in the Woods," and "Return to Sender." During this period, he landed television roles in series like FX's "Graves" and Disney+'s "The Mandalorian."

Larry Busacca/Getty Images

Relationships

Nick has been engaged to several women over the years, including Sheila Page, Sharyn Haddad, and Rebecca Linger. During his relationship with Linger, he and his partner welcomed a child into the world. Nolte then married Clytie Lane in 2016, and the pair had a child together. Outside of these relationships, Nolte has dated numerous celebrities, including Debra Winger and Vicki Lewis.

Legal Issues

Throughout the years, Nick Nolte has developed a reputation for being somewhat wild and unruly, and he has dealt with many legal issues over the course of his career. His first major run-in with the law came in 1965 when he was arrested for selling counterfeit documents. To Nolte's relief, the court ruled in his favor and suspended the 45-year prison sentence and $75,000 fine he was facing.

On the other hand, Nick had still been convicted of a felony, and this made it impossible for him to serve during the Vietnam War. While many young men his age were doing everything they could to avoid the draft and the war, military service was something Nick aspired to. He has since revealed that he feels "incomplete" as a result of not going to Vietnam.

In 2002, Nolte was arrested for a DUI in Malibu. It was later determined that he was under the influence of GHB, a powerful drug. He subsequently checked himself into a counseling center and pleaded no contest to his DUI charge. He was given three years of probation and was ordered to complete alcohol and drug testing. Over the next few years, he completed counseling while going in for random drug tests.

Substance Abuse

Following his arrest for Driving Under the Influence, it was revealed that Nick Nolte had been struggling with substance abuse for most of his life. His struggle began when he was very young, and at that point, he was abusing only alcohol. Although he managed to live a sober lifestyle for almost 10 years, he went back to drinking in the late '90s. He became sober once again after his 2002 arrest, and in 2018, he reported that he was still "clean," with the exception of prescription drugs.

Real Estate

In 2014, Nick Nolte sold his Malibu estate for $3.9 million. At first glance, it seemed to many media sources that Nick had accepted a massive loss, as he previously set an asking price of $8.25 million – more than double what he walked away with. However, it was later revealed that his original listing included an adjacent 3-acre property that Nolte kept for himself in the end. This means that the 2014 deal was only for one property, while the previous listing at $8.25 million was for a much more extensive estate. In terms of the property he did sell, Nick parted with a four-bedroom home that includes a swimming pool, Italian marble floors, and stone fireplaces.

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