Wesley Snipes quickly became one of the biggest actors in the U.S. in the ‘90s, thanks to the success of his breakthrough role in 1989’s Major League starring Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, and Margaret Whitton.
The movie’s financial success helped the 59-year-old get a tonne of acting roles, which seemed to indicate indisputable evidence that Snipes had developed into a highly sought-after actor.
The Florida-born Blade star began to garner more attention for his antics than for his films at some point during his successful tenure in Hollywood. By the late ’90s, his films had gone from being well-praised to receiving harsh criticism from critics who thought Snipes had lost his winning formula.
He was eventually alleged to have been blackballed after a succession of box office duds due to reports that he was challenging to work with on set and frequently disparaged Hollywood and its politics. And to make matters worse, he ultimately received a prison sentence for tax evasion. So what is Snipes’ current market value?
What Is Wesley Snipes’s Net Worth and Salary?
| Net Worth: | $10 Million |
| Date of Birth: | Jul 31, 1962 (60 years old) |
| Place of Birth: | Orlando |
| Gender: | Male |
Without a question, Snipes was quite successful in the film industry. Snipes has starred in many movies that didn’t do well financially, yet he still managed to draw large crowds to some of his other movies, like the Blade trilogy.
It was impressive for an actor who had starred in so many duds at that point in his career that the first installment, released in 1998, brought in a staggering $130 million worldwide. It seemed like fans hadn’t given up on Snipes just yet, especially since he was portraying a half-vampire, half-mortal superhero at the time.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Snipes’ current net worth is just over $10 million, with the majority of his earnings coming from his work in the film industry.
Snipes was quite outspoken about his difficulties finding acting work in Hollywood throughout the ’90s. He was determined during an interview with writer Jae-Ha Kim that he wouldn’t accept parts to play less admirable characters just because of his skin tone.
“I worry that some people could interpret my remarks about not wanting to play “stereotypical” roles as never agreeing to play a gang member or drug lord again. “That’s untrue because I’ll accept a wonderful job even if the character turns out to be a pimp. Because it’s acceptable, African-Americans frequently play worthless characters in scripts, even when the characters have no other redeeming qualities.”
Continuing, The Demolition Man said: “It’s somewhat comparable to the Hollywood comparison of attractive women being handed roles where they are either nude or are essentially window dressing. Because it is not the norm, I don’t want discrimination to ever become accepted.
Snipes, who was at the height of his career at the time, was still able to land notable roles in films like Sugar Hill and Jungle Fever despite the controversy surrounding his remarks at the time.
Yet it’s thought that his comments about being a typecast actor may not have gone over too well with Hollywood heavyweights.
Wesley Snipes’s Early Life
On July 31st, 1962, Wesley Trent Snipes was born. He was born in Florida, although he spent his formative years in New York City. He moved back to Orlando before finishing high school after enrolling in a performing arts school in New York.
While Snipes was obviously drawn to the performing arts from a young age, he was also very active in martial arts. The actor started dedicating his life to the sport of fighting at the age of 12.
Throughout his youth, Wesley Snipes would keep moving throughout the country. He moved back to Orlando to finish high school and then went back to New York once more to finish college. He eventually made his way to Los Angeles to enroll in Southwest College.
Wesley Snipes: From Debut to Stardom
Wesley Snipes entered the film profession after attending college in Los Angeles. He didn’t take long to get noticed by an agency and start getting opportunities. With the film Wildcats, he made his debut as a significant actor, and success would soon follow.
He gained notoriety thanks to a cameo on the Miami Vice television series and his part in the legendary Michael Jackson “Bad” music video. Snipes portrayed Jackson’s adversary in this music video, and director Spike Lee couldn’t help but notice.
Snipes received roles in movies like Mo’ Better Blues and Jungle Fever after teaming up with Spike Lee. Wesley Snipes was undoubtedly a versatile actor, but he also tended to play a certain kind, usually a drug dealer or a criminal boss.
These kinds of characters were played by the actor in films like New Jack City and Sugar Hill. Snipes was awarded a part in the movie Kings of New York as well.
Wesley Snipes went more towards action films after becoming a force to be reckoned with, providing him the chance to display his true martial arts prowess.
He appeared in movies including Passenger 57, Money Train, The Fan, U.S. Marshalls, Rising Sun, and maybe most notably Demolition Man with Sylvester Stallone during this time in his career. But, around this time, Snipes also displayed his comedic skills in movies like To Wong Foo and White Guys Can’t Jump.
Prisons And Tax Problems
Wesley Snipes was accused of conspiracy to defraud the US government and another count of filing a false claim for payment against the US in 2006, just two years after the debut of Blade Trilogy. Six further counts of failing to file tax returns were also brought against him.
According to the conspiracy accusations, Snipes submitted false tax returns in order to receive refunds totaling tens of millions of dollars. Snipes was also accused of not filing tax returns from 1999 to 2004. Snipes earned $37.9 million from his acting career between 1996 and 2004, yet it appears that no taxes were paid during that entire period.
Snipes was cleared of all criminal charges in 2008. He was, nevertheless, found responsible for three misdemeanor charges of neglecting to submit tax returns. The actor was thus given a three-year prison term and was freed in 2013. He was placed under home arrest for the remainder of his sentence. Wesley was sentenced to a prison term and ordered to pay the IRS $17 million in back taxes, interest, and penalties.
Life After Release From Prison
Wesley Snipes returned to acting right away after being freed, landing a part in The Expendables 3. Moreover, he has made appearances in the films Chi-Raq and Dolemite is My Name. Wesley Snipes was reportedly participating in the movie Coming 2 America in 2020.
Projects Outside of Acting
Wesley Snipes has his own security business as well. The company focused on employing staff with law enforcement and martial arts backgrounds because its business was VIP security. A Big and Mighty Walk: Dr. John Henrik Clarke was one of the movies made by Wesley Snipes’ own production business.
Personal Life
There are five kids born to Wesley Snipes. April Snipes, his first wife, gave birth to his first son. Wesley Snipes wed painter Nikki Park in 2003. Together, the couple has four kids. Although being brought up as a Christian, Snipes switched to Islam in 1978. He abandoned the faith ten years later.
Conclusion
Wesley Snipes’ estimated net worth as of March 2023 is $10 million. American martial artist, novelist, director, and actor Wesley Snipes hails from Florida.
His notable cinematic roles include those in “New Jack City,” “White Guys Can’t Jump,” “Passenger 57,” “Demolition Man,” and the Blade trilogy of movies based on the Marvel Comics character.
Chakshu Kaur is a talented content writer for Landscape Insight who specializes in writing about celebrity news, net worth, and the latest updates. She enjoys watching web series, which makes her the ideal fit for our entertainment category. You can reach Chakshu at – [email protected] or on Our website Contact Us Page.
