Laurence Fishburne is a successful American actor, producer, film director, screenwriter and play write. The 59 year old has worked in theater, television and film since he was a teenager. He has won several awards throughout his career including a Tony Award, Emmy Awards, Saturn Award and NAACP Image Awards.
Today Fishburne owns a production company, Cinema Gypsy Productions. He continues to write, produce, direct and act in films and television, and he writes and works in theater. Fishburne's current net worth is $30 million. Here's how Lawrency Fishburne achieved a net worth of $30 million.
He was born in Georgia but grew up in Brooklyn
Laurence John Fishburne III was born and spent his early life in Augusta, Georgia. He was born on July 30, 1961 to Hatti Bell and Laurence Fishburne Jr. Hatti worked as a math and science teacher. Laurence Jr. worked as a corrections officer.
The Fishburnes divorced while Laurence was young and he moved to Brooklyn, New York with his mother. His father spent time with him once a month. It was in New York City that Larry Fishburne was drawn to the theater.
He grew up watching Soul Buddyz Club. The group performed educational morality plays with themes of how to prevent HIV and AIDS. Fishburne studied theater at New York City's Lincoln Square Academy.
Early Career
Larry Fishburne, as he was known back then, performed in his first play, "In My Memory" when he was just 10 years old. When he was 12 years old, Fishburne got a role in as Joshua Hall in the ABC soap opera "One Life to Live". Lying about his age, using his full name Laurence Fishburne, got the role of Tyrone "Clean" Miller "Mr. Clean" in 1977 (Apocalypse Now (1979) - IMDb) he was just 14.
The Francis Ford Coppola epic film about the Vientnam War called for a 17 year old for the role. Delayed production meant that Laurence was actually 17 years old when the film was finished. While auditioning for film and television roles during the 1980's, Fishburne worked as a bouncer at New York City punk rock clubs.
He appeared in episodes of MASH and Spenser For Hire. He became a recurring character, Cowboy Curtis, on Paul Reubens' "Pee-Wee's Playhouse". Fishburne appeared in several films during the 1980's including The Color Purple, Death Wish 2, The Cotton Club, A Nightmare on Elm Street 3, Quicksilver with Keven Bacon, Red Heat and Spike Lee's School Dayz. Fishburne also worked in the theater 1984's Short Eyes and 1987's Loose Ends.
Award Winning Performances
Working steadily during the late 1980's, Laurence Fishburne had established himself as a solid Hollywood and stage actor. In 1991 he had a role in King of New York. The following year he was in John Singleton's critically acclaimed Boyz In the Hood. In 1992 Laurence Fishburne won both a Tony Award and an Emmy Award.
He won the Tony for his role as Sterling in the August Wilson play Two Trains Running (Laurence Fishburne wins 1992 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play - YouTube). The Emmy Award was for Fishburne's role in televisions The Box. One of Fishburne's most memorable roles was as Ike Turner in 1993's "What's Love Got to Do With It", the movie based on Tina Turner's biography. Fishburne earned an Oscar nomination.
It was one of several collaborations with Angela Bassett who played Tina Turner in the film. Fishburne earned an Image Award for his role in 1995's Higher Learning. Never straying far from the theater, Fishburn played the lead role in Othello that same year. His next biggest movie was in 1999's The Matrix.
Post 1999
He played Morpheus, Keanu Reeve's Neo's mentor in the science fiction film and in the sequals. Fishburne earned $15 million for The Matrix films. That same year, Fishburne was in Mission Impossible III with Tom Cruise. Fishburne continued to have a successful state and film career acting, writing and producing.
In 2008 he played Thurgood Marshall on the stage. He also began working on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation where he remained in a regular role through 2011 and earned $350,000 per episode. Fishburne was in 2010's Predators and 2011's Contagion. He was in 2013's Superman Man of Steel and the series Hannibal which he earned $175,000 per episode.
Fishburne is an executive producer for televisions Blackish and its spin-off Grown-ish. He has a recurring role as Pops on Blackish. Fishburne most recently had roles in the films Jack Wick Chapter 2, Last Flag Flying and Marval's Ant Man and the Wasp. In 2019 Fishburne received the Gregory Peck Lifetime Achievement Award at the San Diego Film Festival.
He received the NAACP Theater Awards for Lifetime Achievement in 2005.
Philanthropy
Laurence Fishburne is a strong supporter of many charity organizations. He has always felt that it is important to give back to his community and the world. He is a Global Ambassador for UNICEF and takes many mission trips throughout Africa on behalf of the organization. He feels strongly about helping with issues that affect children in Africa and throughout the world. He has received the UNICEF Award. Fishburne also works with 21st Century Leaders' Artists for a New South Africa that sponsors cancer research.
Personal Life
Laurence Fishburne has married and divorced twice and has three children whom he is very close with. He married Hajna Moss in 1985. They have two children together, Langston who was born in 1987 and Montana who was born in 1991. Laurence and Hajna divorced in the 1990's.
In 2002 he married Gina Torres. They have a daughter together, Delilah who was born in 2007. Gina and Laurence divorced in 2018. Fishburne currently has homes in Hollywood, California and the Washington Heights area of New York City. A fan of Brazilian author Paulo Coelho, Fishburne is working on the production of a film based on Coelho's novel "The Alchemist".
He also is the co-creator and executive producer of "Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur", an animated television series with Disney and Marvel Animation.
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