Celebrity
Natascha McElhone Net Worth
Natascha McElhone has built a career spanning over 30 years in theatre, film and television.
Natascha McElhone is a renowned British actress known for roles in films like Ronin, The Truman Show, and Solaris, as well as the Showtime series Californication.
With a career spanning over 30 years in theater, film, and television, she has garnered praise for her acting chops and versatility as a performer.
Today, we take a closer look at her body of work and how it has contributed to her current financial standing as an actress with international acclaim.
At 53 years old, she boasts an impressive acting resume that will likely further add to her accumulating wealth.
Natascha McElhone net worth and career
McElhone has built an impressive net worth of $5 million through her successful acting career spanning over 30 years. Born in Surrey, England, in 1969, she got her start in theater, starring in productions like Richard III and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Her breakout film role came in 1996 when she co-starred with Anthony Hopkins in Surviving Picasso. Other major box office hits have included The Truman Show, The Devil’s Own, Ronin, and Solaris.
On television, McElhone is best known for her leading role as Karen van der Beek on the Showtime series Californication from 2007-2014.
Natascha McElhone and Jim Carrey in ‘The Truman Show’ (Source: IMDb)
She has also had pivotal roles in the NBC miniseries Revelations and the ABC political drama Designated Survivor.
More recently, in 2022, she portrayed Penelope Knatchbull in season 5 of the acclaimed show The Crown.
Though she keeps details of her finances private, it’s clear acting continues to be a lucrative career for the British actress.
Coming off recent roles in buzzworthy shows like The First and The Crown, McElhone continues to expand her wealth and fame through compelling portrayals that intrigue critics and audiences alike.
Natascha McElhone’s story behind her film debut
A fateful rainy night while performing in a production of Richard III at the Open Air Theatre in London proved lucky for a young McElhone.
Unbeknownst to her, esteemed director James Ivory was in attendance to scout her for a role in his upcoming film Surviving Picasso.
Though they had briefly met weeks earlier, she failed to recognize Ivory later at the theater bar and rather boldly directed him to sit elsewhere while she fetched drinks.
Mortified upon realizing her blunder, she nevertheless made an impression on him, who offered her the pivotal part of Picasso’s lover and muse, Françoise Gilot.
Despite McElhone’s relative inexperience, at just 24 years old, she more than rose to the challenge of her big screen debut, starring opposite acting giant Anthony Hopkins.
Anthony Hopkins and Natascha McElhone in ‘Surviving Picasso’ (Source: IMDb)
Though initially intimidated by the prospect, she credits her lifelong passion for acting with easing her into Picasso’s storied world, allowing her to immerse in the complex role fully.
Glowing reviews soon solidified her as a natural talent, and she quickly built up an impressive Hollywood resume.
From her fateful, muddy introduction to Ivory, she showed both tenacity and vulnerability that ultimately landed her breakthrough role in Surviving Picasso.
That star-making performance then cleared the path for an ascendant career in the spotlight spanning over 30 years and counting.
Her journey shows that sometimes just a touch of fortune and the courage to capitalize is all one needs to see their wildest dreams realized.
Natascha McElhone fits work around family
After the heartbreaking loss of her husband, Martin Kelly, in 2008, McElhone found herself a single mother to three young sons – Theodore, Otis, and newborn Rex.
Still, deep in grief, she poured her emotions into the cathartic memoir After You, chronicling intimate letters to her late husband.
Though open about her painful journey, her main focus remained on nurturing family and stability for her children during this traumatic transition.
The actress is fiercely devoted to her three boys, emphasizing in interviews that they are the true center of her world.
Natascha McElhone with her three sons (Source: The Telegraph)
She structures her entire schedule around maximizing time together, with work commitments fitting neatly within school hours and family routines.
Whether managing household needs or reminiscing fondly about their father, McElhone’s dedication never wavers.
Her sons remain blissfully “disinterested” in their famous mom’s career, simply seeing her as the reliable constant guiding their daily lives.
Despite her flourishing acting resume across prestigious films and television shows, McElhone sees motherhood as her most vital role.
Through grief, joy, and everyday mundanities, she strives to provide a loving foundation so her sons can thrive as individuals.
Natascha McElhone’s new project ‘Hotel Portfino’
McElhone’s latest leading role is in the new British period drama Hotel Portofino, set in an idyllic Italian resort town in 1926. She plays Bella Ainsworth, a British expat who has married into an aristocratic yet cash-poor family.
After spending years renovating a cliffside hotel, Bella hopes the business will provide financial security for her husband and children.
However, running the hotel proves challenging as the family deals with deception, corruption, and the looming rise of fascism in Italy.
Creator Walter Iuzzolino aimed to draw subtle parallels to current populism while prioritizing an escapist tone. He seduces audiences with gorgeous scenery, lavish costuming, and romantic storylines between the English staff and wealthy clientele.
Reviews compare it to a mashup of lighthearted shows like The Durrells and Room with a View infused with the soapy intrigue of The White Lotus. For McElhone, playing Bella caps a streak of aristocratic roles after recently portraying a countess on The Crown.
Though it deals with weightier themes, Hotel Portofino’s glamorous setting provides a much-needed change of pace from her “polar opposite” turn battling aliens in the gritty sci-fi series Halo.
Early reviews praise the stunning production design and cinematography yet critique predictable plotting and thin characterization.
Still, critics conclude its escapist qualities and McElhone’s strong lead performance make this sufficiently diverting eye candy for period drama fans.