Net Worth Ranker
What Is Karen Allen’s Net Worth?
Karen Allen, the accomplished American actress and director, boasts a net worth of approximately $2 million. This valuation reflects her decades-long career in film, television, and theater, encompassing not only acting roles but also her endeavors in directing and her entrepreneurial pursuits.
Early Life and Education
Karen Allen was born on October 5, 1951, in Carrollton, Illinois, to Carroll, an FBI agent, and Ruth, a university professor. Due to the nature of her father’s profession, the family relocated frequently during her childhood. Karen attended DuVal High School in Maryland before pursuing higher education. She spent two years at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, where she studied art and design. Later, she attended George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and actively participated in the Washington Theatre Laboratory. In 1974, she joined Shakespeare & Company, a theatre group based in Massachusetts. Returning to New York City in 1977, she honed her acting skills under the tutelage of David Gideon at the Lee Strasberg Theater Institute.
Career Highlights and Earnings
Allen’s career took off in 1978 with appearances in both film and television. She debuted in “National Lampoon’s Animal House” and the TV movie “Lovey: A Circle of Children, Part II.” Subsequent roles in projects like the “Knots Landing” pilot (1979) and films such as “Manhattan” (1979), “The Wanderers” (1979), “Cruising” (1980), and “A Small Circle of Friends” (1980) further established her presence in the industry.
A significant turning point in Allen’s career came in 1981 when she portrayed Marion Ravenwood in Steven Spielberg’s “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” alongside Harrison Ford. The film achieved immense success, grossing $389.9 million worldwide against a $20 million budget. Her reprisal of the role in 2008’s “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” added to her financial success, with the film earning $790.7 million at the box office. While specific salary details for these films aren’t publicly available, it’s reasonable to assume they contributed substantially to her overall net worth.
Following her breakthrough role, Allen continued to work steadily in film, appearing in “Shoot the Moon” (1982), “Split Image” (1982), and “Starman” (1984). In “Starman”, she received a nomination for Best Actress at the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, further cementing her presence in the film industry. She also took on roles in “Until September” (1985), “Terminus” (1986), “Backfire” (1988), and “Animal Behavior” (1989). She also portrayed Laura Wingfield in the 1987 film adaptation of Tennessee Williams’ “The Glass Menagerie” and Claire Phillips in the 1988 Bill Murray comedy “Scrooged.” Again, the specifics of her earnings for these projects are not available in the public domain.
In 1990, Allen portrayed astronaut Christa McAuliffe in the TV movie “Challenger,” followed by appearances in films such as “Sweet Talker” (1991), “The Turning” (1992), “Malcolm X” (1992), “The Sandlot” (1993), “King of the Hill” (1993), “Ghost in the Machine” (1993), and “Falling Sky” (1998). She also featured in the TV movies “Secret Weapon” (1990), “Rapture” (1993), and “Voyage” (1993). Her work in these films and television movies contributed to her income, although specific financial figures are not accessible.
In 1994, she starred as Alison Matson in the CBS series “The Road Home”. Subsequent roles included guest appearances on “Law & Order” (1996) and “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (2001). She co-starred in the 2000 film “The Perfect Storm,” alongside George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, and Diane Lane. The movie grossed $328.7 million worldwide on a $140 million budget. In 2001, she also appeared in the independent drama “In the Bedroom,” which received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. The movie grossed $43 million on a $1.7 million budget. These projects further enhanced her financial standing, although specific salary details remain private.
Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, Allen continued to act in films such as “Briar Patch” (2003), “Poster Boy” (2004), and “When Will I Be Loved” (2004). She also appeared in TV movies like “My Horrible Year!” (2001) and “Shaka Zulu: The Citadel” (2001). Additionally, she lent her voice to the HBO movie “A Dog Year” (2009). Her role in the 2016 independent film “Year by the Sea” garnered her several awards. She directed the short film “A Tree. A Rock. A Cloud.” that same year, which won an award at the 2017 Manchester Film Festival. In 2019, she starred in the lead role in “Colewell,” and in 2020, she played Sheriff Stallings in three episodes of the Quibi anthology series “50 States of Fright.” She also co-starred with Amanda Seyfried in the horror film “Things Heard & Seen” in 2021. While these later roles may not have commanded the same level of compensation as her earlier work, they contributed to her ongoing income stream.
Directorial and Theatrical Ventures
Beyond her acting career, Allen has also directed several stage productions. These include Joan Ackermann’s “The Batting Cage” (2008), Michael Weller’s “Moonchildren” (2009; 2011), William Mastrisimone’s “Extremities” (2013), Lucy Thurber’s “Asheville” (2013), Terence McNally’s “Frankie & Johnny in the Clair de Lune” (2015), and John Patrick Shanley’s “Outside Mullingar” (2019). While the financial gains from these directorial endeavors are unlikely to be as substantial as her acting income, they have contributed to her overall earnings and demonstrate her diverse talents. Also, Allen won a Theatre World Award for a 1982 production of “Monday After the Miracle”.
Karen Allen Fiber Arts
In 2003, Allen launched Karen Allen Fiber Arts, a textile business based in Massachusetts. This venture reflects her artistic interests and entrepreneurial spirit. In 2009, the Fashion Institute of Technology awarded her an honorary master’s degree. While the specific revenue generated by Karen Allen Fiber Arts is not publicly available, it’s an additional source of income contributing to her net worth.
Real Estate
In 1988, Karen Allen purchased a 28-acre property in Sandisfield, Massachusetts, for $430,000. The property includes a home built in 1910. As of today, the property’s estimated value is just under $1 million. This real estate investment represents a significant portion of her assets and contributes to her overall net worth.
Awards and Recognition
Allen’s achievements have been recognized with numerous awards and nominations. She won a Saturn Award for Best Actress for “Raiders of the Lost Ark” in 1982 and received another nomination for “Starman” in 1985. Her performance in “Year by the Sea” earned her awards from various film festivals in 2016, including the Hamilton Film Festival, Naperville Independent Film Festival, Port Townsend Film Festival, Rhode Island International Film Festival, St. Louis International Film Festival, and Vail Film Festival. In 2017, “A Tree. A Rock. A Cloud.” was named Best International Short at the Manchester International Film Festival. She also received Film Independent Spirit Award nominations for “The Glass Menagerie” (1988) and “Colewell” (2020). While these awards and nominations don’t directly translate to financial gains, they enhance her reputation and potentially increase her earning potential.
Personal Life
Karen Allen married actor Kale Browne on May 1, 1988. They had a son, Nicholas, on September 14, 1990. Allen and Browne divorced in June 1998. Her son Nicholas is a chef who won the Food Network’s “Chopped” competition in 2016. Information about any spousal support or asset division resulting from the divorce is not publicly available.
