What Was Sean Connery Net Worth When He Died?

Sir Sean Connery, a legendary Scottish actor and producer, had a net worth of $350 million at the time of his death in 2020. Best known for his portrayal of James Bond, Connery’s illustrious career spanned decades, earning him an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, and a BAFTA Award. Over his career, he starred in over 70 films, including “The Untouchables” (1987), “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” (1989), and “The Hunt for Red October” (1990). Connery appeared in seven James Bond movies, frequently hailed as the best actor to play the iconic role. He was also celebrated as “The Greatest Living Scotsman” during his life. In July 2000, Queen Elizabeth II knighted Connery. He passed away on October 31, 2020, at the age of 90.

Lord of the Rings Mistake

Connery is known for one of the most significant missed opportunities in film history. He famously turned down the role of Gandalf in the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. Before the films became a massive success, they were considered a risky venture for New Line Cinema with a $281 million budget. To secure a major star, the producers offered Connery $10 million per film and 15% of the box office earnings for all three movies. Connery declined, citing he “did not understand the script.” The trilogy went on to gross $3 billion worldwide, meaning Connery would have earned an estimated $450 million from his 15% share.

Early Life

Thomas Sean Connery was born on August 25, 1930, in Fountainbridge, Edinburgh, Scotland. His mother, Euphemia, worked as a laundress, and his father, Joseph, was a truck driver and factory worker. Connery, known as “Tommy” in his youth, became a big brother at age eight when his brother Neil was born. He enjoyed playing tag and soccer and excelled in math at Tollcross Elementary School. Connery left school at 13 to work at a dairy and joined the Royal Navy at 16. He was discharged at 19 due to stomach ulcers. After his service, Connery worked various jobs, including bricklaying, coal shoveling, and modeling for the Edinburgh Art School. He joined the Dunedin Weightlifting Club and competed in the Mr. Universe contest in 1953, placing third in the tall men’s division. A casting director noticed him and cast Connery in a London production of “South Pacific,” which ignited his passion for acting.

Sean Connery Career

Connery appeared in numerous theater productions before landing his first television role in a 1956 episode of “Dixon of Dock Green.” His film debut came with “No Road Back” in 1957. He gained major roles in “Another Time, Another Place” (1957), “Darby O’Gill and the Little People” (1958), and “Macbeth” (1961). In 1962, Connery took on the role of British secret agent James Bond in “Dr. No.” He continued to play Bond in “From Russia with Love” (1963), “Goldfinger” (1964), “Thunderball” (1965), “You Only Live Twice” (1967), “Diamonds Are Forever” (1971), and “Never Say Never Again” (1983). Connery was paid $16,000 for “Dr. No,” $1.25 million for “Diamonds Are Forever,” and $3 million for “Never Say Never Again.” He reprised his role as Bond in 2005 for the “From Russia with Love” video game.

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Connery also starred in “Murder on the Orient Express” (1974), “The Man Who Would Be King” (1975), “Highlander” (1986), and “Finding Forrester” (2000), among others. He donated his $250,000 salary from “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves” (1991) to charity. His last film before retirement was “The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen” (2003). Post-retirement, he voiced the title role in the animated feature “Sir Billi” (2012) and narrated “Ever to Excel,” a documentary about St Andrews University.

Personal Life

Connery married actress Diane Cilento in 1962, and they had a son, Jason, born in January 1963. They separated in 1971. Connery married painter Micheline Roquebrune in 1975, and they remained together until his death. He had an affair with pop star Lynsey de Paul in 1989.

Connery was passionate about golf and owned the Domaine de Terre Blanche in France, later sold and turned into a luxury golf resort. He trained in martial arts, earning a black belt in Kyokushin karate, and supported Rangers F.C., a Scottish Premiership football club.

Sean Connery Awards and Honors

Connery won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for “The Untouchables” (1988). He also received the Henrietta Award for World Film Favorite (1972) and the Cecil B. DeMille Award (1996). Throughout his career, Connery earned 38 major awards, including Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, the American Film Institute, and the European Film Awards. He was honored with a Kennedy Center Honor in 1999, voted “Scotland’s Greatest Living National Treasure” in a 2011 EuroMillions survey, and named “People” magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive” in 1989 and “Sexiest Man of the Century” in 1999.

Real Estate

In 1999, Connery and his wife sold their home in Marbella, Spain, for €6.4 million. Luxury apartments were later built on the site, leading to an investigation for alleged tax evasion. While Connery was cleared of wrongdoing, Micheline was charged with tax property fraud. Connery also owned homes in Greece and the Bahamas, where King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands was his neighbor, sharing a helicopter platform.

Sean Connery Net Worth

Sean Connery net worth was $350 million when he died in 2020.