Mario Cain Van Peebles was born on the 15th January 1957, in Mexico City, Mexico. He is an American actor and film director, well-known for directing “New Jack City” in 1991, “Posse” in 1993, “Panther” in 1995, and “Love Kills” in 1998. In addition to directing, Van Peebles also had notable acting parts in “New Jack City” (1991), “Ali” (2001), and “Baadasssss” (2003). Both acting and directing have helped him to become a millionaire. Mario has been active since 1971.
Have you ever wondered how rich Mario Van Peebles is, as of mid- 2016? According to authoritative sources, Van Peebles’ estimated net worth is $8 million, earning a significant amount by directing movies for both TV and cinema, and also as an actor.
Mario Van Peebles Net Worth $8 Million
Mario Van Peebles was born to Maria Marx, a German photographer and actress, and Melvin Van Peebles, an award-winning writer, director, and actor. His parents divorced when he was still young, so Mario and his sister went to San Francisco to live with their mom. Mario matriculated from Saint Thomas More School in Connecticut in 1974, and in the next four years attended Columbia University, from where he graduated in 1978 with a bachelors degree in economics.
Mario’s father profoundly influenced his decision to pursue an acting career, and even landed him his debut in his film “Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song” in 1971. Although it was a small part, it was enough for Mario to continue with acting after graduating from the college. In 1981, Melvin Van Peebles wrote and directed the Broadway play “Waltz of the Stork,” in which both he and Mario played. Meantime, Mario studied acting with Stella Adler while working as a photographer and model to pay for his bills. Posing for numerous magazines also generated a solid amount of money for him.
Van Peebles cameo in Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Cotton Club” in 1984 was the real beginning. In the same year, he played a villain in Mark Buntzman’s “Exterminator 2”, but he was also a regular on the TV series “One Life to Live” (1982-1983). 1986 was a success for Mario, as he appeared in Clint Eastwood’s drama “Heartbreak Ridge”, and after that in “Jaws: The Revenge” (1987), “New Jack City” (1991) starring Wesley Snipes, “Posse” (1993) with Stephen Baldwin and Billy Zane, “Panther” (1995), and “Love Kills” (1998) with Daniel Baldwin and Lesley Ann Warren.
Mario played Malcolm X in the 2001 biopic “Ali”, starring Will Smith. In 2003, he wrote, directed, produced, and starred in the biography “Baadasssss,” based on his father Melvin and his struggles within the film industry in the early 70s. He has now directed more than ten films, including “New Jack City” (1991), Posse (1991), “Panther” (1995), “Gang in Blue” (1996), “Love Kills” (1998), “How to Get the Man’s Foot Outta Your Ass” (2003), and “Hard Luck” (2006). Some of these movies had success at the box office, which added to his net worth.
Mario Van Peebleshas won numerous awards, including Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture for “Heartbreak Ridge” in 1984, Silver Leopard at Locarno International Film Festival for “Panther” in 1995, and Black Reel Award for Best Director for “How to Get the Man’s Foot Outta Your Ass” in 2005.
In his personal life, Mario is married to Chitra Sukhu Van Peebles, an Indo-Guyanese children’s yoga expert and author, andthe pair has five children. He was previously married to Lisa Vitello, with whom he has two children.
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