Rowan Atkinson Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What is Rowan Atkinson’s Net Worth?

With a net worth of $150 million, Rowan Atkinson is a notable actor, screenwriter, and comedian. Highly acclaimed as a master of physical comedy, he is most famous for his role as “Mr. Bean.” In addition to this character, Atkinson has taken on various roles that highlight his diverse comedic talents. He is also recognized for his work in theater.

In his personal life, Rowan is passionate about collecting cars, boasting an impressive collection of luxury sports vehicles. Notably, he once owned a McLaren F1, which he famously crashed on two occasions. He sold this McLaren for $12 million, and further details about this car and his collection will follow later in this article.

Early Life

Born on January 6th, 1955, in Consett, England, Rowan Atkinson grew up in an Anglican farming family with two brothers, while a third brother passed away in his childhood. He excelled academically, enabling him to attend Newcastle University where he graduated with a degree in electrical engineering. Atkinson further pursued his education by obtaining an MSc in Electrical Engineering from The Queen’s College, Oxford in 1978.

Despite the initial aim of pursuing a doctorate, Atkinson soon found himself drawn to acting. By this period, he had already begun writing sketches for a comedy group at Oxford and participated in the Oxford University Dramatic Society.

Career

Rowan Atkinson’s career in entertainment commenced with radio, where in 1979 he produced a one-man radio show entitled The Atkinson People, interviewing various characters that he actually portrayed himself, demonstrating his remarkable voice-acting abilities. He also made his television debut in Canned Laughter and later hosted the satirical news program Not the Nine O’Clock News. Additionally, his presence in the theater gained recognition through a performance in The Secret Policeman’s Ball with members of Monty Python.

The year 1983 marked a significant milestone in Atkinson’s career when he secured the lead role in the beloved television series Black Adder. This year also featured his film debut in Never Say Never Again, an unofficial James Bond film, as well as a role in the short film Dead on Time. Continuing his theatrical pursuits, Atkinson performed in The Nerd in 1984, alongside a ten-year-old Christian Bale.

After enduring substantial delays due to budget issues, the second season of Black Adder finally premiered in 1986. This became Atkinson’s focus for several years, as the series transitioned from Black Adder II in 1987 to Black Adder Goes Forth in 1989. The series gained acclaim as one of the most beloved British comedies in history. As Black Adder approached its conclusion, Atkinson made an appearance in the movie The Tall Guy.

In 1990, Rowan Atkinson took another significant leap forward in his career as it marked the debut of the beloved character Mr. Bean to the public through a TV special. Following this event, Mr. Bean became a consistent presence on television until 1995, when Atkinson began creating films featuring the character. That same year, he appeared in the film The Witches, and subsequently starred in the parody Hot Shots! Part Deux.

By 1994, Rowan Atkinson solidified his presence in the film industry with two key roles. One was as a comical vicar in Four Weddings and a Funeral, and the other was voicing Zazu in Disney’s The Lion King. In addition, he performed the song “I Can’t Wait To Be King” for the beloved film.

In 1995, Atkinson made his return to television with a recurring role in the sitcom The Thin Blue Line, continuing until 1996. By 1997, he was set to launch his first movie based on Mr. Bean. The film Bean proved successful at the box office, making over $250 million against an $18 million budget. The following years were relatively quiet for Atkinson until he appeared in the 2001 movie Rat Race. The next year, he joined the cast of Scooby-Doo and initiated an animated series of Mr. Bean that lasted until 2019. In 2003, he added to his film credits with a role in Love Actually. This year also witnessed the launch of the Johnny English film series, where Atkinson parodied the character of James Bond. The films included Johnny English Strikes Back and Johnny English Strikes Again, each earning approximately $160 million, totaling almost $480 million across all three. In 2005, he returned to film with the crime comedy Keeping Mum.

Rowan Atkinson released his second Mr. Bean film, Mr. Bean’s Holiday, in 2007. Like its predecessor, it achieved impressive box office success, grossing over $232 million on a modest budget. In 2009, he made a comeback to theater, participating in a production of Oliver! His theatrical endeavors continued in 2013 with a role in Quarantine’s Terms. Additionally, from 2016 to 2017, he starred in a brief, four-part series titled Maigret.

Moreover, Rowan Atkinson has made numerous guest appearances on various television shows, including Late Night With Conan O’Brien, Doctor Who, and Horrible Histories. He also featured in commercials for brands like M&Ms, Snickers, and Nissan.

Personal Life

Rowan Atkinson wed Sunetra Sastry in 1990, and they welcomed two children before divorcing in 2015. The same year, he began dating comedian Louise Ford, and they welcomed a child together in 2017.

Car Collection

Rowan Atkinson is an avid car enthusiast and has taken part in numerous races throughout the years. His impressive collection includes a Honda NSX, Jaguar Mk7, Aston Martin DB2, vintage Ford Falcon, a 1939 BMW 328, and a Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe. Besides having a remarkable collection of luxury vehicles, he also possesses driving skills; Atkinson recorded the second fastest time ever documented at the Top Gear track in his F1.

In 1997, Rowan invested $1 million in a brand new, factory-fresh McLaren.

F1. The car was crashed by him TWICE, first in 1999 and then in 2011. The repair costs for the 2011 incident totaled $1.4 million. Consequently, the insurance payment for this singular car increased to $100,000 annually. That translates to $8300 each month just for the privilege of driving/owning this vehicle. In 2015, Rowan placed the car on the market for $15 million but eventually sold it for $12 million.