Nick Cassavetes Net Worth

What Is Nick Cassavetes' Net Worth?

Nick Cassavetes is an American actor, writer, director, and producer who has a net worth of $10 million. Nick Cassavetes grew up in a family of entertainers and was in two of his father's movies while growing up. He eventually decided he had no interest in pursuing a film industry career. When an injury ended his basketball career at Syracuse University, he reconsidered and attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Nick has since appeared in dozens of films and TV shows, including "Mask" (1985), "The Wraith" (1986), "Blind Fury" (1989), "Face/Off" (1997), "Life" (1999), "The Astronaut's Wife" (1999), "Entourage" (2010), and "The Hangover Part II" (2011). He has directed the films "Unhook the Stars" (1996), "She's So Lovely" (1997), "John Q." (2002), "The Notebook" (2004), "Alpha Dog" (2006), "My Sister's Keeper" (2009), "Yellow" (2012), "The Other Woman" (2014), "God Is a Bullet" (2023), and "Marked Men: Rule + Shaw" (2025), and he also wrote the screenplays for "Unhook the Stars," "Alpha Dog," "My Sister's Keeper," "Yellow," and "God Is a Bullet."

Cassavetes has produced the TV movie "The Incredible Mrs. Ritchie" (2003), the feature films "Red Handed" (2019) and "Impulse" (2023), and the short film "Monarch Beach" (2019). An avid poker enthusiast, he placed fifth at the World Poker Tour Invitational. In 2012, he was named to California's list of the Top 500 Tax Delinquents due to him owing the state more than $270,000.

Early Life

Nick Cassavetes was born Nicholas David Rowland Cassavetes on May 21, 1959, in New York City. He is the son of American actress Gena Rowlands and Greek-American director/actor John Cassavetes, and he has two sisters, Zoe and Alexandra. During his youth, Nick appeared in his father's films "Husbands" (1970) and "A Woman Under the Influence" (1974), but he initially decided that he didn't want to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. Cassavetes earned a basketball scholarship to Syracuse University, but after an injury ended his basketball career, he reconsidered his original position and attended New York City's American Academy of Dramatic Arts, his parents' alma mater.

Career

In the '80s, Cassavetes appeared in the films "Mask" (1985), "The Wraith" (1986), "Black Moon Rising" (1986), "Quiet Cool" (1986), "Under the Gun" (1988), "Assault of the Killer Bimbos" (1988), and "Blind Fury" (1989) and the TV movies "Reunion" (1980) and "Shooter" (1988). He also guest-starred on "Matlock" (1987), "L.A. Law" (1987), and "Quantum Leap" (1989). Next, he appeared in the films "Backstreet Dreams" (1990), "Delta Force 3: The Killing Game" (1991), "Twogether" (1992), "Sins of Desire" (1993), "Sins of the Night" (1993), "Broken Trust" (1993), "Class of 1999 II: The Substitute" (1994), "Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle" (1994), "Black Rose of Harlem" (1996), "Face/Off" (1997), "Life" (1999), and "The Astronaut's Wife" (1999). Nick made his directorial debut with 1996's "Unhook the Stars," which he co-wrote with Helen Caldwell. He followed it with 1997's "She's So Lovely," which was written by his father and starred Sean Penn and Robin Wright. Cassavetes co-wrote 2001's "Blow" with David McKenna and had an uncredited role in the film. He directed Denzel Washington in 2002's "John Q." and wrote the song "The Voice Inside My Heart" for the film's soundtrack. The film grossed $102.2 million against a $36 million budget and earned an NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Motion Picture.

Next, Nick directed the 2004 romantic drama "The Notebook," starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams. Based on the 1996 Nicholas Sparks book of the same name, the film brought in $118.3 million at the box office and won eight Teen Choice Awards, including Choice Movie Drama and Choice Date Movie. Cassavetes wrote and directed 2006's "Alpha Dog," and he also produced the soundtrack and wrote the song "At the Site/Driving to the Site." Nick then directed 2009's "My Sister's Keeper," which he co-wrote with Jeremy Leven. The film was based on a 2004 Jodi Picoult novel, and it starred Cameron Diaz, Abigail Breslin, Alec Baldwin, and Jason Patric. In 2010, Cassavetes appeared as himself in two episodes of the HBO series "Entourage," and the following year, he played Tattoo Joe in "The Hangover Part II." He directed and co-wrote the 2012 drama "Yellow," then he directed Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann, and Kate Upton in 2014's "The Other Woman," which grossed $196.7 million at the box office and won a Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie: Comedy. In 2021, Nick appeared in the films "Prisoners of the Ghostland" and "Queenpins," then he wrote and directed the 2023 action-thriller "God Is a Bullet" and directed the 2025 romantic drama "Marked Men: Rule + Shaw."

Personal Life

Nick married Isabelle Rafalovich on September 8, 1985, and they welcomed daughters Sasha and Virginia before divorcing. Sasha underwent surgery during her youth due to a heart defect, and Cassavetes dedicated "John Q." to her. Sasha's medical experience inspired Nick to direct the  film "My Sister's Keeper." After his divorce, Nick married Heather "Queenie" Wahlquist, who has appeared in his films "The Notebook," "John Q," "Alpha Dog," "My Sister's Keeper," and "Yellow." Nick and Heather wrote "Yellow" together, and in "The Notebook," Wahlquist played the best friend of Rachel McAdam's character, Allie Hamilton. The older version of Allie was played by Nick's mother. Wahlquist played the lead role in "Yellow," a woman who has an incestuous relationship with her half-brother, and Cassavetes stirred up controversy when he said in an interview with "The Wrap, "I'm not saying this is an absolute but in a way, if you're not having kids – who gives a damn? Love who you want."

Awards and Nominations

In 2004, Cassavetes won a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Children/Youth/Family Special for "The Incredible Mrs. Ritchie," and in 1997, he received a Directors' Week Award for "Unhook the Stars" at the Fantasporto festival. "Unhook the Stars" also earned a Chicago International Film Festival Gold Hugo award nomination for Best Feature and a Palm Springs International Film Festival Audience Award nomination for Best English Language Film. At the 2013 Catalina Film Festival, "Yellow" won the award for Best Feature Film and was named one of the Top 15 Selected Screenplays. "Yellow" also earned Nick nominations from the Sitges – Catalonian International Film Festival, SXSW Film Festival, and Tokyo International Film Festival. At the Los Angeles Greek Film Festival, Cassavetes received an Honorary Award in 2008 and earned a Best Feature Film nomination for "The Other Woman" in 2014. In 1997, he received a Palme d'Or nomination for "She's So Lovely" at the Cannes Film Festival, and in 2009, he earned a Variety Piazza Grande Award nomination for "My Sister's Keeper" at the Locarno Film Festival.

Real Estate

In 1998, Nick paid $749,000 for a 4,000-square-foot home in the Hollywood Hills. He put the five-bedroom, four-bathroom home on the market for $4.799 million in June 2019, then dropped the asking price to $4.399 million three months later. The home was built in 1972, and the property includes a heated pool and spa.