Age, Biography, and Wiki
Bill Paxton was born in Fort Worth, Texas, to Mary Lou and John Lane Paxton. He grew up in a family with a strong interest in the arts. Paxton began his career in film as a director but later transitioned to acting. He is best known for his roles in "Aliens," "Terminator," "Predator," and "Titanic." Paxton passed away on February 25, 2017, at the age of 61 due to complications from surgery.
| Occupation | Voice Actors |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 17 May 1955 |
| Age | 70 Years |
| Birth Place | Fort Worth, Texas, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Taurus |
| Country | U.S |
| Date of death | 25 February, 2017 |
| Died Place | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Height, Weight & Measurements
- Height: 6 feet (183 cm)
- Weight: Approximately 170 lbs (77 kg)
| Height | 183 cm |
| Weight | 170 lbs |
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Dating & Relationship Status
Paxton was married to Louise Newbury from 1987 until their divorce in 1988. He later married Julie Sims in 1997, with whom he remained until his death. They had two children together.
His mother was a Catholic who raised him and his siblings in her faith. His father was a businessman, lumber wholesaler, museum executive, and (during his son's career) an occasional actor, notably appearing in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man films as Bernard Houseman and alongside Paxton in A Simple Plan (1998). His great-great-grandfather was Elisha Franklin Paxton (1828–1863), a brigadier general in the Confederate Army during the Civil War who was killed commanding the Stonewall Brigade at the Battle of Chancellorsville.
The 2017 film Call Me by Your Name was dedicated to Paxton's memory. The film's producer, Peter Spears, explained that his husband Brian Swardstrom, who was also Paxton's best friend and agent, once visited the set with Paxton during filming and befriended the film's director Luca Guadagnino, who ultimately decided to dedicate the film "in loving memory of Bill Paxton". Close friend and frequent collaborator James Cameron wrote a tribute in an article for Vanity Fair, detailing their 36-year friendship and expressing regret over the projects they would not be able to make together. The 2019 John Travolta film The Fanatic, which co-starred Paxton's son James, was dedicated to Paxton. James would later play a younger version of Paxton's S.H.I.E.L.D. character in the final season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., which served as a tribute to his role in the show. Cameron's 2022 film, Avatar: The Way of Water was dedicated to the memory of Paxton as well as to James Horner, who previously worked with Cameron on Aliens, Titanic and the first Avatar. Paxton worked with both Cameron and Horner on the former two films. Cameron had hoped to cast Paxton in the Avatar sequels before his death.
| Parents | |
| Husband | Kelly Rowan (m. 1979-1980) Louise Newbury (m. 1987) |
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Net Worth and Salary
At the time of his death in 2017, Bill Paxton's net worth was estimated at around $25 million by some sources. However, other sources suggest it could have been higher, around $40 million. His earnings came from a successful acting career, with notable roles in blockbuster films like "Edge of Tomorrow" and "Nightcrawler."
Career, Business and Investments
Paxton's career was marked by versatility, transitioning from directing to acting. He appeared in numerous films across different genres:
- Notable Roles: He is famous for his roles in "Aliens," "Terminator," "Predator," and "Titanic."
- Box Office Impact: His films accumulated over $4.8 billion in worldwide box office sales.
- Directing and Producing: Paxton also worked behind the camera, directing films like "Frailty" and producing various projects.
On February 26, 2017, while introducing the annual In Memoriam segment at the 89th Academy Awards the day after Paxton's death, a visibly emotional Jennifer Aniston paid tribute to him. His Big Love co-star Chloë Sevigny remembered him as "one of the less cynical, jaded people [she'd] ever met in the business" and said, "He believed in entertainment being transportive and transformative. He believed in the magic of what we can bring to people. That was really a gift that he gave to me." The television show Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. paid tribute at the end of its season-four episode "What If...", and a number of storm chasers paid tribute to his role in Twister by spelling out his initials "BP" via the Spotter Network.
Social Network
While Paxton was active during a time before social media became widespread, he remains remembered through his fans and the ongoing legacy of his films.
Paxton starred in films like Near Dark (1987), Tombstone (1993), Apollo 13 (1995), Twister (1996), Mighty Joe Young (1998), and A Simple Plan (1998), and played supporting roles in Weird Science (1985), Edge of Tomorrow (2014), and Nightcrawler (2014). He was a close collaborator of director James Cameron, appearing in his films The Terminator (1984), Aliens (1986), True Lies (1994), and Titanic (1997). He made his directorial debut with the 2001 horror film Frailty, in which he also starred, earning him Saturn Award nominations for Best Director and Best Horror Film.
Paxton starred in "A Bright Shining Lie" (HBO 1998), an American war drama television film written and directed by Terry George, based on Neil Sheehan's 1988 book of the same name and the true story of John Paul Vann's experience in the Vietnam War.
His highest-profile television performances received much positive attention, including his lead role in HBO's Big Love (2006–2011), for which Paxton received three Golden Globe Award nominations. He also received positive reviews for his performance in the History Channel's miniseries Hatfields & McCoys (2012), for which he was nominated for an Emmy Award alongside co-star, Kevin Costner.
Education
Paxton studied with the renowned acting coach Stella Adler early in his career, which helped him develop his acting skills.
In conclusion, Bill Paxton's enduring legacy in the film industry is a testament to his talent and dedication. His net worth, while varying in estimates, reflects his successful career and contributions to some of Hollywood's most iconic films.
Paxton is distantly related to actress Sara Paxton and was the great-nephew of Mary Paxton Keeley, a prominent journalist and close friend of Bess Truman. At the age of eight, he was in the crowd when President John F. Kennedy emerged from the Hotel Texas in Fort Worth on the morning of his assassination on November 22, 1963. Photographs of Paxton being lifted above the crowd are on display at the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas. He later co-produced the film Parkland about the assassination. He graduated from Arlington Heights High School in Fort Worth in 1973, after which he studied at Richmond College in London, alongside his old high-school friend Danny Martin. There, they met fellow Texas native Tom Huckabee, with whom they made Super 8 short films for which they built their own sets. One of Paxton's first lead roles was in Huckabee's experimental film Taking Tiger Mountain. Paxton subsequently moved to Los Angeles, where he worked in props and art departments and as a parking valet at the Beverly Hills Hotel. After being rejected by film schools in Southern California, he switched his ambitions from directing to acting.
Paxton married Kelly Rowan in 1979 and they divorced a year later. He later met Louise Newbury on the Number 37 bus in Twickenham, London, where she was a student, and they were married in 1987. They lived in Ojai, California, and had two children: son James (b. 1994), who also became an actor, and daughter Lydia (b. 1997).
