Wallace Shawn Net Worth | Celebrity Net Worth

What is Wallace Shawn’s Net Worth?

Wallace Shawn is an American actor, playwright and essayist who has a net worth of $6 million. Wallace Shawn is perhaps best known for his memorable role as Vizzini in “The Princess Bride” (1987), in which his character’s “Inconceivable!” catchphrase and battle of wits scene became iconic. He’s also widely recognized as the voice of Rex the dinosaur in the “Toy Story” franchise. Shawn’s career is far more extensive and nuanced than these popular roles suggest. He’s an accomplished playwright, having written intellectually challenging works like “Aunt Dan and Lemon” and “The Designated Mourner.” His 1981 film “My Dinner with Andre,” which he co-wrote and starred in with Andre Gregory, is considered a masterpiece of philosophical cinema.

In television, Wallace been a recurring presence in shows like “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” (1993–1999), “Gossip Girl” (2008–2012), “Young Sheldon” (2018–2024), and “Evil” (2022–2024). Beyond acting, he’s known for his essays on politics and culture, often writing for “The Nation” and other publications. In 1975, Shawn’s play “Our Late Night” opened off-Broadway, and the production earned him an Obie Award (the Tony for off-Broadway theater) for playwriting. In 1977, Wallace made his debut as an actor, appearing in his own adaptation of Machiavelli’s “The Mandrake,” staged by the New York Public Theater. At this time, Shawn was still working in a copy shop to make ends meet, but things changed when Woody Allen cast him in a small role in the film “Manhattan.”

In 1980, Shawn and Gregory collaborated with filmmaker Louis Malle on “My Dinner with Andre,” an unusual and engaging film based on a performance piece by Shawn and stage director Andre Gregory in which the two friends discussed their philosophies and very different life journeys. The film was a major critical success and a modest hit on the art house circuit. “My Dinner with Andre” gave Wallace a much higher profile as both an actor and a playwright, and over the next several years, successful productions of “The Hotel Play,” “Aunt Dan and Lemon,” and “The Fever” were also staged in New York. In 2004, Shawn teamed up with Gregory again when Andre directed a production of Wallace’s “The Designated Mourner” with Shawn in the cast.

Early Life

Wallace Shawn was born Wallace Michael Shawn on November 12, 1943, in New York City. His mother, Cecille, was a journalist, and his father, William, was the editor of “The New Yorker.” Wallace is the older brother of twins, Allen and Mary. Allen is a composer, and according to a 2007 “New York Times” article about him, Mary is “autistic and lives in an institution in Delaware.” Shawn was raised on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, and he attended a private high school in Vermont called The Putney School. After graduation, he enrolled at Harvard, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history. Wallace then attended Magdalen College, Oxford, with the intention of becoming a diplomat. There, he studied politics, philosophy, Latin, and economics. Shawn took part in the Fulbright program and went to India as an English teacher.

Writing Career

Shawn has written plays such as “Our Late Night” (1975), “A Thought in Three Parts” (1977), “Marie and Bruce” (1978), “Aunt Dan and Lemon” (1985), “The Fever” (1990), and “The Designated Mourner” (1997). “Our Late Night” and “Aunt Dan and Lemon” won Obie Awards for playwriting, and “The Fever” won for Best American Play. “The Designated Mourner,” “Marie and Bruce,” and “The Fever” were adapted into films. Wallace has published the books “Essays” (2009), “Night Thoughts” (2017), and “Sleeping Among Sheep Under a Starry Sky” (2022), and he has written for “The Nation.”

Acting Career

Shawn has appeared in more than 200 film and television projects, starting with the 1979 movie “Manhattan.” In the ’80s, he had a recurring role as Jeff Engels on “The Cosby Show” (1987–1991) and appeared in films such as “Simon” (1980), “Lovesick” (1983), “Strange Invaders” (1983), “Micki & Maude” (1984), “Radio Days” (1987), and “She’s Out of Control” (1989). He also co-wrote and starred in 1981’s “My Dinner with Andre” and played Vizzini in 1987’s “The Princess Bride.” Wallace had recurring roles as Grand Nagus Zek on “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” from 1993 to 1999 and Stuart Best on “Murphy Brown” from 1994 to 1997, and he played Mr. Hall on “Clueless” (the role he played in the 1995 film) from 1996 to 1997. He appeared in the films “Mom and Dad Save the World” (1992), “The Cemetery Club” (1993), “Vanya on 42nd Street” (1994), “Canadian Bacon” (1995), “House Arrest” (1996), and “Vegas Vacation” (1997), and he voiced Rex in the animated 1995 blockbuster “Toy Story.” Shawn reprised the role in “Toy Story 2” (1999), “Toy Story 3” (2010), “Toy Story 4” (2019), and several short films and video games. The “Toy Story” films have grossed over $3.3 billion at the box office, and “Toy Story 3” earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. The third and fourth films won Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature.

In the 2000s, Shawn has appeared in films such as “The Curse of the Jade Scorpion” (2001), “Duplex” (2003), “The Haunted Mansion” (2003), “Melinda and Melinda” (2004), “Kit Kittredge: An American Girl” (2008), “Vamps” (2012), “Admission” (2013), “Maggie’s Plan” (2015), “Book Club” (2018), and “Marriage Story” (2019). He has had recurring roles as Howard Stiles on “Crossing Jordan” (2001–2006), William Halsey on “The L Word” (2008–2009), Cyrus Rose on “Gossip Girl” (2008–2012), Warren Hughes on “Eureka” (2011–2012), Charles Lester on “The Good Wife” (2013–2015), Winslow Elliot on “Mozart in the Jungle” (2014–2018), and Father Frank Ignatius on “Evil” (2022–2024), and from 2018 to 2024, he played Dr. John Sturgis on “Young Sheldon,” appearing in more than 50 episodes. Wallace has lent his voice to numerous animated projects, including the films “The Incredibles” (2004), “Chicken Little” (2005), “Happily N’Ever After” (2007), and “The Addams Family 2” (2021) and the television series “Teacher’s Pet” (2000–2001), “Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness” (2011–2016), “Fish Hooks” 2012), and “The Stinky & Dirty Show” (2016–2019).

Personal Life and Real Estate

Wallace has been in a multi-decade relationship with writer/actress Deborah Eisenberg. In 2007, they paid $2.15 million for an apartment in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan. In 2010, they paid $380,000 for a studio in a nearby building. Shawn identifies a Jewish atheist and a socialist. In 2014, he voiced his support for the people of Palestine during the Israel–Gaza conflict. In 2023, he spoke at a rally in Washington, D.C. that was organized by IfNotNow and Jewish Voice for Peace. The rally was in support of a ceasefire in the Israel–Hamas war. Wallace also signed an open letter for Artists4Ceasefire that urged President Joe Biden to support a ceasefire.

Awards and Nominations

In 1978, Shawn received a Guggenheim Fellowship in Drama & Performance Art. In 1982, he won a Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Screenplay for “My Dinner with Andre,” and in 1994, he earned a Best Actor nomination for “Vanya on 42nd Street.” He also won a Chlotrudis Award for the film. Wallace received two Online Film & Television Association Award nominations for Best Guest Actor in a Syndicated Series for “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,” winning in 1997. In 2014, Shawn and his “Toy Story of Terror” castmates earned a Behind the Voice Actors Award nomination for the BTVA Special/DVD Voice Acting Award for Best Vocal Ensemble in a TV Special/Direct-to-DVD Title or Short.