Anne Heche Net Worth

Anne Heche’s Net Worth: A Look at Her Career, Estate, and Tragic End

Early Life and Family

Anne Celeste Heche, a multifaceted American actress, writer, director, and producer, was born on May 25, 1969, in Aurora, Ohio. Her early life was marked by frequent relocations, as her family moved nearly a dozen times during her childhood. Heche’s father, Donald, was a choir director, and her mother, Nancy, raised Anne and her siblings, Nathan, Abigail, and Susan. Tragically, her sister Cynthia died in infancy before Anne was born. Heche’s childhood was also marred by allegations of sexual abuse by her father, a deeply painful experience that she later shared publicly.

When Anne was 12, the family settled in New Jersey. To help support her family, Heche worked at a dinner theater, saving money to move out. These formative years shaped her resilience and drive, which would become evident in her diverse career. In March 1983, her father died of AIDS, followed by the loss of her brother, Nathan, in a car accident just three months later. These tragedies further tested Heche’s strength and resolve.

At age 16, an agent spotted Heche in a school play, leading to an audition for the soap opera “As the World Turns.” Although offered the role, her mother encouraged her to finish high school first. Shortly before her 1987 graduation, Heche landed the roles of Vicky Hudson and Marley Love on “Another World,” launching her acting career.

Career Highlights and Achievements

Anne Heche’s career spanned various genres and mediums, showcasing her versatility and talent. She garnered early success on the daytime soap opera “Another World” from 1987 to 1991, portraying both Vicky Hudson and Marley Love. For her performance, she won a Daytime Emmy Award. She transitioned to guest roles in shows such as “Murphy Brown” and “The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles.”

Heche’s film career took off in the mid-1990s, with roles in movies such as “An Ambush of Ghosts,” “The Adventures of Huck Finn,” and “I’ll Do Anything.” She also co-starred with Cher and Demi Moore in the HBO film “If These Walls Could Talk.” Her notable film credits include “Donnie Brasco,” “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” “Wag the Dog,” “Six Days, Seven Nights,” and Gus Van Sant’s remake of Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho,” where she played Marion Crane. In 2002, she co-starred with Denzel Washington in “John Q.”

Heche continued to excel in television, with recurring roles on “Ally McBeal,” “Everwood,” and “Men in Trees.” She earned a Primetime Emmy nomination for the TV movie “Gracie’s Choice.” She also starred in the series “Hung” alongside Thomas Jane and was a lead in the sitcom “Save Me.” Her later work included roles in “The Michael J. Fox Show,” “The Legend of Korra” (voice acting), and the series “Aftermath” and “The Brave.” In 2020, she participated in “Dancing with the Stars,” finishing in 13th place.

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Heche was also a writer and director, demonstrating her creative versatility. She directed the short film “Stripping for Jesus” (1998), a segment of the TV movie “If These Walls Could Talk 2” (2000), and the segment “Reaching Normal” of the television film “On the Edge” (2001). She co-created and executive-produced the NBC sitcom “Bad Judge.” She directed the documentary “Ellen DeGeneres: American Summer Documentary” (2001) and produced the TV movie “The Dead Will Tell” (2004) as well as her NBC sitcom “Save Me.” She also performed on Broadway in “Proof” (2002–2003) and “Twentieth Century” (2004), earning a Tony nomination for Best Actress in a Play for “Twentieth Century.”

Estate Value and Financial Details

At the time of her death in August 2022, Anne Heche’s net worth was estimated to be $400,000. This figure was revealed in court documents filed by her son, Homer, two months after her passing. These filings indicated that the estate expected to earn around $400,000 per year in film royalties and residuals. The documents also stated that Heche did not own any real estate at the time of her death.

The filings further detailed that Heche had $77,000 in cash in her bank accounts and $33,000 in uncashed royalty checks. However, she also had $62,000 in credit card debt. In April 2024, Homer provided an update in the probate case, revealing that the estate’s assets consisted of modest bank accounts and income from royalty payments and residual income from pre-death projects. The filing indicated that the estate faced numerous creditor claims totaling $6 million, including a $2 million claim from the owners of the home she crashed into and a similar claim from the woman renting the property. Additionally, her ex-partner, Thomas Jane, filed a claim for $150,000.

Personal Life and Relationships

Anne Heche’s personal life was as captivating as her professional one. She was known for her high-profile relationships and her openness about her experiences. Though she was known to have relationships with men, she famously dated comedian Ellen DeGeneres from 1997 to August 2000, drawing significant media attention. Their relationship was groundbreaking at the time, but the break-up was a highly publicized event, and the two women had a very public back and forth about the relationship. After years, Heche claimed that her goals were very different from DeGeneres, and this was the cause of their separation.

Heche married cameraman Coleman “Coley” Laffoon on September 1, 2001, after meeting while working on a documentary about DeGeneres. The couple had a son, Homer, on March 2, 2002. They divorced in March 2009. In December 2008, it was confirmed that Heche and her “Men in Trees” co-star, James Tupper, were expecting a child. Their son, Atlas, was born on March 7, 2009. Heche and Tupper eventually split in 2018.

Alleged Career Decline After Relationship

In a 2020 interview, Heche stated that her relationship with Ellen DeGeneres significantly impacted her career. She claimed that the public’s perception of their relationship led to a career stall. She stated that she was fired from a $10 million picture deal due to the stigma associated with their relationship.

Bizarre Incidents

In August 2000, a particularly unusual event occurred in Heche’s life. She drove from Los Angeles to Cantua Creek (outside Fresno, California), where she walked 1.5 miles through the desert, wearing only shorts and a bra. She knocked on the door of a stranger’s home, who recognized her from “Six Days, Seven Nights.” Heche drank numerous glasses of water, took a shower, and asked for slippers. The homeowner eventually called the sheriff’s department. Heche told the deputies she was God and would take everyone to heaven in a spaceship. She was taken to University Medical Center in Fresno and admitted to the psychiatric unit.

Heche later stated that the first 31 years of her life were marked by mental health challenges stemming from her childhood experiences. She discussed creating a fantasy world, the “Fourth Dimension,” and adopting an alter ego, “Celestia,” as coping mechanisms for the sexual abuse she endured from her father. She was candid about her struggles and how she coped with them, sharing these experiences in interviews and her memoir, “Call Me Crazy: A Memoir.”

Death and Legacy

On August 12, 2022, Anne Heche tragically passed away at the age of 53 due to injuries sustained in a car crash in Mar Vista, California. She reportedly drove her Mini Cooper into the garage of an apartment building at high speed, causing a severe crash that led to a fire and extensive damage. First responders worked tirelessly to rescue her from the wreckage. Her death marked the end of a remarkable career and a life lived with both remarkable successes and tremendous personal struggles.

Awards and Nominations

Throughout her career, Anne Heche received several awards and nominations, recognizing her talent and contributions to the entertainment industry. She was nominated for a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie for “Gracie’s Choice” in 2004 and earned two Daytime Emmy nominations for “Another World,” winning Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series in 1991. She also received two “Soap Opera Digest” Awards.

Other accolades include the Stephen F. Kolzak Award at the GLAAD Media Awards, a Lucy Award at the Women in Film Lucy Awards, and a Career Achievement Award at the 2019 Sarasota Film Festival. She won a National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actress for “Donnie Brasco” and “Wag the Dog” in 1997 and shared in an Audience Award for Best Film at the 2000 Paris International Lesbian and Feminist Film Festival for “If These Walls Could Talk 2.”

Heche and her “The Legend of Korra” castmates won a People’s Choice Voice Acting Award for Best Vocal Ensemble in a Television Series – Action/Drama in 2015. She also earned two Saturn Award nominations from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films.

Real Estate Ventures

Anne Heche was involved in several real estate ventures, including a Lake Arrowhead home she and James Tupper purchased for $899,000 in 2013. After their split, the home was put on the market for $1.25 million in January 2017 and later relisted for $1.05 million in August 2019. In May 2019, they listed their Los Angeles home in the Hancock Park area for $3.95 million, eventually selling it for $3.165 million in November 2019. The couple had built the 4,735-square-foot home, which featured four bedrooms, in 2009.

Conclusion

Anne Heche’s life and career were marked by remarkable achievements, personal struggles, and a legacy of talent. Her versatility as an actress, writer, and director, as well as her openness about her life experiences, resonated with many. Her untimely death was a loss to the entertainment world, and she is remembered for her contributions to film and television.