What Is Kirk Cameron's Net Worth?
Kirk Cameron is an American actor and producer who has a net worth of $10 million. Best known for his role as Mike Seaver on the popular television show "Growing Pains," Kirk Cameron has amassed a long list of credits throughout his career. He was undoubtedly one of the most recognizable faces of the '80s and early '90s. Today Kirk and his wife, Chelsea Noble, are probably better known for their evangelical Christian beliefs and practices. Kirk and Chelsea are the co-founders of The Firefly Foundation, which runs a summer camp for terminally ill children and their families.
Early Life
Kirk Cameron was born Kirk Thomas Cameron on October 12th, 1970, in Los Angeles, California. Cameron was always in a good position to succeed in the film industry. He was also not the only member of his family to go into acting, as his sister Candace starred as D.J. Tanner on "Full House" and has gone on to amass more than 70 acting credits. As early as age nine, Kirk was booking acting roles. His first major gig was a cereal commercial, and he quickly expanded his resume by age 13 to include roles on shows like "Two Marriages."
Breakthrough with "Growing Pains"
Although Cameron was an established actor by age 15, he was thrust into the limelight in a completely new way when he was cast in the show "Growing Pains." The young actor played the role of Mike Seaver, and he soon became a cultural icon of the decade. By the late '80s, Cameron was a "teenage heartthrob" in the eyes of many, especially those in his generation. He frequently appeared on the covers of magazines and even landed a short Pepsi commercial for the Super Bowl. At this stage in his career, the actor was earning $50,000 per week.
During the late '80s, Kirk also starred in a wide range of films and television shows. When "Growing Pains" ended in the early '90s, Cameron immediately shifted his attention towards newer projects, like "Kirk." Not long afterward, the actor decided to distance himself from show business, preferring to pursue other priorities and focus more on his family life.
Impact of Child Stardom
Kirk is a prime example of a child star. While other children were going to school and living a "normal" life, he was completing his studies while he was on the set of "Growing Pains." That being said, he also had the opportunity to attend some classes at Chatsworth High School during breaks in production.
Around this time, Cameron met his future wife, Chelsea Noble, who was guest-starring on his sister Candace's show, "Full House." Kirk and Chelsea began dating and she eventually played his girlfriend on several episodes of "Growing Pains."
Conversion to Christianity
Cameron is a born-again Christian. He converted to Christianity after landing his role in "Growing Pains," despite being a staunch atheist prior to that. Converting had a major impact on Cameron's life, and he is now an Evangelical Christian. After converting, Cameron pressured the producers of "Growing Pains" to change storylines that he deemed to be too mature or adult. After the show ended, he purposely cut ties with many of his fellow cast members, later citing his newfound religion as the reason for this abrupt split.
(Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Life After "Growing Pains"
After "Growing Pains" and "Kirk" had ended, Cameron distanced himself from the entertainment industry and didn't return for many years. His first major "comeback" came in the year 2000 when he participated in the reunion movie "The Growing Pains Movie." He also participated in the film's 2004 sequel, "Growing Pains: The Return of the Seavers." Around this time, Kirk also began acting in a film series called "Left Behind." At the time, it was considered the largest and most ambitious Christian film of all time. Three films were released, and the stories focused on a fictional imagining of the biblical rapture. This new direction for Kirk would continue for the rest of his career, as he focused on films with Christian themes. Notable examples were 2008's "Fireproof," 2013's "Unstoppable," and 2014's "Saving Christmas." The film "Monumental" also received considerable press coverage.
Evangelical Activities
Cameron is an extremely active figure in the Evangelical community. He hosts his own television show called "The Way of the Master," which tackles Evangelical subject matter. Kirk also founded The Firefly Foundation with his wife. This foundation offers terminally ill children and their parents a free one-week vacation.
Controversy
Kirk has been involved in various controversies, most of which resulted from his involvement with Evangelical Christianity. Cameron was criticized when he distributed an altered version of Charles Darwin's "On the Origin of the Species" in various U.S. colleges. The copy of the text lacked key chapters and pointed to a creationist interpretation of Darwinism.
When Kirk was promoting the film "Monumental," he was interviewed by Piers Morgan on CNN. He stated that, in his opinion, homosexuality was "unnatural" and "destructive" to civilization. As a result, Cameron experienced major backlash from gay rights groups and prominent figures within the entertainment industry – most notably his co-stars from "Growing Pains."
During the lead-up to the film "Unstoppable," Facebook and YouTube censored all promotional material related to the film. Kirk contested that the platforms were blocking the content due to its religious content, but Facebook and YouTube claimed it was a mistake. Apparently, the trailers and other content had been mistakenly identified as malware or spam.
In December 2020, as COVID-19 cases spiked and local ICU capacity was at 0%, Kirk orchestrated a maskless Christmas celebration at a local mall. It was his second such event.
Personal Life
In 1991, Kirk married his "Growing Pains" co-star Chelsea Noble. The couple has four adopted children and two biological children. As a Christian, Cameron is incredibly committed to his wife and his family. In the film "Fireproof," the actor refused to kiss his female co-star. To maintain the scene, Kirk kissed his wife instead and it was filmed in silhouette – so no one could tell the difference.
Real Estate
In 1998, Kirk and Chelsea paid $645,000 for a home in Agoura Hills, California. The one-acre property is located within an exclusive gated community. Today, comparable homes are worth $2-3 million.
