To describe Tommy Wiseau as an enigma would be an understatement. Despite receiving attention for writing, directing, and starring in the cult classicThe Room, little is known about Wiseau’s background, including his net worth. Since its release in 2003,The Roomhas become the epitome of amovie that’s so bad it’s good, spawning midnight screenings, goofy parodies, a book, and a narrative film chronicling its troubled production. To this day,The Roomcontinues to dominate internet memes with its outlandish performances and nonsensical script.
The most interesting, albeit mysterious, aspect ofThe Room’sallure is Wiseau, the man behind it all. Wiseau is adamant about keeping his personal life and finances extremely private, which has led to a curious few poking into the background of theRoomicon. Wiseau has no known romantic partners nor children, though one relationship is public knowledge: Wiseau is famously closefriends with hisThe Roomco-star Greg Sestero. A loyal friend, Sestero also keeps Wiseau’s origins a mystery, believing that it adds toThe Room’slegacy.
Tommy Wiseau’s Net Worth
He Is Allegedly Worth $4 Million
According toCelebrity Net Worth,Wiseau is worth approximately $4 million. His wealth before he madeThe Roomis a huge source of mystery, as the cult film, which Wiseau funded himself, cost $6 million to make — and in the end, it appears to have paid off. WhileThe Roommay not have seen the type of success Wiseau intended, it continues to generate revenue through screenings and merchandise even to this day. Reportedly,The Roomhas a lifetime gross of over $30 million (viaFilmDaily).
Where Wiseau secured the funds to produceThe Roomremains unclear and has been the source of many rumors and conspiracy theories. Wiseau claims to have made his fortune selling jackets and irregular jeans in San Francisco. He even obtained his SAG membership card after writing, directing, and starring in a commercial for his clothing brand, Street Fashions USA (viaEsquire). Using the money he amassed in clothing sales, Wiseau says he bought vacant properties all over Los Angeles and San Francisco, adding to his wealth.
Despite Wiseau’s claims, crew members onThe Roomwere skeptical about the film’s financing, and the director’s caginess only helped churn the rumor mill. In his book,The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside The Room, the Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made, Greg Sestero wrote that some crew members believed the film was part of a money laundering scheme by an organized crime syndicate. However, Sestero believes this theory is unlikely.
Tommy Wiseau’s Age & Height
The Room Icon Is A Libra
Wiseau was born on October 3rd, 1955, making him 69 years oldand a Libra. Libras are known to crave social interaction and adore fashion, traits that align perfectly with Wiseau, as he is known to wear multiple belts at once and often shows up to screenings ofThe Roomto talk with fans. According to hisIMDbbio, Wiseau is five feet nine inches tall.
After years of uncertainty, Wiseau’s birthplace has been confirmed. He was born in Poznan, Poland (viaHuffPost), despite claiming to have been born in France and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. But make no mistake—Wiseau considers himself a proud American. Wiseau became a naturalized citizen back in 1985 (viaVulture). Some reports even say that he eats an entire Thanksgiving meal every night in November (viaThe First News).
Tommy Wiseau Got Himself Into Legal Trouble With Canadian Filmmakers
He Tried To Block The Release Of A Documentary About The Room
In 2016, Canadian filmmaker Rick Harper madeRoom Full of Spoonsa documentary about Wiseau’s background and the making ofThe Room. The doc was met with disdain from Wiseau, and in a lawsuit, he alleged that the film infringed upon his copyright and breached his privacy. Wiseau even went so far as to file an injunction that blocked the film’s DVD release, leading to a tumultuous legal battle. An Ontario court eventually ruled in favor of the documentary crew, leaving Wiseau to pay $700,000 in compensatory and punitive damages (viaVariety).
It’s worth noting thatA Room Full of Spoonsand Wiseau’s subsequent lawsuit managed to provide insight into the filmmaker’s life. Apparently, the Canadian documentary team traveled to Europe and researched the filmmaker’s background. While abroad, the crew accessed public information confirming that Wiseau was, in fact, born in Poland.
Berserk’s Most Surprising Fan is the Room’s Tommy Wiseau
Filmmaker Tommy Wiseau shared a photoshopped image of his head atop the body of Locus from Berserk on social media, revealing that he may be a fan.
However, Wiseau still remains a mystery. The source of his wealth remains unconfirmed, despite his claims that the money is from his retail and real estate ventures. Wiseau is 69 years old but has multiple lifetimes' worth of conflicting background stories.A remake ofThe Room, starring Bob Odenkirk, could thrust Wiseau back into the spotlight, where the public will inevitably seek clarity. Although much ofTommy Wiseau’s story remains an enigma, one thing is clear: he is an icon in the world of cult cinema.
The Room
Cast
The Room is an experimental romantic drama film by the infamous Tommy Wiseau that sees the writer/director/producer star in the lead role of Johnny, a successful man with a comfortable life whose world is turned upside down when his best friend begins an affair with his wife. Considered a box-office bomb initially derided for its off-putting performances and completely erratic subplots, the movie has emerged as a quintessential cult classic and sees regular theater viewing events across the United States. The film later went on to have a dramatization of the true story based on Greg Sestero’s book, The Disaster Artist.
