Aaron Paul Net Worth and How He Built His Fortune
In this article we will talk about Aaron Paul net worth, how he achieved it and his path to success.
Let’s face it, many of us have been smitten by Jesse Pinkman, the notorious yet charismatic drug dealer with a heart of gold.
And the most shocking thing we found out is that Aaron Paul – the guy that plays him, is nothing like Jesse. Aaron is a passionate beekeeper (a very peaceful hobby, to be honest) and is a booze company owner.
Who Is Aaron Paul?
The guy we all know as Jesse Pinkman’s real name is Aaron Paul Sturtevant. He was born on August 27, 1979, in Emmett, Idaho, to Robert Sturtevant and Daria Sturtevant. Aaron has Scottish and German ancestry.
He is the youngest of four children and was born prematurely in his parent’s house bathroom while his father was out of town and his mother was home alone.
| Full Name: | Aaron Paul Sturtevant |
| Known As: | Aaron Paul |
| Born: | August 27, 1979 – Emmett, Idaho |
| Age: | 43 |
| Occupation: | Actor |
| Net Worth: | $35 million |
Small-town boy having a big dream
The place where Paul was born played a major role in what he wanted to become once he grew up.
First, he took part in a couple of church plays, and then in the eighth grade, he started an acting class when he found out that it was his thing.
However, like every small-town boy, Paul knew that he should dream big since his parents had a very bad financial situation.
Work hard, play hard
After seeing the movie “The Goonies”, Paul felt inspired to chase the Hollywood screen, so here is where an idea came to mind.
He started keeping a jar beside his bed and began saving to move and start a new life there.
Before graduating high school, Paul worked five jobs to save enough money to move to LA, including Pizza Hut delivery and a shopping mall cookie stand.
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Cringe kissing scene to cooking meth
After graduation, it was time for big moves. With $6,000 of savings and his 1982 Toyota Corolla, Paul took his mom and moved to Los Angeles, and from here, the rest is history.
As an aspiring actor, he took part in a couple of commercials and music videos, hoping that it would help him get recognized.
The struggle was real as he was also working as an usher at Universal Studios Movie Theater in Hollywood.
The turning point in his life was appearing in the popular TV show “Beverly Hills, 90210”, and this small cringe-kissing scene led him to cook meth seven years later.
Aaron Paul Net Worth and How He Achieved It
His charisma wasn’t the only factor that helped him establish his wealth. Even though he is pretty modest when he speaks about himself, Paul appears to be a pretty intelligent guy with numbers.
According to several reliable sources, Aaron Paul net worth is approximately $35 million, as of 2023.
Till now, Paul has made $500,000 per episode during the later seasons of “Breaking Bad” and $350,000 from “Help! I’m a Fish”, $580,000 from “National Lampoon’s Van Wilder”, $750,000 from “Mission Impossible”, and $1 million from “Smashed” and “Dual” each. This is roughly around $10 million of career earnings.
Paul has invested in assets worth $21 million, has about 7 real estate properties, and 10 stocks worth $6 million, including additional loans worth $5 million.
Paying bills by appearing in commercials
Back in the days when he was on the ground to make a living, Paul didn’t care for girlfriends or anything, and he started booking commercials to be able to pay his bills.
This was the time when he first appeared on the big screen.
He took part in over 50 commercials, and surprisingly enough, he was the front face of Pepsi and Vanilla Coke.
Even though he was making some good money, he knew he wanted more.
Guest spots on majors shows and a couple of failed pilots
Pursuing his acting career wasn’t all sunshine and roses at all. He mentioned in some interviews that the age of 27 was the lowest point of his life. Back then he only appeared in a few TV shows as a guest.
He had a couple of failed pilots already, and he was only making about $600 per episode, resulting in him being unable to pay his bills.
From one season side character to the most iconic drug dealer ever appeared on the screen
Right when Paul thought that he would never make it, the audition for “Breaking Bad” appeared.
Even though originally Jesse Pinkman’s character was about to be killed after the first season, Vince Gilligan couldn’t resist the chemistry going on between him and Cranston, and lucky for many of us, he decided to keep the magnetic blue eyed baby faced dealer.
Jesse got him $150,000 per episode at first, but as the seasons progressed, he reached the amount of $500,000 per episode.
Private life expenses
Probably one of the main reasons Paul has managed to build such wealth is being especially reasonable with his money; he isn’t a person to spend too much money on lavish expenses.
He bought his home in LA for $1.4 million and later sold it for $2.5 million.
His assets include 7 real estate properties, including four cars and one luxury yacht.
How Does Aaron Paul Make Money?
Apart from having an annual income of about $8 million, he and his BB co-star have founded an exclusive brand for Mezcal drink.
The reunion between Aaron Paul and Brian Cranston we’ve all desperately wanted to see, happened in an even better way. The duo founded a Mezcal brand called “Two Men” or “Dos Hombres” in Spanish.
This interesting business idea came to them over a dinner in New York. Paul suggested Bryan they should start a booze business together.
However, you cannot just go to your local store and get a signed bottle from Jesse and Walter, as it’s only available on the Spirits Network for members and retailers for an extraordinary $575.
Key Takeaways From Aaron Paul’s Success
Choose what really challenges you
Looks like Aaron Paul’s character choice rotates more toward personas with edgy and intense vibes. He mentioned several times that he gravitates toward playing characters that are the total opposite of him.
In fact, a key point in Aaron Paul’s career was the decision to play a character who was his opposite.
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Be picky and think outside of the box
Paul states that the key to success is being picky and thinking outside the box. And instead of choosing to be a lead star, the most important thing to do is to enjoy and be proud of your work and what you decide.
He firmly states that we would never see him as an action hero.
Feel proud of the work you do
Paul knew that he had wanted to be an actor since the eighth grade, and he knew that Hollywood was the only way to make his dream come true.
He strongly believes that one of the most important aspects of business is to be proud of what you are creating.
Be modest and honest
Since he was raised in humble surroundings, Aaron Paul is one of those celebrities who used his voice to make a change, while most people nowadays choose to exploit it.
He is a passionate anti-bullying activist, strongly advocating for a better world.
He thinks that sentimentality should be appreciated since not everyone has it. Paul also mentions that the world would be superior if everyone were decent individuals.
Seek and accept challenges
If he had decided to stay in Idaho, he would have never been where he is now, even though it was risky and challenging to start a new life away from home at such a young age.
Paul states that the only way to find the right path in life is to do something you’ve never done before and have no fear about it.
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Don’t be ashamed to start from somewhere
Back in the day, when Aaron Paul wasn’t known for being the best drug dealer on the screen, he worked various jobs, from a delivery boy to usher at Universal Studios.
Paul’s message to all young people is that the path to making your dreams come true isn’t always straight, and all the experiences are worthy as they will ultimately help them reach your goals.
GabboT, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
