Melissa Mathison net worth was estimated to be around $100 million at the time of her death. Melissa Mathison was an American Screenwriter, Producer, and Activist born on June 3, 1950, and died on November 4, 2015. She was also active in supporting Tibet’s independence. Her most famous works include writing the scripts for “The Black Stallion” and “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.” For “E.T.”, she won the Saturn Award for Best Writing and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
Later in her career, Mathison wrote the screenplay for “The Indian in the Cupboard,” based on a popular children’s book, and “Kundun,” a film about the life of the Dalai Lama. Her last film project was “The BFG,” which was her third collaboration with director Steven Spielberg.
Melissa Mathison in Brief
| Full Name | Melissa Marie Mathison |
| Date of Birth | June 3, 1950 |
| Died | 4 November 2015 |
| Place of Birth | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Screenwriter, Producer, Activist |
| Height | 5 feet 11 inches (180 cm) |
| Spouse | Harrison Ford (m. 1983–2004) |
| Children | Malcolm Ford, Georgia Ford |
| Net Worth | $100 Million (at death in 2015) |
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What is Melissa Mathison Net Worth in 2024?
Melissa Mathison was an American Screenwriter, Producer, and Activist. At the time of her death in 2015, she had a net worth of $100 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Melissa was best known for writing the famous movie E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Most of her fortune came from her 2004 divorce from actor Harrison Ford. Harrison gave Melissa an estimated $90-120 million in cash and property, making it one of the most expensive celebrity divorces ever.
Melissa was born in Los Angeles, California, in June 1950. She wrote many films, including “The Black Stallion,” “E.T.,” “The Escape Artist,” “Twilight Zone: The Movie,” “Son of the Morning Star,” “The Indian in the Cupboard,” “Kundun,” and “The BFG.” She also wrote for video games like E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial and Universal Studios Theme Parks Adventure. Melissa worked as an associate producer for E.T. and co-producer for Kundun.
Melissa Mathison’s Early Life and Education
Melissa Mathison was Born on June 3, 1950, in Los Angeles and grew up with four siblings. Her father Richard Randolph Mathison worked as the Los Angeles bureau chief of Newsweek while her mother Margaret Jean Mathison was involved in food writing and the convenience foods business. After finishing high school in 1968 Melissa attended the University of California Berkeley.
Melissa’s family had close ties with Francis Ford Coppola whose children she babysat. Coppola offered her a job as his assistant on The Godfather Part II a chance she couldn’t resist leading her to leave Berkeley. Encouraged by Coppola she wrote a screenplay based on the novel The Black Stallion which grabbed the attention of Steven Spielberg.
Melissa Mathison’s Career
Melissa Mathison co-wrote the screenplay for “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” with Steven Spielberg. This iconic film earned them an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay. The idea for the movie came from a story by John Sayles which Spielberg shared with Mathison while they were working on “Raiders of the Lost Ark.”
Spielberg credits Mathison for the famous line “E.T. phone home.” They teamed up again for The BFG Mathison’s final film dedicated to her memory. She also worked on scripts for “The Escape Artist” and “The Indian in the Cupboard.”
Beyond her film career, Mathison met the Dalai Lama in 1990 while writing “Kundun” and they became close friends. She remained committed to supporting Tibetan freedom and served on the board of the International Campaign for Tibet.
Melissa Mathison’s Personal Life
From 1983 to 2004, Mathison was married to Harrison Ford, and they had two children together. She passed away on November 4, 2015, in Los Angeles at the age of 65 due to neuroendocrine cancer.
