Melissa Mathison net worth in 2024 remains a point of fascination among fans of her iconic screenwriting work. Best known for penning the screenplay of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Mathison’s talent for storytelling has cemented her legacy in Hollywood. Over her career, she crafted some of the most memorable screenplays in film history.
Let’s take a closer look at her earnings, sources of income, and the journey that has led to her impressive net worth.
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) |
Table of Contents
What is Melissa Mathiso Net Worth in 2024?
Melissa Mathison was an American Screenwriter, Producer, and Activist with a net worth of $100 million at the time of her death in 2015. 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
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.
