Susan Sarandon is an American actress and activist born on October 4, 1946. She has won several prestigious awards including an Academy Award a British Academy Film Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. She’s been nominated for many others like the Golden Globe Awards and Primetime Emmy Awards. In 2002, she even got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Sarandon started her acting career in the 1970s with movies like “Joe” and TV shows such as “A World Apart.” She became well-known for her role in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” in 1975. Her big breakthrough came with the Academy Award for her role in “Dead Man Walking” in 1995. She’s also been nominated for Oscars for her roles in “Atlantic City,” “Thelma & Louise,” “Lorenzo’s Oil,” and “The Client.” Her other notable movies include “Bull Durham,” “Little Women,” “Enchanted,” and “Cloud Atlas.”
Aside from movies, Susan Sarandon has appeared on Broadway and off-Broadway productions earning Drama Desk Award nominations. She’s also been recognized for her TV work with Emmy nominations for shows like “Friends” and “Malcolm in the Middle.” Sarandon is not just an actress; she’s known for her activism too. She became a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 1999 and received the Action Against Hunger Humanitarian Award in 2006.
| Full Name | Susan Abigail Sarandon |
| Date of Birth | October 4, 1946 |
| Place of Birth | New York City, New York, USA |
| Occupation | Actress, Activist |
| Height | 5′ 6″ (1.7 m) |
| Spouse | Chris Sarandon Tim Robbins |
| Children | Eva Amurri, Miles Robbins Jack Henry Robbins |
| Net Worth | $60 million |
Susan Sarandon’s Early Life and Education
Susan Sarandon was born in Jackson Heights Queens, New York City. She’s the oldest of nine siblings. Her dad Phillip Leslie Tomalin worked in advertising and TV and was even a singer in clubs. She has four brothers and four sisters. Her dad’s ancestors were English Irish and Welsh from London and Bridgend. Her mom’s side is Italian with roots in Tuscany and Sicily. When she was four her family moved to a new place called Stephenville in New Jersey.
They were a Catholic family and Susan went to Saint Francis Grammar School. Her mom, Lenora Marie (née Criscione) was active in local clubs and the family enjoyed the Woodside Swim Club. Susan and her sisters were competitive swimmers. She finished school in 1960 and then went to Edison High School. Even in high school, Susan was involved in entertainment performing for sick kids and acting in plays. She graduated in 1964 and went to Catholic University in Washington D.C. where she earned a degree in drama. During and after college she worked various jobs to support herself.
Career
In 1968, Susan Sarandon and her then-husband Chris Sarandon performed together at Wayside Theatre in Virginia. The next year Susan auditioned for the movie Joe but got her big break instead of playing a troubled teenager in the gritty underworld. From 1970 to 1972, she acted in soap operas like “A World Apart” and “Search for Tomorrow”.
Susan Sarandon gained fame with roles in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” and “The Great Waldo Pepper” in 1975 alongside Robert Redford. She earned critical acclaim for her roles in “Pretty Baby” and “Atlantic City” the latter landing her an Academy Award nomination.
One of her notable and controversial roles was in “The Hunger” where she starred in a modern vampire story including a notable scene with Catherine Deneuve. Sarandon’s breakthrough into mainstream success came with Bull Durham alongside Kevin Costner and Tim Robbins a movie that garnered both commercial success and critical acclaim.
Throughout the 1990s, Susan Sarandon received multiple Academy Award nominations for her roles in “Thelma & Louise,” “Lorenzo’s Oil,” and “The Client” finally winning for “Dead Man Walking” where she played Sister Helen Prejean. Her portrayal in this film was widely praised for its uncompromising honesty and depth.
Aside from her film career, Sarandon has been involved in numerous TV shows like “Friends” and “30 Rock” and has narrated many documentaries focusing on social and political issues. She’s also been active in various film festivals and served on the Social Impact Advisory Board of the San Diego International Film Festival.
Sarandon has continued to act in films and TV shows including her role in the FOX TV drama “Monarch in Fall” 2022.
Net Worth
Susan Sarandon has an estimated net worth of $60 Million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. The main source of Susan Sarandon’s main source of net worth comes from her long and successful acting career. She has starred in numerous popular movies and TV shows, earning significant income from her roles in films like “Thelma & Louise,” “Dead Man Walking,” and “Bull Durham.”
Additionally, she has received substantial earnings from endorsements, voice acting, and production work. Sarandon’s talent and versatility have made her a sought-after actress, leading to high paychecks and contributing greatly to her wealth.
Personal life
Susan Sarandon’s romantic life has been eventful and diverse. While in college she married Chris Sarandon in 1967 though they separated in 1975 and divorced in 1979. Despite this, she kept his last name. Afterward, she had a relationship with director Louis Malle from 1977 to 1980 followed by brief involvements with musician David Bowie and actor Sean Penn.
In the mid-1980s, Susan Sarandon dated Italian filmmaker Franco Amurri with whom she had a daughter named Eva in 1985. They first met on the set of “Tempest” in 1981 and reconnected while filming Mussolini and me in Italy three years later. In 2017, Sarandon shared that she had an affair with British actor Philip Sayer who was gay.
From 1988, she was in a relationship with actor Tim Robbins whom she met while filming Bull Durham. They have two sons together born in 1989 and 1992. Sarandon and Robbins who shared liberal political views and a lapsed Catholic background separated in 2009.
After her split with Robbins, Sarandon began dating Jonathan Bricklin son of Malcolm Bricklin. Together they co-founded SPiN a chain of table tennis lounges in New York and Toronto. They parted ways in 2015.
In 2006, Susan Sarandon and her family explored their Welsh ancestry in the UK documented on the BBC Wales programme “Coming Home”: Susan Sarandon. She also received the Ragusani Nel Mondo prize in 2006 for her Sicilian roots in Ragusa, Italy.
Sarandon has been open about her sexuality identifying as bisexual. She discussed this on “The Tonight Show” Starring Jimmy Fallon in 2022 and previously mentioned her openness about dating regardless of gender or age on podcasts and in interviews.
Philanthropy
In 1995, Susan Sarandon was interviewed for a documentary called The Celluloid Closet which looks at how Hollywood movies have shown homosexuality.
In 2000, Sarandon and Robbins spoke at the Shadow Convention in Los Angeles about drug offenders receiving harsh punishments.
In 2004, Sarandon was on the advisory committee for Racism Watch 2004 an activist group.
Susan Sarandon has become a strong supporter of the death penalty and mass incarceration. She’s involved in efforts to help Richard Glossip who’s on death row in Oklahoma. In 2015, she launched a campaign to fund the documentary Deep Run by selling T-shirts.
Since 2011, Sarandon has been active in various protests and movements. She spoke against Governor Scott Walker’s policies in Wisconsin and supported the Occupy Wall Street movement in New York City. Her criticism of Pope Benedict XVI in 2011 sparked controversy. She’s been involved in issues like gun violence and was arrested during a protest against Trump’s migrant separation policy in 2018.
In 2022, Sarandon faced criticism for a tweet she shared about police officers which she later apologized for deleting.
Regarding Israel and Palestine, Sarandon has expressed support for the Palestinian people and criticized Israeli government actions. She’s been involved in projects like the documentary Soufra which follows a food truck in a Palestinian refugee camp in Beirut.
In November 2023, Susan Sarandon spoke out against the Israeli government during the Israel–Hamas conflict which led to some backlash and later an apology for her remarks.
She also contributed to a video series supporting South Africa’s motion accusing Israel of genocide at the International Court of Justice.
Awards
Susan Sarandon has received several prestigious awards throughout her career:
In 2009, she was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Stockholm International Film Festival.
She was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame in 2010.
In 2011, she received the Outstanding Artistic Life Award at the Shanghai International Film Festival for her significant contributions to world cinema.
In 2013, Susan Sarandon was invited to open the 44th International Film Festival of India in Goa.
She was awarded the Goldene Kamera International Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015.
Additionally, Sarandon has been recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) for her roles in several films:
At the 54th Academy Awards in 1981 she received a nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role for “Atlantic City.”
She received another nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role at the 64th Academy Awards in 1991 for her role in “Thelma & Louise.”
In 1992, Sarandon was nominated again for Best Actress in a Leading Role for “Lorenzo’s Oil” at the 65th Academy Awards.
Her nomination streak continued with a nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role at the 67th Academy Awards for “The Client” in 1994.
Sarandon won the Best Actress in a Leading Role award at the 68th Academy Awards in 1995 for her performance in “Dead Man Walking.”
