Background and Early Life

Laurence John Fishburne III was born on July 30, 1961, in Augusta, Georgia. His father, Laurence John Fishburne, Jr., worked as a prison guard, while his mother, Hattie Bell, was a junior high school math and science teacher. After his parents separated, Fishburne was raised by his mother in Brooklyn, New York. His father visited him once a month. He later graduated from Lincoln Square Academy, a private high school in New York City.

Career and Rise to Prominence

Fishburne began his acting career in 1973 with a role as Joshua Hall on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live. In 1976, he was cast in a supporting role in Apocalypse Now, although the film was released in 1979. To secure the role of 17-year-old Tyrone Miller, Fishburne misrepresented his age—he was just 14 at the time. Throughout the 1980s, he appeared in several films, including Band of the Hand, Death Wish 2, The Cotton Club, The Color Purple, and Red Heat. He also took on television roles in shows such as Pee-wee's Playhouse, M*A*S*H, Spenser: For Hire, and Quicksilver.

Fishburne’s breakthrough came in the 1990s with his standout performance in Boyz n the Hood (1991). In 1992, he earned a Tony Award for his role in the August Wilson play Two Trains Running. The 2000s marked a turning point in Fishburne's career, with critically acclaimed roles in major franchises and television series. Some of his notable works include The Matrix Trilogy, Predators (2010), Hannibal (2013), Black-ish (2015–2022), Passengers (2016), John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017), and John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019).

In a 2019 interview, the director of John Wick: Chapter 4 mentioned the possibility of incorporating additional actors from The Matrix franchise—such as Carrie-Anne Moss and Hugo Weaving—following the positive reception of Laurence Fishburne’s appearance in the series.

Net Worth

As of recent estimates, Laurence Fishburne has a net worth of approximately $30 million, accumulated through his decades-long career in film, television, and stage performance. His roles in blockbuster franchises like The Matrix and John Wick, as well as award-winning stage work, have significantly contributed to his financial success.

Marriage and Children

Fishburne has been married twice. His first marriage was to actress Hajna O. Moss, not Greenery as previously reported, in 1985. The couple had two children: a son, Langston, born in 1987, and a daughter, Montana, born in 1991. The marriage ended in divorce in the early 1990s.

In 2002, Fishburne married actress Gina Torres. Their wedding took place on September 22 at The Cloisters museum in New York City. They welcomed a daughter, Delilah, in 2007. The couple separated in 2017 and finalized their divorce in 2018.