What is Asia Argento's Net Worth?
Asia Argento is an accomplished Italian actress, singer, model, and director who has a net worth of $500 thousand. Known for her diverse talents, some of Argento's notable acting credits include "Queen Margot," "Traveling Companion," "xXx," and "Marie Antoinette." In terms of directing, some of her significant works are "Scarlet Diva," "The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things," and "Misunderstood."
In 2017, a significant chapter in her life unfolded as she became a leading figure in the #MeToo movement. Ironically, she was later accused of sexually abusing a young actor. Another notable aspect of her life was her relationship with the late chef Anthony Bourdain at the time of his death in 2018.
Early Life
Asia Argento was born Aria Maria Vittoria Rossa Argento on September 20, 1975, in Rome, Italy. She is the daughter of actress Daria Nicolodi and renowned film director Dario Argento, famous for his work in Italian giallo horror films. Growing up, Asia often felt lonely and unloved, a sentiment that led her to run away from home at the age of 14. Her father’s horror screenplays were read to her as bedtime stories, setting the foundation for her career in the film industry.
Film Career, Part 1
Argento's major feature film debut was in 1986 with Lamberto Bava's Italian horror film "Demons 2." This was followed by another horror film, "The Church," in 1989. She also appeared in the comedy "Red Wood Pigeon" and the teen drama "Close Friends." In 1993, she starred in her father's giallo horror film "Trauma" and appeared in the comedy "Diary of a Man Condemned to Marriage." The year 1994 was a significant one, as Argento starred in the historical drama "Queen Margot" and the comedy "Let's Not Keep in Touch," earning her the David di Donatello Award for Best Actress. She won her second David di Donatello Award for Best Actress in 1996 for her role in "Traveling Companion" and also starred in her father's "The Stendhal Syndrome."
After acting in the comedy "Viola Kisses Everybody," Argento transitioned to English-language cinema with a role in Abel Ferrara's 1998 film "New Rose Hotel." That same year, she starred in the British-American crime drama "B. Monkey" and her father's "The Phantom of the Opera." She made her directorial debut with "Scarlet Diva" in 2000. Argento's international acclaim came with her role as an undercover spy in the 2002 Hollywood action film "xXx" opposite Vin Diesel. She subsequently directed her second film, "The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things," in which she also starred.
Film Career, Part 2
In 2005, Argento appeared in Gus Van Sant's "Last Days" and George A. Romero's "Land of the Dead." The following year, she starred in Sofia Coppola's "Marie Antoinette" and Tony Gatlif's "TranSylvania." Subsequently, she appeared in Olivier Assayas's "Boarding Gate," Abel Ferrara's "Go Go Tales," and her father's "Mother of Tears."
In 2011, Argento starred in four Italian films: "Horses," "Islands," "Baciato Dalla Fortuna," and "Drifters." In 2012, she appeared in the French comedy "Do Not Disturb" and her father's "Dracula 3D." She continued with roles in the romantic dramas "Obsessive Rhythms" and "Shongram." In 2014, she directed "Misunderstood." Argento's recent film roles include the American thriller "Agony" and her father's 2022 film "Dark Glasses."
Other Media Appearances
Beyond films, Argento has been active in other media. In television, she played Éponine in a French miniseries adaptation of "Les Misérables" in 2000. She later competed in the eighth season of the Italian reality series "Pechino Express." She has appeared in music videos for Placebo's "This Picture" and Sean Lennon's "Dead Meat." Additionally, she has modeled for the Italian fashion brand Miss Sixty.
Writing
Argento has contributed to magazines such as L'Espresso and Dynamo. In 1999, she published her first novel, "I Love You Kirk," and in 2021, she released her autobiography "Anatomy of a Wild Heart."
Relationships
From 2000 to 2006, Argento dated Italian singer-songwriter Morgan, with whom she had a daughter named Anna Lou. In 2008, she married film director Michele Civetta and they had a daughter named Nicola Giovanni. The couple divorced in 2013. She later began a relationship with celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, which lasted until his suicide in 2018.
Harvey Weinstein Assault
As a notable voice in the #MeToo movement, Asia Argento made headlines in October 2017 when Ronan Farrow reported in The New Yorker that she had been sexually assaulted by producer Harvey Weinstein in the 1990s. Her public accusations and speeches against Weinstein catapulted her to a leadership role in the movement. In 2021, Argento accused director Rob Cohen of drugging and raping her during the filming of "xXx."
James Bennett Allegations
In August 2018, The New York Times published an article alleging that Argento had sexually assaulted 17-year-old actor James Bennett in 2013. It was reported that Argento paid Bennett $380,000 in "hush money" to settle the allegations. Argento denied having a sexual relationship with Bennett, claiming that it was actually her then-boyfriend Anthony Bourdain who paid the settlement. Bourdain's messages to Argento about the payment were later made public, revealing his supportive yet conflicted stance on the matter.
