Ben Foster Biography: Age, Wife, Children, Net Worth, Movies, Awards, Controversy, Parents

Ben Foster is an American actor known for intense and often brooding roles in both independent films and mainstream blockbusters.

He first caught wide attention for parts in films like The Punisher and Alpha Dog, and later earned critical praise for his portrayal of Tanner Howard in Hell or High Water, for which he won an Independent Spirit Award.

Profile

• Full name: Benjamin A. Foster
• Date of birth: October 29, 1980
• Age: 44 years old
• Gender: Male
• Place of birth: Boston, Massachusetts, United States
• Nationality: American
• Profession: Actor, producer
• Parents: Mother: Gillian Kirwan; Father: Steven Foster
• Siblings: Younger brother: Jon Foster
• Spouse: Laura Prepon
• Children: Daughter: Ella Foster; Son: (name not widely publicized)
• Relationship status: Divorced
• Religion: Jewish (raised Jewish)
• Ethnicity: White of Jewish descent
• Net worth: $15 million

Early Life and Education

Ben Foster is now 44 years old. He was born on October 29, 1980, in Boston, Massachusetts. His parents, Gillian Kirwan and Steven Foster, owned restaurants. When he was four years old his family moved to Fairfield, Iowa after their Boston home was burglarized while they were there. He was raised Jewish. His paternal grandparents were Celia Segal and Abraham Foster; those ancestors included immigrants from the Russian Empire. During his youth he attended the Maharishi School of the Age of Enlightenment in Fairfield and also spent time at Interlochen Arts Camp to study theatre. He began acting at around age sixteen.

Personal Life

Ben Foster was in a relationship with German actress Antje Traue around 2009-2010; they co-starred in Pandorum. He later became engaged to actress Robin Wright in early 2014; they called off their engagement later that year, but reconciled in early 2015 and then ended their second engagement in August 2015. In October 2016 he announced his engagement to Laura Prepon; they have two children together: a daughter named Ella born in August 2017 and a son born in February 2020. In November 2024 he filed for divorce from Prepon, citing irreconcilable differences.

Career

Ben Foster began acting as a teenager, with small roles in TV and film. His early break came in Liberty Heights (1999) and Get Over It (2001). He gained wider recognition for recurring roles, notably Russell Corwin in Six Feet Under (2003-2005), and a sequence of roles in films such as The Punisher (2004). On stage, one of his notable theatre performances was replacing Shia LaBeouf in Orphans on Broadway in 2013.

Awards

• Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male for Hell or High Water (2016)
• Nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor for 3:10 to Yuma (2007)
• Nominated for Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor for 3:10 to Yuma (2007)

Net worth

Ben Foster’s current net worth estimate is approximately $15 million. He has earned income through film roles, television, theatre work, and possibly producing.

Controversy

In preparation for his role as Lance Armstrong in the film The Program, Foster used performance-enhancing drugs and later said they caused damage to his body; he took steps to restore his health afterward. He has also been involved in publicized legal filings related to his divorce from Laura Prepon, which include allegations, among them accusations from Prepon about alcohol abuse.

Social Media

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Filmography

• Kounterfeit
• Liberty Heights
• Get Over It
• The Laramie Project
• Big Trouble
• Phone Booth (uncredited)
• Northfork
• 11:14
• The Punisher
• The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things
• Hostage
• Alpha Dog
• X-Men: The Last Stand
• 3:10 to Yuma
• 30 Days of Night