Brian De Palma Biography: Height, Siblings, Age, Net Worth, Husband, Movies, Children
Brian Russell De Palma, professionally known as Brian De Palma, is an American filmmaker, screenwriter, and producer who became one of the defining directors of the New Hollywood era.
He gained international recognition for his highly stylized approach to psychological thrillers, crime films, and horror, with acclaimed works including Carrie, Dressed to Kill, Blow Out, Scarface, The Untouchables, Carlito’s Way, and Mission: Impossible.
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His distinctive use of split screens, elaborate camera movements, suspense sequences, and visual references to Alfred Hitchcock has made his filmmaking style particularly recognizable.
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| Wiki Facts & About Data | |
| Real Name: | Brian Russell De Palma |
| Stage Name: | Brian De Palma |
| Born: | September 11, 1940 (age 86 years old) |
| Place of Birth: | Newark, New Jersey, United States |
| Nationality: | American |
| Ethnicity: | Italian-American |
| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Religion: | Christianity |
| Parents: | Anthony Frederick De Palma, Vivienne De Palma |
| Siblings: | Bart De Palma |
| Spouse: | Nancy Allen (1979 - 1983), Gale Anne Hurd (1991 - 1993), Darnell Gregorio (1995 - 1997) |
| Children: | Lolita De Palma, Piper De Palma |
| Occupation: | Filmmaker, Screenwriter, Producer |
| Net Worth: | $40 million |
Early Life and Education
Brian De Palma, 86, was born on September 11, 1940, in Newark, New Jersey.
He spent much of his childhood in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where his father, Anthony Frederick De Palma, an orthopedic surgeon, and his mother, Vivienne De Palma, raised him. He grew up alongside his brother, Bart De Palma, in an Italian-American family.
De Palma initially pursued science rather than filmmaking. He attended Friends’ Central School before enrolling at Columbia University, where he studied physics.
During his university years, his interest shifted toward cinema after he became fascinated by films such as Citizen Kane and Vertigo.
He subsequently attended Sarah Lawrence College, where he studied theatre and developed the filmmaking interests that would define his professional career.
Personal Life
Brian De Palma has been married three times, with all three marriages ending in divorce.
He married actress Nancy Allen on January 12, 1979, and they remained together until their divorce in 1983. Allen also appeared in several of De Palma’s films, including Carrie, Dressed to Kill, and Blow Out.
De Palma married film producer Gale Anne Hurd on July 20, 1991. They divorced in 1993 and had one daughter, Lolita De Palma.
He later married actress Darnell Gregorio on October 11, 1995. They had a daughter, Piper De Palma, before divorcing on April 18, 1997. De Palma has not remarried and remains unmarried.
Career
Brian De Palma began making short and independent films before establishing himself as a feature filmmaker in the late 1960s.
His early work included The Wedding Party, Greetings, and Hi, Mom!, with Greetings helping bring greater attention to his emerging style and featuring an early credited screen appearance by Robert De Niro.
His breakthrough came with the 1976 supernatural horror film Carrie, starring Sissy Spacek and based on Stephen King’s novel.
The film became a major commercial and critical success and received multiple Academy Award nominations. De Palma followed it with a succession of influential thrillers, including The Fury, Dressed to Kill, and Blow Out. In 1983, he directed Scarface, starring Al Pacino as Tony Montana.
Although the film generated controversy over its graphic violence and received an initial mixed critical response, it later developed a major cult following and became one of De Palma’s most recognizable works.
He later directed The Untouchables (1987), Casualties of War (1989), Carlito’s Way (1993), and Mission: Impossible (1996), the latter becoming a major international action success starring Tom Cruise.
De Palma continued directing films in the following decades, including Snake Eyes, Mission to Mars, Femme Fatale, The Black Dahlia, Redacted, Passion, and Domino. His career has also earned recognition from major international film festivals, including Venice and Berlin.
Awards
- Silver Lion for Best Director – Venice Film Festival – Redacted – Won (2007)
- Glory to the Filmmaker Award – Venice Film Festival – Won (2015)
Net Worth
Brian De Palma has an estimated net worth of $40 million.
He has built his wealth through decades of directing, screenwriting, producing, and appearing in commercially successful feature films, as well as ongoing earnings from his extensive film catalogue.
Controversy
Brian De Palma’s filmmaking has generated recurring controversy because of its graphic violence, sexual themes, and depictions of women and psychological trauma.
Dressed to Kill and Body Double, in particular, have drawn criticism from feminist commentators over their treatment of female characters and violence against women.
Dressed to Kill has also received criticism from transgender commentators concerning its depiction of gender identity.
Scarface also attracted controversy surrounding its graphic violence and language, with the film’s content becoming a prominent issue during the ratings process.
Despite these disputes, several of De Palma’s films have subsequently become influential works within American popular cinema.
Filmography
- Murder a la Mod (1968)
- Greetings (1968)
- The Wedding Party (1969)
- Hi, Mom! (1970)
- Get to Know Your Rabbit (1972)
- Sisters (1972)
- Phantom of the Paradise (1974)
- Obsession (1976)
- Carrie (1976)
- The Fury (1978)
- Home Movies (1979)
- Dressed to Kill (1980)
- Blow Out (1981)
- Scarface (1983)
- Body Double (1984)
- Wise Guys (1986)
- The Untouchables (1987)
- Casualties of War (1989)
- The Bonfire of the Vanities (1990)
- Raising Cain (1992)
- Carlito’s Way (1993)
- Mission: Impossible (1996)
- Snake Eyes (1998)
- Mission to Mars (2000)
- Femme Fatale (2002)
- The Black Dahlia (2006)
- Redacted (2007)
- Passion (2012)
- Domino (2019)
Books
- Are Snakes Necessary? (2020)
What People Ask
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