How Much Was Anne Heche Worth When She Died?

Movie buffs are mourning the tragic death of Anne Heche, who died on August 12 at 53 after her involvement in a horrific car accident on August 5.

Heche embodied the sort of rags-to-riches tale that sounds more like fiction than real life. As per Biography, the actor was born on May 25, 1969, to a Baptist choir director and a homemaker. Heche was only 12 years old when she lost her father to HIV/AIDS, leaving her family in dire financial straits. Not long after, Heche landed her first professional job at a dinner theatre production of "The Music Man" to help make ends meet. "At the time we'd been kicked out of our house and my family was holed up living in a bedroom in the home of a generous family from our church," she told The Telegraph in 2011. "I got $100 a week, which was more than anyone else in my family. We all pooled our money in an envelope in a drawer and saved up enough to move out after a year."

Heche wouldn't have to struggle for long. While acting in a high school play, she caught the attention of an agent, and by 1987 she landed her first television role on the day-time soap, "Another World." Her early success as a soap star later led to prominent roles in major films throughout the late '90s — padding both her resume and her bank account up until the time of her tragic death.

Anne Heche was a darling of the '90s, landing massive roles in movies like "Volcano," "I Know What You Did Last Summer," "Six Days, Seven Nights," and "Psycho." The actor saw continued success throughout the aughts, landing roles in independent films and starring as the lead in the television series, "Men in Trees."

By the time of her death, Heche could attribute more than 80 acting credits to her name, helping her amass a fortune valued at $4 million, as per Celebrity Net Worth. While Heche never achieved the same financial success as other mega-rich Hollywood actors, the value of her fortune at the time of her death is a far cry from her early days at the dinner theater.

The actor used her platform and wealth to improve the lives of others. The charities and foundations that she supported include Cure Duchenne, Race to Erase MS, and Stand Up To Cancer, and she also served as a spokesperson for the Afghanistan World Foundation.