Jena Malone is a well-known actress and musician who has captivated audiences with her talent and versatility.
From her humble beginnings in the entertainment industry, she has made a name for herself and has built an impressive net worth of $4 million as of 2024. With a string of successful films under her belt, it’s no wonder her net worth is staggering.
Let’s examine Jena Malone’s journey to millionaire status, exploring the highlights of her career and how she has built such wealth and success.
Jena Malone stuns in a high-neck floral Prada dress at the premiere of Vertical Entertainment’s Adopting Audrey at Brain Dead Studios in Los Angeles, California on August 23, 2022 (Credit: Xavier Collin / ABACA / INSTARimages / Cover Images)
The Early Life and Background of Jena Malone
Jena Malone, real name Jena Laine Malone, was born in Sparks, Nevada, on November 21, 1984. She is of Irish descent and the child of Edward Berge (with Norwegian ancestry) and Deborah Malone. Madison Mae Malone, born in 1997, is her only younger maternal half-sibling.
The actress shared that her mother had a brief affair with her father, who was married at the time, resulting in her pregnancy.
Jena’s mother and her mother’s girlfriend reared her. In 2014, she spoke with The Daily Beast: “They were lovers. I had two moms, and it was awesome. Double the pleasure! The more love you have as a child, the better.”
Although Jena and her father were estranged when she was a child, they reunited as adults. By the time Jena was nine years old, her family had relocated nearly 30 times and occasionally found themselves impoverished.
Jena Malone embraces a playful and casual vibe in denim overalls paired with a black tank top and a stylish fedora at the premiere of A Prairie Home Companion in New York on June 4, 2006 (Credit: Carvalho / Startraksphoto)
In the interview with The Daily Beast, Jena said, “We were just so poor. We’d hop out of apartments, lose jobs, find a cheaper place, get kicked out, live in cars, and live in hotels.”
Jena asserted, “I don’t think it was a tough childhood. I actually found it quite pleasurable, and it prepared me for this strange, gypsy lifestyle of an actor. It’s a beautiful thing to give children diversity of where to live and how to live; it makes you believe that security is built within instead of four concrete walls that you call a home. It was a unique way to grow up, and to see life in a different way.”
| What is Jena Malone's net worth? | She is an American actress, producer, and musician with an estimated net worth of $4 million. |
|---|---|
| Full Name: | Jena Laine Malone |
| How old is Malin Akerman? | Jena Malone, born on November 21, 1984, in Sparks, Nevada, celebrated her 39th birthday on November 21, 2023. |
| Dating: | Jena Malone and Ethan DeLorenzo announced their engagement in August 2016, but ended their relationship in February 2019. Since then, Malone has been in a relationship with musician Alex Ebert starting in 2019. |
| Kids: | Malone welcomed her son, Ode Mountain, with boyfriend and photographer, Ethan DeLorenzo, in May 2016. |
| What is Jena Malone known for? | Jena Malone is an American actress, musician, and photographer who is known for her roles in independent films and mainstream blockbuster features. She started her acting career as a child and has received numerous accolades including nominations for a Golden Globe Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. Malone first gained recognition for her performance in the TV film "Bastard Out of Carolina" (1996) and then went on to appear in several successful films like "Contact" (1997), "Donnie Darko" (2001), "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" (2013), "The Neon Demon" (2016), and "Nocturnal Animals" (2016). She has also expressed interest in directing and has undertaken a formal study of photography. Malone is known for having a maturity beyond her years and tackling roles that are difficult and not typical for actors her age. |
| Shoe Size: | 8 (US) |
| How tall is Jena Malone? | 5 feet and 5 inches (165 cm) |
| Nationality: | American |
| Source of Wealth: | Jena Malone's primary source of wealth is her acting career. She has appeared in numerous films and television shows, both independent and mainstream, and has received recognition for her performances, including nominations for a Golden Globe Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. Additionally, she has acted in some of the highest-grossing film franchises, such as The Hunger Games, which has further contributed to her wealth. She has also released music as a musician and photographer. |
| Ethnicity/Race: | Jena Malone is of Norwegian, German, English, Irish, Scottish and 1/16th Mexican descent. |
Because Jena’s mother was an actress, she was inspired to pursue acting after seeing Deborah in local theatrical shows. After enrolling in acting school when the family was living in Las Vegas in 1995, Jena persuaded her mother to relocate to Los Angeles so she could further her acting career.
Jena attended the Professional Children’s School in New York City starting in the ninth grade after spending her middle school years at home. She left high school in 1999, and two years later, she received her General Education Development certificate.
Jena Malone radiates timeless elegance in a vintage-inspired red dress with black accents at the First Readings: A Benefit for Studio Dante held at the New York Historical Society in New York City on March 26, 2007 (Credit: INFphoto)
Breaking Into the Industry: Jena Malone’s Acting Beginnings
Jena Malone appeared in the 1995 music video for Michael Jackson’s song Childhood. In the 1996 movie Bastard Out of Carolina, she played Ruth Anne “Bone” Boatwright, for which she earned positive reviews from critics.
For her work in the movie, she received nominations for Best Debut Performance at the 1996 Independent Spirit Awards and Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries at the third Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Her roles in Hollywood films expanded from there, including those in the TV film Hope and the 1997 science fiction movie Contact by Robert Zemeckis. She was also cast in the successful film Stepmom (1998) with Susan Sarandon and Julia Roberts.
Jena Malone portrayed Heather Aubrey, Kelly Preston’s teenage daughter, in the 1999 film For Love of the Game, which also starred Kevin Costner. She made her acting debut as a leading lady in the psychological science fiction movie Donnie Darko in 2001. That same year, she appeared as a supporting character in the melodrama Life as a House.
Jake Gyllenhaal as Donnie Darko, Jena Malone as Gretchen Ross, and James Duval as Frank in the 2001 science fiction psychological thriller film Donnie Darko (Credit: Pandora Cinema / Newmarket Films)
She also co-produced the indie comedy-drama American Girl, in which she had the lead role. Jena starred as a Catholic teenager with a dark secret in The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys in 2002 and appeared as the “ferry girl” in Cold Mountain.
In 2004, Jena Malone acted in the indie thriller Corn and had the lead role in the ominous comedy Saved! Jena was then given the part of Lydia Bennet in Joe Wright’s 2005 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. In the same year, she appeared in Rebecca Miller’s play, The Ballad of Jack and Rose, in a minor part.
Jena debuted on the Broadway stage in 2006 in a performance of the Tony Award-winning drama Doubt as Sister James.
She co-starred with Chloë Sevigny in the improvised feature film Lying, directed by M. Blash. Jena went on to play minor parts in the experimental comedies The Go-Getter and Into the Wild, a biographical drama.
Jena Malone exudes bohemian elegance in a mauve halter gown with delicate feather detailing, paired with silver accessories at the Into the Wild premiere in Los Angeles, California on September 18, 2007 (Credit: Andy Fossum / Startraksphoto)
She also starred alongside Shawn Ashmore and Jonathan Tucker in the supernatural horror movie The Ruins (2008). The next year, Jena returned to acting and played Lavinia in an off-Broadway production of Eugene O’Neill’s drama Mourning Becomes Electra.
From Child Star to Hollywood Success: Jena Malone’s Rise to Fame
In 2011, Jena Malone portrayed Rocket in Zack Snyder’s action movie Sucker Punch. After the movie’s box office flop, Jena reconsidered her professional choices and considered concentrating on photography and music.
In 2007, Jena made her musical debut by releasing a single named Jena Malone & Her Blood Stains. The following year, she started doing street performances with a band called The Shoe, in which Jena played a variety of instruments housed within a steamer trunk.
Jena’s enthusiasm for acting reappeared after the triumph of her subsequent performance in the Hatfields and McCoys miniseries on The History Channel.
In 2012, Jena played the title role in Dakota, a YouTube series on the Wigs channel. She had a minor role in Brian Savelson’s indie film In Our Nature and agreed to portray Carson McCullers in the movie Lonely Hunter.
She collaborated again with M. Blash and Chloë Sevigny in the indie drama The Wait, which debuted in 2013. The same year, she was chosen to portray Johanna Mason in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.
Inherent Vice, a 2014 neo-noir movie directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, featured Jena in a minor role. She also reprised her role as Johanna Mason in the two Hunger Games sequels, Mockingjay—Part 1 (2014) and Mockingjay—Part 2 (2015).
Jena Malone portrayed Jenet Klyburn in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. She didn’t appear in any sequences featured in the cinematic run but in the Ultimate Edition home video release. In February 2015, Jena was paired with Elle Fanning in Nicolas Winding Refn’s horror movie The Neon Demon that was released in 2016.
Jena Malone as Ruby in the 2016 psychological horror film The Neon Demon (Credit: Amazon Studios / Broad Green Pictures)
In 2016, she co-starred with Riley Keough in So Yong Kim’s drama Lovesong, portraying a young lady who finds love with her female best friend. Jena additionally appeared in the films Stardust and The Tuna Goddess.
Jena Malone dazzles in a striking red gown, paired with vintage-inspired waves and bold red lipstick, at the Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 premiere in Los Angeles, California on November 17, 2014 (Credit: ACE / INFphoto)
Jena Malone’s Height and Physical Attributes
Jena Malone is 5 feet and 5 inches (165 cm) tall and wears a shoe size 8 (US).
Actress Jena Malone displays her feet in black sandals paired with sheer, knee-high socks at the premiere of ‘The Soloist’ on April 20, 2009, in Los Angeles, California (Credit: S_Bukley / Shutterstock)
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the average height for adult American women is approximately 5 feet 4 inches (162.5 cm), so Jena Malone is slightly taller than the average.
Jena Malone commands attention in a sleek snakeskin-print gown, her height enhanced by platform heels, adding an extra touch of sophistication at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2018 (Credit: INSTARimages)
A Look at Jena Malone’s Personal Life and Relationships
Between 1999 and 2000, Jena Malone dated the American singer and former actor Erik von Detten. She also dated film directors Galen Pehrson from 2011 to 2013 and M. Blash from 2013 to 2014.
M. Blash and Jena Malone at The Wait photocall during the 39th Deauville American Film Festival in Deauville, France on September 2, 2013 (Credit: Nicolas Briquet / Abaca / Startraksphoto)
Jena Malone welcomed her son, Ode Mountain, in May 2016 with her then-partner, photographer Ethan DeLorenzo. The couple announced their engagement in August 2016 but ultimately parted ways in February 2019.
Following the split, Jena was romantically linked to musician Alex Ebert. In August 2022, Jena publicly shared that she identifies as polyamorous and pansexual, embracing her evolving journey of self-discovery.
Jena Malone dazzles in a shimmering gold sequin jumpsuit with a deep plunging neckline, exuding glamour at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in Los Angeles on February 24, 2019 (Credit: Niviere David / ABACA / INSTARimages)
Jena Malone’s Philanthropy and Community Involvement
Jena Malone exhibited 39 snapshots from the summer she spent in Myanmar in 2014. The Holy Other was the show’s name, which took place from November 21 to November 28.
It happened in Downtown Los Angeles at MAMA, an art gallery run by Jena Malone’s acquaintance, Adarsha Benjamin. The money was given to Girl Determined, a charity that supports girls’ education in Myanmar.
In addition, Jena rescued a puppy from its abusive owner in 2022 and contributed to a GoFundMe effort to pay for the canine’s surgery.
Jena Malone captures the moment in style, sporting silver platform heels that perfectly complement her snakeskin gown at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2018 (Credit: INSTARimages)
Jena Malone’s journey to millionaire status is a testament to her hard work, talent, and unwavering determination.
From her humble beginnings as a child actress to her current status as a successful and sought-after performer, Jena has proven that anyone can achieve their dreams and reach great heights in their careers with hard work and talent.
Jena Malone showcases bold color-blocking in a navy, orange, and cream dress paired with a matching bright orange clutch (Credit: INFphoto)