For many reasons that include a lack of interest and change of goals, or an inability to accurately transit from playing child roles to those of adults; many child actors have not been able to have acting careers as adults. This, however, has not been the case for Jewel Staite, who like other famous Canadian actors like Ryan Gosling and Sarah Polley, has been able to make the transition. The talented actress is famous for her appearances on TV series such as Firefly and Stargate Atlantis, among others. Read on to find out more about Staite, how she began her career and other interesting facts below.
Jewel Staite Biography
Jewel Staite was born Jewel Belair Staite in White Rock, British Columbia, Canada, on the 2nd of June, 1982. The name of her parents are not known but she is the youngest of their seven children. Through her parents, she is of British, Irish, French Canadian, and Iroquois ancestry. When she was growing up, Staite was spotted by a modeling agent in a Vancouver shopping along with her mother.
Following a series of meetings, the young girl was given a modeling contract, a move that went ahead to shape her career path. While modeling, Staite went ahead to add acting to her resume around the age of 5. In 1991, she made her first notable acting appearance in the television film, Posing: Inspired by Three Real Stories. In the following years, she appeared in episodes of The Odyssey (1992, 1994), Liar, Liar (1993), Are You Afraid of the Dark? (1994, 1995), and The X-Files (1995), before making her film acting debut in Gold Diggers: The Secret of Bear Mountain (1995).
In 1996, Jewel Staite was able to land her first main role, which was also a co-starring one, in the first season of the Nickelodeon sci-fi TV series, Space Cases. That same year, she landed a lead role alongside actor Ben Foster in the Disney Original series, Flash Forward (1996 – 1997). Some other notable appearances during the ’90s include Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show (1997 – 1999), Da Vinci’s Inquest (1998 – 2001), and Sabrina: The Animated Series (1999).
Not resting on what her natural talent was able to provide for her, Staite enrolled at the Vancouver Film School as she also worked at the Vancouver Youth Theatre. After completing her studies, she continued her acting career, appearing in TV series’ like Firefly (2002 – 2003), Wonderfalls (2004), and Stargate Atlantis (2007 – 2009) and films like Serenity (2005) and After Dusk They Come (2009).
In recent time, Jewel Staite is known for her work in the series The L.A. Complex (2012), and The Killing (2013 – 2014). She also featured in the 2015 movies, She Who Must Burn and How to Plan an Orgy in a Small Town.
Jewel Staite’s Net Worth
Jewel Staite is undoubtedly enjoying a very successful acting career that has made her very wealthy. The actress who started her career a young age is reported to have a net worth that runs in millions of dollars; however, the exact value of her financial status is currently unknown.
In addition to her on-screen work, Staite also works behind the scenes as an executive producer. Some of her works include the 2015 comedy, How to Plan an Orgy in a Small Town. With all her earnings, she has been able to give away some of her money to charities, specifically those that are in relation to AIDS awareness and research. She holds this specific cause close to her heart because her uncle passed away from the disease.
Family: Husband and Children
Jewel Staite is happily married to her husband, Charlie Ritchie. The pair got engaged in May 2015, the same month in which Staite announced that she was pregnant with her first child. On the 9th of December, 2015, the duo welcomed a son named Wilder Cathcart Ritchie. A few months later, the couple exchanged vows and their wedding took place on the 23rd of July, 2016.
Meanwhile, Staite’s will be hoping to enjoy a more successful second attempt at marriage with Ritchie after her first one to actor Matt Anderson ended in divorce. The actress married her colleague in a ceremony in 2003 where actress Morena Baccarin served as her maid of honor. The couple’s union lasted until 2011 when they decided to officially part ways.
Height and Body Measurements
Jewel Staite has a height of 5 feet 5 inches (165 cm). The Canadian, who has dark brown hair and hazel eyes, weighs approximately 125 lbs (57 kg). She further has body measurements of 34-26-35 inches (87-68-91 cm) and wears a shoe size of 10 (US).
Also Read: Top 10 Richest People in the world with full biography and details.
