Who Is J.K Rowling?
J.K. Rowling is a world-renowned British screenwriter and author. She is the creator of the famous Harry Potter fantasy series. Harry Potter is one of the best-selling series across the globe and its movie series sits at the 2nd highest-grossing films in the movie industry.
Personal Details
- Celebrity Name: J.K. Rowling
- Full Name: Joanne Rowling
- Gender: Female
- Birth Date: July 31, 1965
- Birth Place: Yate, United Kingdom
- Age: 54
- Height: 1.65m
- Weight: 54 kilos
- Nationality: British
- Sexual Orientation: Straight
- Status: Married
- Husband: Neil Murray, married since 2001; Jorge Arantes, married 1992-1993
- Children: Mackenzie Jean Rowling Murray, David Gordon Rowling Murray, Jessica Isabel Rowling Arantes
- Profession: Screenwriter and novel writer
- Net Worth: $1.5 billion
Early Life
J.K. Rowling was born on July 31, 1965, in Yates, the United Kingdom to parents Peter James and Anne Volant. Her father was an aircraft engineer and her mother was a science technician who passed away in 1990 due to multiple sclerosis (MS). She has a younger sister, Dianne. She began her schooling in St. Michael’s Primary School and later on, went to Wyedean School in Chepstow, Wales. In college, she attended Exeter University, finishing a major in French and Classics.
Personal Life
Rowling was married twice in her life. Her first marriage was to Jorge Arantes. They married in 1993 but separated just a year after. They have one daughter together named Jessica Isabel. Her second marriage was Neil Murray. They married in 2001 and have been together since. They have two children together named Mackenzie Jean and David Gordon.
Career
At a very young age, J.K. already showed interest in writing. In 1990, she moved to Portugal to pursue teaching English as a foreign language. Three years later, she again moved to Scotland so she can be near her younger sister.
The Harry Potter Novel Series
In 1995, the manuscript of her first book, “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone,” was finalized. She sold the book’s rights to Bloomsbury Publishing after getting rejected multiple times by other publishing houses.
In 1997, the book was officially published in 1997. It earned numerous awards, including the British Book Award and Nestle Smarties Book Prize.
Later on, the book was renamed “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’ and was published in the US by Scholastic, Inc.
In 1998, her second novel, “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,” was published. Then, the rest of the series followed – “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” in 1999, “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” in 2000, “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” in 2003, “Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince” in 2005, and “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” in 2007.
In 2016, Rowling released the play, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” along with Jack Thorne and John Tiffany.
The Harry Potter film series is made of eight movies with worldwide sales over $7 billion. Among the main casts include Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Alan Rickman, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, and Tom Felton.
Other books written by J.K. include “Cuckoo Calling,” “The Casual Vacancy,” “and The Tales of Beedle the Bard.”
Awards and Achievements
With the success of her career, J.K. Rowling has earned many awards. These include British Academy Film Awards, Author of the Year, Britsh Book Awards, Freedom of the City of London, Outstanding Achievement, and a British Cultural Icon. She is also a member of the Order of the Companies of Honour.
Total Net Worth 2020
To date, J.K. Rowling is known to have a total net worth of $1.7 billion. She earned great wealth from selling over 450 million copies of the Harry Potter Books. She also receives an income from the Wizard World Theme Park attractions and licensing fees from the Harry Potter franchise. She also received money from NBC Universal for airing the Harry Potter films. She has also earned from the new films, like “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” and “The Crimes of Grindelwald.”