Renée Felice Smith has had just about as long a screen acting career as the likes Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya and Tom Holland. She might be a little over ten years older than that burgeoning trio, but she started acting for film and TV in the late 2010s, the same as all of them.
Chalamet, Zendaya and Holland have all diversified their work in that time. Holland made a name for himself as Spider-Man in the MCU. Zendaya and Chalamet are presently making waves with their recent film, Dune. However, these are only a small part of many high-profile projects they have featured in.
Smith, on the other hand, has forged most of her career through her performance as Nell Jones in NCIS: Los Angeles. After more than a decade in the role, it was announced that she would be leaving the show. Her final episode aired in May 2021. At the time, she was estimated to be worth around $4 million. She has not worked on any major projects since then. Within such a short time period, most of that wealth remains intact.
Subsequent Projects Lined Up
The news of Smith's departure from NCIS: Los Angeles might have come as a major shock to most people, but she knew the end was nigh and was prepared for it. By the time she walked out the show's exit door for the final time, she already had a number of subsequent projects lined up.
She explained the scenario in an interview with TVLine earlier this year. "I think that I've been ready for my next chapter for a while now, in whatever form it will take," she said. "But it's surely to be centered around storytelling. I hesitate to be part of the 'cliché actress' calling herself a storyteller, but I really am one. I'm a writer. I'm a director."
Among the stories that Smith and her team were working to develop was a TV show, as well as an independently produced film. "We are developing television currently. We have another indie in the works," she continued. "I want to tell compelling stories, poignant stories that offer an escape and chance of reflection for the viewer. So that's where my focus is."
A Joint Effort
In May, Smith had also just had her first ever children's book published, by the title Hugo and the Impossible Thing. It was a joint effort between her and her partner, Chris Gabriel. They drew inspiration for the material from their French bulldog, who they call Hugo. "Chris and I wrote the book about our dog who recovered from a really life-threatening illness," she explained in the TVLine interview.
"It was an inoperable brain tumor that almost everyone told us would be impossible to beat. But through the help of some truly brilliant doctors and Hugo's own determination, he made it to the other side and he lived a full life. It was this miracle that we witnessed, and we knew we needed to pass on Hugo's message and let it inspire others."
Smith and Gabriel are in a long-term relationship, although they strive to keep details of their personal life private. Gabriel works as a producer and director, but he also has some acting experience. According to his IMDb profile, he has produced movies such as S4, and a short film titled Devotion. He was an actor in Silent Night, Zombie Night and One Long Day, among others.
Not Gotten Close To Bestselling Figures
Hugo and the Impossible Thing was clearly the main item on Smith's mind as she bade farewell to NCIS: Los Angeles. The book has received positive reviews, including one that defined it as a 'perfect story for goal-oriented readers.' That notwithstanding, they have not gotten close to bestselling figures.
As such, whatever sales they have accrued so far cannot have impacted her net worth in any significant way. In fact, Celeb Worth estimate that her total value has dropped slightly, to around $3.8 million.
This is not very surprising, if you were to take into consideration the salary that Smith was earning from the show. The very main actors, such as Daniela Ruah and LL Cool J are said to be on a package that guarantees them $350,000 per episode. The recurring cast members - the category where Smith falls - apparently make at least $100,000 each week.
Since her exit at the end of last season, six episodes of Season 3 have aired. And while this does not literally take away from her total worth, it is an amount that could have gone towards boosting it. Until she returns to the screen again, Smith's net worth might just keep stagnating.