In an interview, actor Chris Pine revealed the story behind his breakthrough role in "The Princess Diaries 2," which turned his financial fortunes around and ignited his acting career.
In 2002, Chris Pine's acting career was on the brink of obscurity, with an empty bank account and overdraft fees of $400. However, fate had a serendipitous encounter in store for him when he received a life-altering phone call while driving on the freeway.
"I was getting off at Magnolia. I was on my little Verizon tiny little flip phone, and I got a call from my agents that I booked the job," recalled Pine on the "Sunday Sitdown With Willie Geist" podcast.
The job was for "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement," a sequel to the beloved Anne Hathaway and Julie Andrews-led film. Pine was cast as a love interest for Hathaway's character and was offered a salary of $65,000.
Overwhelmed with joy, Pine pulled over to the side of the freeway to process the news. The amount seemed astronomical to him, given his dire financial straits. "It was like they had just told me I'd made $50 million. It was absolutely earth-shattering," Pine said.
At that time, Pine was struggling to make ends meet. "I had an overdraft in my bank account, it was like $400 over. I was gonna have to ask my parents for money," he admitted. However, the $65,000 paycheck gave him a glimmer of hope.
Pine explained that the money lasted a short while, but it had a profound impact on his life. "That [was] a wild feeling. I'll never forget that," he said. "Even though [$65,000] at the end of the day turned out to be about $15,000," he added, referring to the taxes and agent fees he had to pay.
The role in "The Princess Diaries 2" became a turning point in Pine's career. He landed more acting jobs, including a recurring role on the popular medical drama "ER." Today, Pine is an established Hollywood star with a successful film and television resume, including the "Star Trek" franchise, "Into the Woods," and "Wonder Woman."
Pine's story serves as a reminder that success and financial stability can come in unexpected ways and that even the smallest of opportunities can have a life-changing impact.
