Jeffrey Voorhees was just 12 years old when he played Alex Kintner in Steven Spielberg's 1975 thriller Jaws. His character met a gruesome end, brutally attacked and killed by the shark while floating on a raft. The brief but memorable death scene lasted only about a minute of screen time.
Nearly five decades later, Voorhees is still earning substantial money from that childhood role. Now 62, he travels the world attending fan conventions and events, earning around £10,000 per appearance. "It pays to die," Voorhees said about his unusual career trajectory.
Global TV residuals
Voorhees continues to receive payments every time Jaws airs on television anywhere in the world. His brother lives in Portugal and sends him updates when the film broadcasts. "Good news, you just died on TV over here. You'll get another cheque," his brother texts him.
The former child actor has embraced his connection to the iconic film. He operates guided tours on Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts, where Jaws was filmed, with fans paying double when he's present. According to Daily Mail, he also charges £25.99 for personalised videos on Cameo.
Creative fan interactions
Voorhees has developed a unique approach to fan requests, including memorial messages. One family paid for a video after their loved one died while watching Jaws. "Hey, your father and I had a little something in common. He died watching me die," Voorhees told them in the message, signing off with "have a Jawesome funeral."
Initially, Voorhees tried to distance himself from his Jaws connection. "At first, I used to hide from the fact that I'd been in Jaws, and then finally I realised I could make some good money and make people happy," he explained. Daily Mail reports he has an upcoming role in the film Operation EX-I-33.
Lasting film legacy
The Jaws franchise has grossed over $800 million worldwide across four films. The original movie became one of cinema's first 'high-concept' films, complete with John Williams' Oscar-winning theme tune. Author Peter Benchley later expressed regret about writing the original book, spending his later life as an ocean activist advocating for shark conservation.
Even Spielberg admitted the filming conditions were challenging. "It was made under the worst of conditions. People versus the eternal sea," the director told Vanity Fair. "The sea won the battle, but where we won was with audiences in every country."
Sources used: "Metro", "Daily Mail" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
