Ruben Blades' net worth: 'Fear The Walking Dead' star's first job was in a mailroom
The Walkers are here and deadlier than ever as the nuclear fallout may see them evolve to be even more of a threat. 'Fear The Walking Dead' is returning for a seventh season amid much anticipation and we have our munchies ready!
The AMC horror show has had a successful run over the years after emerging as the spin off to 'The Walking Dead'. We saw some fan favorites cross over and also new ones making for a brilliant cast. Ruben Blades serves as one of the most prominent cast members in the role of Daniel Salazar who is a survivor of the outbreak 'Fear The Walking Dead' with him being a tough act to follow. If you're into gritty, survival shows with hordes of the undead after your life, then this one's for you.
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Ruben Blades' career
Ruben Blades is an actor, composer, activist, singer and songwriter, and politician, performing musically most often in the salsa and Latin jazz genres. He is considered a musical icon in Panama and across Latin American countries as he produced a string of hits as well as appeared in a list iconic films. As a professional singer/songwriter, he brought the lyrical sophistication of Central American nueva canción and Cuban nueva trova as well as experimental tempos and politically inspired Nuyorican salsa to his music, thus creating thinking persons' (salsa) dance music. Blades moved to New York in 1974 and first worked for the Panamanian Consulate while trying to break into the salsa scene. He did so literally by taking a job in the mailroom of New York's leading salsa record label, Fania Records. It was there he got his big break and began singing with Ray Baretto's traditional salsa band. He made his debut at Madison Square Garden with the band in 1974.
He has also composed and sings what many Panamanians consider their second national anthem. It is entitled “Patri” or “Fatherland.”
He has won a total of nine Grammy Awards out of seventeen nominations and five Latin Grammy Awards. His acting career began in 1983, with him seen in prominent roles in films such as 'Crossover Dreams', 'The Milagro Beanfield War' and more. He also has three Emmy Award nominations for his performances in 'The Josephine Baker Story', 'Crazy from the Heart' and 'The Maldonado Miracle'. Blades has also had a career in politics and managed to attract 17% of the vote in his failed attempt to win the Panamanian presidency in 1994. In September 2004, he was appointed minister of tourism by Panamanian president Martín Torrijos for a five-year term. Recent times saw him in 'Fear the Walking Dead' as one of the main cast. Blades is brilliant as Daniel Salazar on the AMC horror series as we see his character become the chief security officer at the Gonzalez Dam.
What is Ruben Blades' net worth?
Blades has had a very successful career spanning 46 years which has given him an estimated net worth of around $15 million. While the actor earns a handsome salary from his role on 'Fear The Walking Dead' which amounts to at least $80,000 per episode, he has also seen major success before this. Blades has had a rich and diverse career in films and tv with him accumulating a lot of wealth over the years. Not just that the multi-talented artist in his earlier days as a musical genius of Latin America has the sale of thousands of albums across the nation. We can only safely assume he holds the copyright and royalties for his many songs. He is also said to have various investments in stocks and such.
Ruben Blades' houses
Blades sold his home in the historic Windsor Square neighborhood of Los Angeles for $2,415,000 in 2009, the Multiple Listing Service shows. Public records show he bought the home in 2001 for $1.45 million.
The NY Post in 2020 reported how Blades and his wife, Broadway star Luba Mason completed the renovation of their historic Chelsea townhouse. The home, built in 1864 as a single-family mansion on W. 21st St. became the Guardian Angel Convent in the 1950s. It is a 6,000-square-foot, six-bedroom home’. The townhouse, designed by Nadine Homann, comes with a private garden, a second-floor terrace, a rooftop deck overlooking the Empire State Building. It also comes with a renovated chef’s kitchen, which once served as the convent’s chapel, with circular skylights. The home also features Mason’s Slovakian crystal, original stained-glass windows, a spiral chestnut staircase, fireplaces, some original doors and a giant Times Square Broadway poster of Mason when she starred in “Chicago.” The couple bought the home in 2015. While the interior renovations were completed before the pandemic hit, there is still more work to be done on the house.
'Fear The Walking Dead' Season 7 will premiere on October 17, 2021 on AMC, with each episode available a week early via AMC+. You can watch the previous seasons on Amazon Prime Video as well.