Landing a job as a child actor can snowball into a full-blown career in show business, and it can be a great opportunity to generate lifelong passive income for those lucky enough to get cast in major productions right out of the gate.
Reece Thompson, now 30, played the role of "the little Irish boy" in the beloved film, Titanic, and while his role might've been small, he has been receiving substantial royalties for it ever since.
Little did the actors of the film know at the time of its release, they had just signed themselves up for a lifetime of quarterly royalties.
For then-child actor Reese Thompson, now 30, it was an incredibly fortunate head-start.
At five-years-old, he played a third-class passenger who sadly died alongside his mother when the ship hit the iceberg.
Despite showing signs of a promising acting career, he now works as a digital marketing director at Brian Head Resort, a skiing resort in Utah.
Hollywood isn't for everyone!
She gave him the choice of starring in a petrol ad or taking a much briefer role in Titanic, and it's safe to say he chose wisely.
"Obviously, it ended up exploding, so that wasn't a bad decision on her part, that's for sure," he added.
He explained that the money has been coming in so passively, he hardly notices it anymore.
'It's weird because it's not present in my mind anymore," he said.
Reece added that the amount often fluctuates based on how well the film continues to do.
He admitted that he's surprised to still be receiving checks after all these years, but of course, appreciates the extra cash.
Reece revealed that in the immediate years after Titanic was released, his checks were in the "low thousands" with spikes after it became available on VHS and DVD.
Kate made $2-million, while Leo made $2.5-million.
Let us know what you think of Reece Thompson's Titanic royalties in the comments below.
h/t Business Insider
