Michael Steger Net Worth

What Is Michael Steger's Net Worth?

Michael Steger is an American actor, producer, writer, and director who has a net worth of $2 million. Michael Steger is best known for playing Navid Shirazi on The CW's "90210," the 2008–2013 continuation of the "Beverly Hills, 90210" franchise. Steger was a series regular for all five seasons and appeared in all 114 episodes, giving him the most substantial and recognizable role of his career.

Before "90210," Steger built his résumé through television guest appearances, Disney Channel projects, and a memorable collaboration with Tim Burton, who cast him in The Killers' music video for "Bones." His credits included "NCIS," "The Winner," "Hannah Montana," "Cory in the House," "Criminal Minds," and the Disney Channel movie "The Cheetah Girls: One World."

After "90210" ended, Steger continued working in television and independent film while also moving into writing, directing, and producing with his wife, actress and writer Brandee Steger. His later acting credits have included "Ana Maria in Novela Land," "Grey's Anatomy," "Blue Ridge," and "The Chosen," in which he plays Barabbas. He and Brandee have also collaborated on stage productions, short films, and the comedy web series "Not So Union."

Early Life

Michael Mateus Steger was born on May 27, 1980, in Los Angeles, California. He grew up in Southern California and has described himself as coming from a middle-class, first-generation American family with Ecuadorian roots.

Steger became interested in performing while he was still in school. He also trained extensively in martial arts as a child and earned a first-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do at age 18.

He initially enrolled at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, as a biology student and considered pursuing dentistry. His plans changed after appearing in a college production of "Tartuffe." The experience convinced him to pursue acting professionally, and he switched majors, eventually graduating with honors with a bachelor's degree in theater and a minor in Spanish.

Steger had already received some exposure to the entertainment business through commercials and appeared on an episode of "VR Troopers" as a teenager.

Early Acting Career

After college, Steger began steadily building his television résumé. He appeared on "NCIS" in 2005 and received one of his first significant recurring television jobs in 2007 when he played Miguel on "The Winner," a live-action Fox sitcom starring Rob Corddry and produced by Seth MacFarlane.

Another early break came through director Tim Burton. Burton cast Steger as the male lead in the 2006 music video for The Killers' song "Bones."

Steger subsequently appeared in several Disney Channel productions. He guest-starred on "Hannah Montana" and "Cory in the House" and played aspiring Bollywood director Vikram in the 2008 Disney Channel Original Movie "The Cheetah Girls: One World."

That same year, he appeared in the season premiere of "Criminal Minds."

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90210

Steger's breakthrough came in 2008 when he was cast as Navid Shirazi in The CW's "90210."

The series was developed as a new generation of the franchise that had begun with "Beverly Hills, 90210." Navid was introduced as a wealthy Beverly Hills student who ran the school's news program and came from a Persian-American family. He became one of the show's central characters and was especially associated with his long-running relationship with Adrianna Tate-Duncan, played by Jessica Lowndes.

Steger remained with "90210" from its premiere in September 2008 until its finale in May 2013. He appeared in all 114 episodes across the show's five seasons.

The role gave Steger the kind of stability that is relatively rare for a working actor. He later recalled that before landing the series he had become accustomed to constantly auditioning and looking for his next job, while "90210" allowed him to finish a season knowing he had work waiting when production resumed.

While starring on the series, Steger also made guest appearances on shows including "Covert Affairs" and HBO's "True Blood."

Career After 90210

After "90210" ended, Steger continued working primarily in independent films, television movies, and guest television roles.

He appeared in the 2013 independent film "Farah Goes Bang" and starred in 2015's "Ana Maria in Novela Land," playing the dual role of Tony and Armando. The performance earned him an Imagen Award nomination for Best Actor in a Feature Film.

His other projects have included the television movies "Fatal Flip" and "Christmas on the Menu." In 2023, he guest-starred on "Grey's Anatomy" as Will Fischer.

Steger also joined the cast of the faith-based historical drama "The Chosen." He portrays Barabbas, depicted in the series as a Zealot with a connection to Simon the Zealot. Steger first appeared during the show's third season and returned as the character in later episodes.

His subsequent work has included "Blue Ridge: The Series," "Assisting Venus," the thriller "The Ruse," and "God Is an Astronaut."

Producing and Directing

Steger's work behind the camera has frequently involved collaborations with his wife, Brandee Steger.

He directed and helped produce Brandee's one-woman stage production "Brandee Built on Crazee," in which she played numerous characters while drawing on experiences from her childhood. The production ran at the Stella Adler Theatre in Hollywood.

Michael and Brandee later created the web comedy "Not So Union," a semi-autobiographical series about a group of struggling non-union actors attempting to build careers in Hollywood. Michael served as a creator, writer, producer, director, and performer on the project.

The couple also co-produced and co-directed the short film "The Wrights," starring Ted Danson. The film received a best acting award at the Culver City Film Festival.

Their collaborations have allowed Steger to expand beyond acting into developing and producing independent projects.

Personal Life

Michael Steger is married to actress, writer, and producer Brandee Tucker Steger. The two have known each other since they were children and first performed together in a seventh-grade school production. They later attended junior high school, high school, and Cal Poly Pomona together.

Michael and Brandee married on November 15, 2008, just a few months after "90210" premiered. They have two children.

In addition to acting, Steger has maintained a longtime interest in martial arts, outdoor activities, and theater. His martial arts training began during childhood, and he has cited Bruce Lee and Brandon Lee among the performers who inspired him when he was younger.

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