What is Michael Sheen's net worth? Actor uses his own money to write off over $1M worth of debt for 900 people

Welsh actor, Michael Sheen, seems to have completed a remarkable philanthropic mission. He has written off $1.29 million for 900 people. However, he used his own money for the purpose.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Underworld actor established a debt acquisition company. The financial endeavor, to help individuals from South Wales, is made into a documentary by Channel 4 titled, Michael Sheen’s Secret Million Pound Giveaway.

As per Celebrity Net Worth, Sheen has a net worth of $16 million. The show, which airs in the upcoming week, explores how banks and financial institutions profit from the ones in financial distress.

Although he was involved in the documentary for the past two years, he kept it confidential. On March 4, 2025, speaking at BBC’s The One Show, he said he wanted to be careful about spending the money as he did not have the amount to be thrown around. Hence, he wanted the initiative to bring some change.

The Hollywood Reporter quoted him mentioning:

“You need some help to get through these times. And people are getting into spirals of debt. Once you're underwater it's very hard to get out again. That's why I wanted to do this, to draw attention to the fact that this is going on, and there is a way to change it, there are alternatives, and we need to push to try and make a difference for people.”

Michael Sheen highlighted the growing issue of people relying on credit cards, overdrafts, and loans to cover necessities rather than luxuries. He pointed out that the debt he helped pay off included financial burdens such as car loans and overdrafts.

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Michael Sheen said he was unaware of debtors' identities

While discussing the debt system on BBC’s The One Show, Michael Sheen explained that unpaid debts are often bundled and sold to debt-buying companies. These companies can then resell the debt to others at a lower price, even though the original amount owed by individuals remains unchanged. He added:

“I was able to set up a company and for £100,000 of my own money buy a million worth of debt cause it had come down in value because they find like they don’t see that there’s as much chance to get the money back or whatever the reason might be, it’s bizarre. I had no idea.”

Michael Sheen also shared that what he initially thought would be a short-term project took two years due to the need for secrecy. Moreover, he was not allowed to know the identities of the people whose debts were being purchased.

Only their locations and the type of debt were involved. The process of obtaining the necessary license took so long that at one point, he questioned whether he could continue.

Sheen pointed out that many people feel ashamed about financial struggles and avoid discussing money with family, children, or friends. He mentioned that some individuals might not even realize their debt has been cleared because they often ignore letters related to finances.

He encouraged anyone watching the documentary to check if their debt had been erased, as he wouldn't know who had benefited from the initiative.

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