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Child Actor in Titanic Still Getting Paid 25 Years Later
Child Actor Who Played Little Irish Boy in Titanic Still Getting Paid 25 Years Later
Reece Thompson appeared in Titanic when he was just five years old to play the part of a third-class passenger who tragically dies alongside his mother and sister
AP 12 JAN 2022
Reece Thompson, best known for his role as the 'Irish little boy' in the legendary film Titanic, has revealed he's still making money off of his role 25 years on.
The actor was just five years old when he landed the part of the young third-class passenger who tragically dies alongside his mother and sister after the iceberg hits in the 1997 movie.
In the scene, he, his mother and his sister were among many other passengers waiting for the third-class main gate to be open, reports Belfast Live.
But the family never made it to the lifeboat and were later seen in their cabin where the three of them died together.
While his part was small, it was poignant, as it reflected that of so many third-class Titanic passengers who died during the tragedy.
Today, Reece, aged 30, is the digital marketing director at Brian Head Resort, a skiing and snowboarding facility in Utah.
Reece still gets royalty checks for his part in the film
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Although he said he doesn't remember much about his time filming the part as a child, he is reminded of it every year when he receives royalty cheques.
Reece's career started out as a child model, signing with a talent agent after winning a contest.
That agent gave his mother the choice between two roles for Reece - starring in a petrol station ad or a chance to play a part in Titanic.
Although the advert was the safer option, his mum decided to put him forward for the role in the Titanic - and good thing she did as it went on to become the second highest-grossing movie of all time.
"It turned out to be one of the highest-grossing films in history, so it's pretty bizarre in retrospect," Thompson told Business Insider.
"My mom was like: 'Let's just do it. It'll be cool. Even if the movie sucks, we'll see it.' Obviously, it ended up exploding, so that wasn't a bad decision on her part, that's for sure."
While in the immediate years after the film came out his role was very much still on his mind, these days the cheques he receives are a surprise.
He said: "It's weird because it's not present in my mind anymore," he said. "It's not like, 'Oh, when am I going to get a new 'Titanic' check?' When it happens, it's like, 'Oh, cool, an extra $100.'
"There have been a couple of times where it's been like: 'Oh, wow, that's a $250 check. This movie's 12 years old. That's pretty bizarre,'" he said. "But hopefully, they keep playing it a lot because that means more money for me."
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