All About Documentary Filmmaker Rory Kennedy's Net Worth and Legacy

What is Rory Kennedy's net worth?

Documentary filmmaker Rory Kennedy has an estimated net worth of $10 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Rory Kennedy is the youngest child of United States Senator Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Kennedy and the niece of late US President John F. Kennedy. She is an Oscar-nominated documentarian whose films focus on social issues.

Recently, Rory Kennedy’s brother and White House hopeful Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (Bobby Kennedy) announced his exit from the Democratic party and his decision to run as an independent for his presidential campaign. The move was quickly denounced by members of his own family, including Rory Kennedy who posted on social media that his decision to run as an independent candidate against Joe Biden was “dangerous to the country". The other Kennedy siblings also collectively denounced his candidacy.

Rory Kennedy’s life and career

Rory Kennedy was born in Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C., to parents Robert F. Kennedy, and Ethel Kennedy. Her father was the younger brother of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy. Robert F. Kennedy was also a former United States Attorney General, U.S. Senator, and a US presidential candidate. He was assasinated in 1968, after which  Ethel Kennedy who worked as a lawyer took forward the family's legacy. 

After her education, Rory Kennedy founded the production company Moxie Firecracker Films in 1998. She has produced and directed several documentary films which have won widespread critical acclaim. Her first project was “Women of Substance” released in 1994, based on the issue of female drug addicts. She has also partnered with television networks such as HBO, Lifetime, Discovery Channel, and TLC.

In 1999, Rory Kennedy directed the documentary “American Hollow”, which received critical acclaim and won her several awards. She released a companion book for the title as well. Rory Kennedy then co-produced the series “Pandemic: Facing AIDS”, which earned an Emmy Award nomination. In 2003, her documentary, “A Boy’s Life”, won hearts at the Tribeca Film Festival, and won the Best Documentary prize at the Woodstock Film Festival.

She directed HBO's “Indian Point: Imagining the Unimaginable”, and “Homestead Strike” which was part of the series “10 Days that Unexpectedly Changed America”. In 2005, she became the co-executive producer for “Street Fight”, earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Feature. Her next project “Ghosts of Abu Ghraib” won a Primetime Emmy Award for Best Documentary. Her 2014 directorial, “Last Days in Vietnam”, debuted at the Sundance Film Festival and went on to win an Academy Award nomination.

Real estate and other assets

Rory Kennedy bought a 4,909-square-foot, five-bedroom, and six-bathroom home in Pacific Palisades, California for $5.5 million in 2007. As per the NCESC, she listed the property for sale in 2020 for about $6.8 million.

Social media following

Personal life

Rory Kennedy married writer and director Mark Bailey in 1999 in Greece. She reportedly met Bailey in Washington through mutual friends after graduating from Brown University. Together, they have three children.

Philanthropy

Apart from her impressive career in filmmaking, Rory Kennedy works as a committed social activist and human rights advocate.

She has served on the board of the Legal Action Center, the Project Return Foundation, and the Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr., Foundation Furthermore, she was also a member of the 1999 Presidential Mission on AIDS in Africa.

More prominently, she has been a member of the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Human Rights delegations. She has served as a campaign speaker for “Women of Substance Education Outreach” as well.

Following Robert F Kennedy's assassination, his family established a foundation to honor his commitment to the former attorney general to “work towards a more just and peaceful world.”

Ethel Kennedy also co-founded the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights, an organization committed to promote human rights causes around the world. The organization’s work includes promoting the rights of prisoners, advocating for marginalized communities, and supporting global initiatives for justice.

Awards and Recognition

2007 Primetime Emmy: Outstanding Nonfiction Special For “Ghosts of Abu Ghraib”

1999 Atlanta Film Festival: Honorable Mention Best Documentary For “American Hollow”

1999 Chicago International Film Festival Gold Hugo: Best Documentary For “American Hollow”

1999 AFI Fest: Documentary Award For “American Hollow”

2012 Nantucket Film Festival Audience Award: Best Feature For “Ethel”

1999 Newport International Film Festival, Rhode Island Jury Award: Best Documentary For “American Hollow”

2019 Women's Image Network Awards: Outstanding Film Directed by a Woman For “Above and Beyond: NASA's Journey to Tomorrow”

2013 Gracie Allen Awards: Outstanding Director - News/Non-Fiction For “Ethel”

2008 Gracie Allen Awards: Outstanding Director - News Series or Special For “Ghosts of Abu Ghraib”

FAQs

How old is Rory Kennedy?

Rory Kennedy is 54 years old.

Did Rory Kennedy ever get married?

Rory Kennedy has been married to Mark Bailey since 1999.

When was Rory Kennedy born?

Rory Kennedy was born on 12 December 1968

What is Rory Kennedy’s net worth?

Rory Kennedy has an estimated net worth of $10 million as of 2023, according to Celebrity Net Worth.