Former child star reveals huge amount he’s earned in residuals from Titanic

A former child star who had one line in Titanic has revealed how much he’s earned from residuals over the past 25 years.

A former child actor who made a brief appearance in the movie Titanic has revealed that he’s still making money from the blockbuster, 25 years on from its release.

Reese Thompson, 32, appeared in a minor role in the 1997 film – directed by James Cameron and starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio – playing a young Irish boy who tragically dies alongside his mother and sister after the “unsinkable” ship hits an iceberg and ends up on the ocean floor.

Reese Thompson appeared in a minor role in Titanic. Picture: Supplied

Titanic made more than $US2 billion worldwide and is one of the most successful movies of all time.

A quarter of a century later, Thompson is still receiving royalty cheques for his brief moment on screen, which included one sentence of dialogue.

Jack (DiCaprio) and Rose (Winslet). Picture: Supplied

Thompson now works at Utah resort. Picture: Supplied

“It’s weird because it’s not present in my mind anymore,” Thompson told Business Insider. 

“It’s not like, ‘Oh, when am I going to get a new Titanic cheque?’ When it happens, it’s like, ‘Oh, cool, an extra $100.’”

In total, he estimated that he had earned around $47,000 from his appearance in Titanic.

Thompson claimed that it’s now just around a few hundred dollars each year, although the residual cheques were obviously much higher around the hype peak of the film.

The former child actor now works as a marketing director for a skiing and snowboarding resort in Utah.

Originally published as Former child star reveals huge amount he’s earned in residuals from Titanic