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You will most likely recognize him from Todd Phillips' Hangover trilogy as Doug Billings, the fourth member of the click of 'The Wolfpack', which consists of Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, and Zach Galifianakis. But Justin Bartha is far more versed as an actor, starring in romantic comedies alongside Catherine Zeta-Jones and Sarah Jessica Parker. Born in 1978 as a Florida native, Bartha had an early inclination toward theatre and attended NYU's Tisch School of The Arts to study filmmaking and theatre shortly after graduating from high school. That was probably the best decision of his life, as it's been the driving force behind his $16 million net worth as of 2022.
Strides In The Film Industry
Beginning behind the camera, Bartha knew he had to start somewhere if he hoped to get his foot in the door as an actor, so he worked as a production assistant on his first film, Analyze This. His acting debut came in the music drama, 54, starring Ryan Phillipe, Mike Myers, and Salma Hayek. He made an appearance as a clubber in the former disco nightclub in New York, Studio 54. However, his official major-movie role came in 2003 when he starred in Gigli as Brian, the psychologically challenged younger brother of a federal prosecutor who is kidnapped and used as a bargaining tool for a ruthless New York mob boss named Starkman (Al Pacino). The kidnappers are Gigli (Ben Affleck) and Ricki (Jennifer Lopez), who are ordered to watch over the mentally handicapped sibling. Although the film flopped horribly, grossing $7.2 million on a $75.6 million budget, it showed Bartha's potential as he was part of the lineup of a cast of great actors.
On The Verge Of A Big Break
Even after the critically bashed and unimpressive result at the box office with Gigli, Bartha was determined to take his acting career to the next level. He wrote and co-produced a short film called Highs and Lows, which was featured at the 2003 South by Southwest Film Festival. The White Girl actor proved to be a man of many hats when he wrote, produced, and acted in an MTV show entitled The Dustin and Justin Show.
At this point, he had a few years of experience in every major field of movie production and was ready for a big break. His next role would be as Brian in the short film, Carnival Sunshine. However, his most notable role would be in 2004 when he starred in the critically acclaimed movie, National Treasure, as the quirky and comedic tech expert, Riley Poole. Once again, Bartha co-starred with some of Hollywood's biggest names at that time, such as Nicholas Cage, Diane Kruger, Jon Voight, and Sean Bean. This time around, he was part of a film released by Walt Disney which grossed $347.5 million at the box office, which meant a lush paycheck.
Although the movie received a less than ideal review from critics, its success at the box office spoke for itself and was enough to warrant a sequel. Thus, in 2007, a second part of the movie was filmed, entitled National Treasure: Book of Secrets. The action and adventure in this movie series lived up to the hype and even featured roles from other iconic actors like Ed Harris and Helen Mirren. Bartha also reprised his role as Riley Poole, which added much-needed comedy to the film, and was an overall wise decision. National Treasure: Book of Secrets performed even better than the first movie, grossing a whopping $459.2 million on a $130 million budget. Bartha was well on his way to celebrity acting success.
Romance Meets Comedy
When he's not busy cracking codes and chasing after ancient American artifacts, he uses his wit and charm in many romantic comedies. Released in 2005, he was featured in Trust The Man, a comedy romance starring Californication's David Duchovny, Juliane Moore, Billy Crudup, and Eva Mendes. The film received harsh criticism and grossed a little over $7 million at the box office. The following year in 2006, he appeared as Ace in another rom-com called Failure To Launch, starring Matthew McConaughey and Sarah Jessica Parker. Other star actors in the movie included Bradley Cooper, Kathy Bates, and Terry Bradshaw. While there were mixed reactions from the audience, the film still grossed $130.1 million at the box office.After a two-year break, he again appeared in a romance film, this time a drama, named New York, I Love You. This movie seemed to have almost every trending Hollywood actor and actress (except Leonardo DiCaprio). Everyone from Rachel Portman, Andy Garcia, Ethan Hawke, and Bradley Cooper to Orlando Bloom, Shia LaBeouf, and Kevin Bacon. But despite the great lineup, the film only turned over $9.7 million. Still in the romance category, his 2009 appearance as the lead role in the 2009 film, The Rebound, alongside Catherine Zeta-Jones, and John Schneider. The film grossed an impressive $21.7 million at the worldwide box office.
Comedy Classics And Television Success
During the same year, Justin was back in one of the most hilarious and financially gratifying comedies of modern times - Hangover. Written, directed, and produced by Todd Phillips, the film was a success and quickly turned into a trilogy. Bartha's character, Doug, is the only one of the four boys in his group to get married. His friends Alan (Zach Galifianakis), Phil (Bradley Cooper), and Stu (Ed Helms) attend his bachelor party and things get wild. The next day, they can't remember the night's happenings, and also lose the groom, Doug. They must find him and get to the wedding before it's too late. In total, all three Hangover films grossed a total earning of $1.42 billion. A few of his other films include Holy Roller (2010), Dark Horse (2011), CBGB (2013), White Girl (2016), Driven (2018), and Sweet Girl (2021), starring Jason Mamoa.
The movie industry is not all Justin Bartha has found success in. He has made quite a few television appearances, starting with the 2012 NBC sitcom, The New Normal. The next big break came in 2017 when he held the main role in the legal series, The Good Fight, acting as a lawyer named Colin Morrello. He's also made appearances in the crime drama, The Godfather of Harlem as well as the Comedy Central series, Drunk History.
Sources: Screen Rant, Roger Ebert,