'Save The Cheerleader, Count The Millions': The Heroes Cast, Ranked By Net Worth (2024)

The 2000s were an exhilarating time for television, with technological advancements rivaling film, and creators crafting novel, complex tales with these cutting-edge tools.

Many iconic works define this decade of TV – such as Battlestar Galactica, Lost, Breaking Bad, Oz, and The Sopranos – earning it the nicknames "Peak TV" and the "Golden Age Of Television."

Among them was a series that shone brightly and quickly gained viewers — Heroes, an official part of "Peak TV."

Heroes centered on ordinary individuals who discover they possess unique superpowers, and the trials and triumphs that ensue.

The Heroes cast featured an array of characters, each with distinctive superpowers. It was beautifully written, engaging viewers at every turn.

The picturization was superb, and even 14 years after the show came to an end, the Heroes cast of characters are still the talk of the town.

Audiences quickly took to Heroes, critics jubilantly praised it, and awards shows showered it with nominations and wins.

At the Emmys, it received nominations in eight different categories, the Golden Globes nominated it for "Best Series," and the Television Critics Association awarded Heroes the prestigious "Outstanding Program Of The Year" honor.

Time Magazine was so impressed with the Heroes cast that the outlet highlighted them in its 2006 edition of "People Who Mattered."

Due to the incredible work of the Heroes cast, acclaim and accolades were constant, and the show remained a draw for millions of viewers for the duration of its four-year run.

But sadly, the show was canceled at the peak of its storytelling, with the network citing declining ratings and viewership. As was often the case in that era, the 2007 Writers' Strike was another factor.

After its cancelation, Heroes was followed by a decent spin-off series, Heroes Reborn, but some characters were absent, and fans clearly missed the original Heroes cast.

But there is a new, exciting development for fans of Heroes.

Recently, creator Tim Kring confirmed that a Heroes reboot is in the works — and there is an ongoing debate about which original Heroes cast members will return for the reboot.

Amid this exciting development, let's take a look back at the Heroes cast, their careers, what they're doing now, and take a peek at their estimated net worths today.

6 Greg Grunberg (Matt Parkman)

Greg Grunberg's Net Worth (Estimated): $3 Million

Greg Grunberg, now 57, starred as Matt Parkman in Heroes, showcasing the amazing power of mind control.

Initially, he could only hear the thoughts of fellow humans, but as Heroes progressed, his character transformed into a more powerful one.

Despite his chaotic life, Sheriff Matt Parkman always aimed to do good.

After Heroes, Grunberg went on to appear in several prominent projects, including Love Bites, Hawaii Five-0, Criminal Minds, and the Star Wars universe.

In his 34-year acting career, he has performed in a massive 132 projects on television and in film.

Greg Grunberg's net worth is estimated at $3 million today.

5 Masi Oka (Hiro Nakamura)

Masi Oka's Net Worth (Estimated): $5 Million

The endearing Hiro Nakamura, played by Masi Oka, has been described as the most interesting character in Heroes.

Despite the dangerous world depicted in Heroes, Hiro's childlike approach to problems and his naivety adds depth to the show, and makes his character more captivating within its narrative.

Among the Heroes cast, he is one of the most influential of the titular heroes, possessing the ability to manipulate time.

However, it's his principles and innate charm that inject humor into the series.

After Heroes, Masi Oka impressed audiences with his performances in several notable projects, like Friends With Benefits, Jobs, Hawaii Five-0, and Bullet Train.

Oka is now a producer, involved in four projects: Mega Man, Attack On Titan, Live Die Repeat And Repeat, and The Promised Neverland.

With 23 years of service in the entertainment industry, Masi Oka's net worth is estimated at $5 million.

4 Ali Larter (Niki Sanders/Jessica Sanders)

Ali Larter's Net Worth (Estimated): $12 Million

On Heroes, "scream queen" Ali Larter portrayed Niki Sanders, a loving and caring mother.

However, Larter's role was more complex — she also portrayed Niki's "split personality," a ruthless killer known as Jessica.

Niki’s superhuman strength, complex character, and plot arcs on Heroes were truly unforgettable.

Larter is most probably the most recognizable actress on the Heroes cast, due to her prominent roles in the blockbusters Final Destination and Legally Blonde.

After the shocking cancelation of Heroes, Ali continued landing notable parts and turning in fantastic performances.

Her involvement in projects like Legends, Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, The Rookie, and The Man In The White Van is evidence she's been in demand.

Today, Larter is still pursuing interesting roles, with upcoming projects like Landman and Spin The Bottle, which could boost her fortune further.

As of 2024, Ali Larter's net worth is estimated at $12 million.

3 Milo Ventimiglia (Peter Petrelli)

Milo Ventimiglia's Net Worth (Estimated): $12 Million

The handsome Milo Ventimiglia portrayed Peter Petrelli, the main protagonist of the Heroes cast, and the most powerful among "the good guys."

Constant changes to his character's powers was one reason Heroes started to lose traction with viewers.

Peter Petrelli had the ability to absorb superpowers from others and hold onto those powers, and the writers hinted that this would make him invincible.

Then, Peter's abilities changed, leaving him with only one superpower — possibly undermining the character.

Milo soared in his career after the exposure he gained from Heroes.

Ventimiglia went on to star in hits like Mob City, Chosen, Gotham, The Whispers, This Is Us, and The Company You Keep, and he is now working on the comedy Encore.

After nearly three decades of acting, Milo Ventimiglia's net worth is estimated at $12 million.

2 Hayden Panettiere (Claire Bennet)

Hayden Panettiere's Net Worth (Estimated): $12 Million

Actress and singer Hayden Panettiere was just 16 when she joined the Heroes cast as cheerleader Claire Bennet.

In fact, the fan favorite rallying cry – "Save The Cheerleader, Save The World" – references her character, whose superpowers involve healing and pain tolerance.

Hayden's cheerleader is another primary protagonist on the Heroes cast, and storylines regularly revolved around her character.

Hayden is a talented actress who started her career in Aliens in the Family at the age of six — but Heroes was her breakthrough role.

She frequently appeared on-screen after Heroes, but after Nashville – her other major post-Heroes show – she was absent from Hollywood for half a decade.

In those five years, disturbing news circulated about various struggles she endured: postpartum depression, substance abuse disorder, and domestic abuse involving her boyfriend, who was sentenced to six months in jail.

In July 2022, People quoted Hayden on overcoming those problems:

"'It was a very dark and complicated time in my life,' says Panettiere, whose relationship with Brian Hickerson was on and off for nearly four years.

"'But a lot of women go through what I went through, and I want people to know it's OK to ask for help.'

"[Panettiere and Hickerson] began dating in 2018 while the actress was in the midst of a painful addiction to alcohol and opioids.

"'I wanted to party, I wanted to do everything I wasn't supposed to do,' recalls Panettiere, who had just come off of six seasons of Nashville.

"'Acting was my life, but I felt so bad about myself that I lost trust in myself. And that is very detrimental. The idea of not having a responsibility was very appealing at the time.'"

Thankfully, she came back to grace the screen in Scream VI, and now she's working on the upcoming thriller, Amber Alert.

Despite her long absence from the screen, Hayden Panettiere's net worth still stands at an outstanding $12 million.

1 Zachary Quinto (Sylar)

Zachary Quinto's Net Worth (Estimated): $20 Million

One of the most intimidating villains on screen, Sylar is the most powerful foe on the show, and a menace to its titular "heroes."

Zachary Quinto played the mononymous Sylar brilliantly, and his character's dark superpower enabled him to absorb the abilities of others — by killing them.

Another reason to which the decline of Heroes was attributed involved Quinto's character — showrunners began tweaking Sylar to be more heroic, conflicting with his established presence on the show.

After Heroes, Quinto went on to several impressive projects on TV and in film, portraying the legendary Spock in Star Trek, Ace in Girls, and Charlie Manx in NOS4A2.

Quinto is the richest member of the Heroes cast, with an estimated $20 million net worth — and his roster of upcoming projects could add even more to fortune.