Michael Caine: Age, Wife, Children, Net Worth & Movies

Few actors have lasted as long, or changed as much, as Michael Caine. He began life as a working-class boy from south London with a name nobody could pronounce, and he ended up one of the most recognisable faces in cinema history. Along the way he played spies, gangsters, conmen, butlers, teachers and soldiers, and he did it in a voice that never tried to sound like anyone else.

He is still with us, too, which is worth saying plainly because the internet often gets this wrong. Michael Caine is alive and retired, living quietly with his wife of more than fifty years, after a screen career that stretched across seven decades and more than 160 films.

This is the full story: how old he is, who his wife and children are, what his fortune is really worth, and which films made him a legend.

Quick Facts

How Old Is Michael Caine?

Michael Caine was born on March 14, 1933, in Rotherhithe, a working-class district of south London. That makes him 93 years old as of October 2026, and one of the last surviving stars of the great 1960s British film boom.

His birth name was Maurice Joseph Micklewhite. His father, also called Maurice, worked as a fish-market porter, while his mother Ellen worked as a charwoman, cleaning other people’s houses. Money was short, and the family home was a small flat without many of the comforts we take for granted today.

When the Second World War broke out, young Maurice was evacuated from London to Norfolk, like so many city children of his generation. It gave him his first taste of a world beyond the streets where he grew up.

After the war he went back to school in London, first at Hackney Downs School and later at Wilson’s Grammar School. He was not a brilliant scholar, but he found something at school that changed his life: acting. A school play lit a spark that never went out.

What Did Michael Caine Do Before He Was Famous?

Before the fame came national service. Caine was called up into the British Army and served in Korea with the Royal Fusiliers between 1951 and 1953. He rarely glamorised the experience in later years, but he often said it taught him discipline and gave him a toughness he carried into his work.

Back in civilian life, he spent years grinding through repertory theatre, the small provincial stages where young actors learned their craft the hard way. He played tiny parts, toured constantly, and earned very little. For a long time, it looked as though a proper film career might never happen at all.

He also worked odd jobs to survive, including spells as a messenger and in a film publicity office. Those lean years mattered, though. They gave him the plain, unshowy way of speaking and behaving that later became his trademark on screen.

The name change came in the mid-1950s. His agent told him that Maurice Micklewhite would never fit on a cinema poster, so he needed something shorter and sharper. Legend has it that he was standing in Leicester Square, looked up at a cinema showing The Caine Mutiny, and took the name Caine on the spot. He added Michael, and Michael Caine was born.

How Did Michael Caine Become a Star?

The breakthrough came in 1964 with Zulu, in which Caine played Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead, a young, upper-class British officer holding a mission station against overwhelming odds. It was a big role, and he played it with a cool confidence that made people notice.

But it was Alfie, in 1966, that turned him into a star. As the charming, selfish Cockney womaniser, Caine spoke directly to the camera, breaking the fourth wall in a way audiences had rarely seen. The film was a huge hit, and it earned him his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.

That same year he also starred in The Ipcress File as Harry Palmer, a working-class spy who was the opposite of James Bond: he wore glasses, cooked his own meals, and did his own shopping. Audiences loved the realism, and Harry Palmer became one of his most beloved characters.

Suddenly, Michael Caine was everywhere. He was no longer just another actor hoping for work. He was the voice of a new, modern Britain: sharp, funny, and utterly confident.

What Are Michael Caine’s Best Movies of the 1970s?

If the 1960s made him a star, the 1970s made him a legend. His run of films in that decade is still talked about by film fans today.

The Italian Job, in 1969, just on the edge of the decade, gave him one of his most famous lines: “You’re only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!” As Charlie Croker, leading a gang of thieves in Mini Coopers through Turin, he was funny, cocky, and completely in command.

Then came Get Carter in 1971, a much darker film. As Jack Carter, a London gangster who returns to Newcastle to investigate his brother’s death, Caine was cold, quiet, and terrifying. It is now seen as one of the greatest British crime films ever made.

He also starred in Sleuth in 1972, opposite Laurence Olivier, a clever, twisting thriller set almost entirely in one house. The film earned him another Academy Award nomination, and showed he could hold his own against the very best stage actors of his generation.

How Many Oscars Has Michael Caine Won?

Michael Caine has won two Academy Awards, both for Best Supporting Actor, from six nominations in total. That is a remarkable record, spread across more than fifty years.

His first win came for Hannah and Her Sisters in 1986, Woody Allen’s comedy-drama about three sisters in New York. Caine played Elliot, a man quietly in love with his sister-in-law, with a warmth and sadness that won over the Academy.

His second win came for The Cider House Rules in 1999, in which he played Dr. Wilbur Larch, the kindly head of an orphanage in Maine. By then he was in his sixties, and the win felt like a tribute to a whole career, not just one performance.

He was also nominated for Alfie, Sleuth, Educating Rita, and The Quiet American. In 2000, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his services to drama, becoming Sir Michael Caine, a title he has worn with pride ever since.

Who Is Michael Caine’s Wife?

Michael Caine’s wife is Shakira Caine, née Baksh, a former actress and model from Guyana. The couple married on January 8, 1973, and have been together for more than fifty years, one of the longest marriages in show business.

The story of how they met is famous. Caine saw Shakira in a television advertisement for Maxwell House coffee in 1971 and was instantly smitten. He was so determined to meet her that he drove around London trying to find out who she was, before a friend finally tracked her down.

When they met, Shakira was working as a model in London. She had been born in Guyana and moved to Britain to pursue modelling. Caine later said that she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, and that he knew at once that he wanted to marry her.

Before Shakira, Caine was married to actress Patricia Haines from 1954 to 1958. That marriage ended in divorce, but it gave him his first daughter, Dominique, who was born in 1956.

How Many Children Does Michael Caine Have?

Michael Caine has two daughters, one from each of his marriages.

His elder daughter, Dominique Caine, was born in 1956 during his first marriage to Patricia Haines. Dominique has largely stayed out of the spotlight, living a private life away from Hollywood.

His younger daughter, Natasha Caine, was born in 1973, the same year he married Shakira. Natasha has worked in the film industry behind the scenes and has occasionally appeared with her father at public events.

Caine has spoken often about how proud he is of both daughters, and how family has always mattered more to him than fame. In interviews, he has said that his greatest achievement is not any film award, but his long marriage and his family.

What Is Michael Caine’s Net Worth?

Michael Caine’s net worth is estimated at $60 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. That figure reflects a career of more than 160 films, along with book royalties and property.

He has never been one of those stars who chased the biggest pay cheque at all costs. In fact, he has often joked that he took some roles simply because they paid well and let him spend time with his family. One famous story is that he accepted a role in Jaws: The Revenge in 1987, a film he later admitted was terrible, because it paid for a new house.

Caine and Shakira have lived for many years in a comfortable home in Surrey, England, after previously owning property in Miami and elsewhere. He has also written several bestselling books, including his memoirs What’s It All About? and The Elephant to Hollywood, which added to his income.

Even in retirement, his wealth is secure, thanks to decades of work and careful management. He is not a billionaire, but he is comfortably wealthy, and he has always been open about valuing a quiet, family life over flashy spending.

How Did Michael Caine Become Alfred in The Dark Knight?

For younger audiences, his most famous role may be Alfred Pennyworth, the loyal butler to Bruce Wayne in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy. Caine played Alfred in Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008), and The Dark Knight Rises (2012).

Director Christopher Nolan chose Caine because he wanted Alfred to feel like a real person, not a cartoon butler. Caine played him as a former soldier, a father figure, and a man who would do anything to protect Bruce Wayne.

His performance was widely praised, and it introduced him to a whole new generation of fans who had never seen Alfie or Get Carter. For many young viewers, Michael Caine will always be Alfred first.

If you enjoy stories about classic British screen legends, you may also enjoy reading about Richard Harris, Albert Finney, and Gene Hackman, whose careers crossed paths with Caine’s in different ways.

Why Did Michael Caine Retire?

In October 2023, at the age of 90, Michael Caine announced his retirement from acting. He said he had made his final film, The Great Escaper, in which he played a real-life Second World War veteran who escapes from a care home to attend D-Day commemorations in France.

He explained that he was tired of the long days on set and the physical demands of filming. He also said, with typical humour, that the only roles he was now being offered were for men in their nineties, and that he would rather retire than play a man who could not get out of bed.

His announcement was met with tributes from across the film world. Fellow actors, directors, and fans all praised a career that had lasted more than seventy years, from the stages of provincial theatre to the biggest blockbusters in Hollywood.

Retirement, for Caine, did not mean disappearing. He has continued to write books, give interviews, and enjoy time with his family, but he has been clear that his days in front of the camera are over.

What Is Michael Caine Doing Now?

Today, Michael Caine lives a quieter life with Shakira, mostly at home in Surrey. He spends his time reading, writing, and enjoying the company of family and close friends.

He has published several books in recent years, including Don’t Forget the Bass Player, a guide to ageing well, and he has spoken in interviews about staying active and keeping his mind sharp.

He still appears in interviews from time to time, often to talk about his career or to promote a book, but he is no longer chasing film roles. He has said he is happy to let his films speak for themselves.

At 93, he remains a beloved figure in British culture. His Cockney voice, his catchphrases, and his long list of classic films ensure that new generations continue to discover him.

Lesser-Known Facts About Michael Caine

• He once worked as a film extra and a theatre stagehand before landing speaking roles.
• His stage name came from the 1954 film The Caine Mutiny, after he spotted a poster in Leicester Square.
• He is famous for the line “You’re only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!” from The Italian Job.
• He turned down the role of James Bond, saying he did not want to be tied to one character.
• He has written several bestselling books, including Acting in Film and The Elephant to Hollywood.
• He was a close friend of Roger Moore, and the two often joked about their rival screen images.
• He still speaks with a strong Cockney accent, which he refused to soften for Hollywood.
• He has appeared in more than 160 films across seven decades.
• He was awarded a knighthood in 2000 and is formally addressed as Sir Michael Caine.
• He once said his favourite of his own films is The Man Who Would Be King, alongside Sean Connery.

Frequently Asked Questions About Michael Caine

How old is Michael Caine?

Michael Caine is 93 years old as of October 2026. He was born on March 14, 1933.

Is Michael Caine still alive?

Yes, Michael Caine is still alive. He retired from acting in 2023 but continues to write and give interviews.

Who is Michael Caine’s wife?

Michael Caine’s wife is Shakira Caine, née Baksh, a former actress and model from Guyana. They have been married since 1973.

How many children does Michael Caine have?

Michael Caine has two daughters: Dominique, from his first marriage, and Natasha, from his marriage to Shakira.

What is Michael Caine’s net worth?

Michael Caine’s net worth is estimated at $60 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

What is Michael Caine’s real name?

Michael Caine’s real name is Maurice Joseph Micklewhite. He changed it for his acting career.

What was Michael Caine’s last film?

Michael Caine’s last film was The Great Escaper (2023), in which he played a Second World War veteran. He announced his retirement after it.

What are Michael Caine’s best movies?

Michael Caine’s best movies include Alfie, The Italian Job, Get Carter, Sleuth, Educating Rita, Hannah and Her Sisters, The Cider House Rules, and The Dark Knight trilogy.

Sources

Michael Caine on Wikipedia