Eddie Murphy Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What is Eddie Murphy’s net worth and salary?

With a net worth of $200 million, Eddie Murphy is recognized as an American actor, comedian, producer, and director. He ranks among the highest-grossing actors in film history, having collectively amassed nearly $7 billion in global box office earnings from his movies, positioning him as the sixth highest-grossing American actor. Throughout the late 80s, 90s, and 2000s, Eddie was frequently one of the world’s best-paid actors, commanding around $20 million per film. To date, Eddie’s total earnings, including salaries and backend royalties, exceed $300 million. Notably, Netflix compensated him with $70 million in 2019 for a series of comedy specials. When considering all known deals, it is estimated that Eddie has earned at least $420 million in his career thus far.

Murphy became a major star thanks to Saturday Night Live, which provided him a national platform in the early 1980s. During his time on the long-running sketch comedy series, he developed memorable characters such as Buckwheat, Mister Robinson, and Gumby.

His passion for comedy ignited as a teenager after encountering one of Richard Pryor’s comedy albums. Upon joining SNL in 1980, the show was in a precarious position; Lorne Michaels had departed, and the original cast had moved on. Many credit Murphy with revitalizing the show.

From 1980 to 1984, Murphy featured in 65 episodes of SNL, starting his journey at just 19 years old. His material often addressed complex racial themes in daring ways, and sketches such as “Mister Robinson’s Neighborhood” and “White Like Me” have secured a place in comedy history. This exposure catapulted him to superstardom, and in a 2015 ranking of the top SNL cast members, he placed second, just behind John Belushi.

Murphy’s film career launched while he was still part of SNL, beginning with the 1982 hit 48 Hours. He continued his success with a string of box office triumphs, including Trading Places, the Beverly Hills Cop series, Coming to America, Harlem Nights, and Another 48 Hrs. Although his box office appeal saw a slight decline in the 1990s, he made a comeback with family-oriented films such as Mulan, the Shrek series, Dreamgirls, and the Nutty Professor series. In 2006, he garnered an Academy Award nomination and won a Golden Globe for his performance in Dreamgirls. Most recently, Eddie reprised his role in the reboot Coming 2 America in 2021.

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Early Life

Eddie Murphy was born

Eddie Murphy was born in Brooklyn, NY on April 3, 1961, and grew up in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn. His mother worked as a telephone operator, while his father served as a transit cop and was also an amateur comedian. Sadly, Eddie lost his father when he was just eight years old. During a period when their mother fell ill temporarily, he and his older brother, Charlie Murphy, experienced life in foster care. Fortunately, their mother recovered and later remarried.

As a teenager, Eddie developed a passion for comedy after listening to a Richard Pryor comedy album and was significantly influenced by Bill Cosby. At 19, he became a cast member of Saturday Night Live in 1980. During that time, the show was facing severe ratings issues due to the absence of its original stars. Eddie quickly became a breakout star, revitalizing the show’s popularity, and remained with SNL until 1984.

Film Career

Eddie made his film debut in 48 Hrs in 1982 while still part of SNL. Following that, he starred in a string of blockbuster films, such as Trading Places, the Beverly Hills Cop series, Coming to America, Harlem Nights, and Another 48 Hrs. Though his box-office appeal waned a bit during the 1990s, it experienced a resurgence with family-oriented films, notably Mulan, the Shrek franchise, Dreamgirls, and the Nutty Professor series.

In 2006, Eddie earned an Academy Award nomination and won a Golden Globe for his performance in Dreamgirls. He has also produced several of his films, including Vampire in Brooklyn, Life, and Harlem Nights, the last of which he also directed. In 2017, it was announced that he would reprise his role in the Beverly Hills Cop franchise in Beverly Hills Cop 4, which is set to be released at a future date. In 2021, Eddie took on a leading role in the sequel to Coming to America, titled Coming 2 America.

Personal Life

Eddie Murphy wed his longtime girlfriend Nicole Mitchell in 1993, but the couple divorced in 2006, with Eddie reportedly providing Nicole with a $15 million settlement. After that, he was in a relationship with Spice Girl Mel B from 2006 to 2007 and then dated businesswoman Tracey Edmonds in 2008. He has been in a relationship with model Paige Butcher since 2012, and the couple became engaged in September 2018. Eddie has a total of ten children from various relationships.

Throughout his career, Murphy has supported numerous causes and charities, including the AIDS Healthcare Foundation and the Martin Luther King Jr. Center, as well as donating $100,000 to the Screen Actors’ Guild strike relief fund.

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Eddie Murphy Salary Highlights

Saturday Night Live, Murphy earned only $4,500 for each episode in 1981. His salary increased to $30,000 per episode the following year. In 1982, he was compensated $450,000 for his role in 48 Hours. By 1990, he earned $7 million for the sequel, Another 48 Hours. Eddie’s first significant paycheck arrived in 1984 when he garnered $1 million for his performance in Best Defense. During the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s, he accumulated a minimum of $250 million from film salaries and back-end profits, with total career film earnings likely exceeding $300 million.

Here’s a brief overview of notable salaries that Eddie Murphy earned throughout his career:

• In

In 1987, he received $8 million for Beverly Hills Cop II, which translates to approximately $18 million today when adjusted for inflation.

• The following year, he earned another $8 million for Coming to America.
• For Beverly Hills Cop III in 1994, he received $15 million, equivalent to about $25 million in today’s money.
• He earned $16 million for The Nutty Professor (1996).
• He was paid $17.5 million for Doctor Dolittle (1998).
• For Nutty Professor II (2000), he made $20 million.
• In addition to the $20 million for Nutty Professor II, he also garnered 20% of the gross receipts, culminating in a total income exceeding $60 million from the film.
• He earned $3 million for Shrek (2001).
• For Doctor Dolittle 2 (2001), he received $20 million.
• He earned another $20 million for The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002).
• For Shrek 2 (2004), he was paid $10 million.
• $4 million was earned for Shrek Forever (with potential backend points bringing it to as much as $12 million).
• He received $7.5 million from Tower Heist (2011).

Netflix Project

In July 2019, reports indicated that Eddie was in negotiations to secure a $70 million deal to produce a series of comedy specials for Netflix, which is $10 million more than the $60 million Dave Chappelle earned for his three-special contract. Chris Rock received $40 million for two specials.

(ADRIAN SANCHEZ-GONZALEZ/AFP via Getty Images)

Eddie Murphy Quote on Money

“Every bad decision I’ve made has been based on money. I grew up in the projects, and you don’t turn down money there. You take it because you never know when it’s all going to end. I made Beverly Hills Cop III because they offered me $15 million. That $15 million was worth having Roger Ebert’s thumb up my ass.“

Real Estate

Eddie has owned several remarkable mansions over the years. During a time in the 1990s, he resided in a lavish custom-built home in a gated community in Granite Bay, California (near Sacramento). After selling his Granite Bay residence, he invested $10 million on a 3.7-acre undeveloped property in the highly exclusive Beverly Hills neighborhood known as Beverly Park. This gated community hosts stars like Mark Wahlberg, Denzel Washington, Rod Stewart, and Sylvester Stallone, alongside numerous multi-billionaires.

Following his $10 million purchase in 2001, Eddie invested an undisclosed amount constructing a new 40,000 square-foot mansion. This estate boasts 32 rooms, including nine bedrooms and nine bathrooms. The property also features an expansive pool, a tennis court, a library, and a bowling alley. If listed, the home would easily command upwards of $30-40 million. A previous home in Beverly Hills that Eddie owned during the 1980s was listed by a subsequent owner for $85 million in 2016.

Eddie purchased a 15-acre private island named Rooster Cay in the Bahamas for $15 million in 2007. Previously, he owned another private island called Pearl Island.

In 2012, he finally sold his New Jersey residence for $12 million, having initially listed it seven years earlier for $30 million.