Eddie Murphy Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What is the net worth and salary of Eddie Murphy?

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, with his movies collectively grossing nearly $7 billion worldwide. This achievement positions him as the sixth highest-grossing American actor at the box office. Throughout the late 80s, 90s, and 2000s, Eddie consistently ranked as one of the highest-paid actors globally, often commanding $20 million per film. To date, he has easily surpassed $300 million in earnings from salaries and backend royalties. Notably, in 2019, Netflix compensated Eddie with $70 million for a series of comedy specials, bringing his total career earnings to at least $420 million based on the deals we know of.

In the early 1980s, Saturday Night Live catapulted Murphy into the national spotlight, making him a major star. He generated iconic characters on the long-running sketch show, such as Buckwheat, Mister Robinson, and Gumby.

The love for comedy sparked in Murphy during his teenage years when he listened to Richard Pryor’s comedy albums. When he joined SNL in 1980, the program was in turmoil after Lorne Michaels departed and the original cast members had left. Murphy is credited as the savior of the show.

From 1980 to 1984, Murphy participated in 65 episodes of SNL, joining the NBC show at just 19 years old. His performances often addressed race relations in provocative manners, with sketches like “Mister Robinson’s Neighborhood” and “White Like Me” attaining classic status. The show launched his career into superstardom, and in a 2015 compilation of the greatest SNL cast members, Murphy was ranked second, right after John Belushi.

Murphy embarked on his film career while still a part of SNL with the 1982 film 48 Hours. He quickly followed up with numerous blockbuster films, including Trading Places, the Beverly Hills Cop series, Coming to America, Harlem Nights, and Another 48 Hrs. Although his box-office appeal waned slightly during the 1990s, he regained popularity through family-oriented films such as Mulan, the Shrek franchise, Dreamgirls, and the Nutty Professor series. In 2006, he earned an Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe for his performance in Dreamgirls. In 2021, he was featured in the reboot of Coming 2 America.

Early Life

Eddie Murphy was born

Brooklyn, NY, was the birthplace of Eddie on April 3, 1961, where he grew up in the Bushwick neighborhood. His mother worked as a telephone operator, while his father served as a transit cop and pursued amateur comedy. A tragic event occurred when Eddie lost his father at the age of eight. During a temporary illness of their mother, he and his older brother, Charlie Murphy, spent some time in foster care. Thankfully, their mother regained her health and eventually remarried.

As a teenager, Eddie developed a passion for comedy after listening to a Richard Pryor album, and he found inspiration in Bill Cosby as well. At just 19 years old, in 1980, Eddie became part of the Saturday Night Live cast. The show was facing severe rating issues following the departure of its original stars. Eddie proved to be an incredible asset, rejuvenating the show and enhancing its popularity, remaining a part of SNL until 1984.

Film Career

In 1982, while still a member of SNL, Eddie made his cinematic debut in 48 Hrs. This was quickly followed by a string of blockbuster films such as Trading Places, the Beverly Hills Cop series, Coming to America, Harlem Nights, and Another 48 Hrs. Although Murphy’s popularity at the box office saw a slight decline in the 1990s, it experienced a comeback with numerous family-friendly films, including Mulan, the Shrek series, Dreamgirls, and the Nutty Professor films.

In 2006, he received an Academy Award nomination and won a Golden Globe for his performance in Dreamgirls. Additionally, he took on various production roles in films such as Vampire in Brooklyn, Life, and Harlem Nights, which he also directed. In 2017, it was announced he would reprise his role in the Beverly Hills Cop series, with Beverly Hills Cop 4 set to be released in the future. In 2021, he starred in the sequel to Coming to America, titled Coming 2 America.

Personal Life

Eddie Murphy tied the knot with his longtime partner Nicole Mitchell in 1993, but they divorced in 2006, with Eddie reportedly paying Nicole a $15 million settlement. From 2006 to 2007, he was in a relationship with Spice Girl Mel B, and later dated businesswoman Tracey Edmonds in 2008. Since 2012, he has been involved with model Paige Butcher, and the couple got engaged in September 2018. Eddie is a father to ten children from various relationships.

Throughout his career, Murphy has contributed to numerous charitable organizations, including the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, the Martin Luther King Jr. Center, and gave $100,000 to support the Screen Actors’ Guild strike relief fund.

Eddie Murphy Salary Highlights

In 1981, Murphy earned a meager $4,500 per episode for Saturday Night Live. The following year saw his salary increase to $30,000 per episode. For his role in 48 Hours, he received $450,000 in 1982. By 1990, he was paid $7 million for the sequel, Another 48 Hours. His first significant payday happened in 1984, with a $1 million salary for Best Defense. Across the 1980s, 90s, and early 2000s, Eddie amassed at least $250 million from film salaries and backend points, leading to overall career income likely exceeding $300 million.

Below are highlights of notable salary figures earned by Eddie Murphy throughout his career:

• InIn 1987, he made $8 million for Beverly Hills Cop II, equivalent 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, his earnings reached $15 million, translating to around $25 million in today’s dollars.
• $16 million from The Nutty Professor (1996)
• $17.5 million for Doctor Dolittle (1998)
• $20 million for Nutty Professor II (2000)
• In addition to this, he received 20% of the gross receipts from Nutty Professor II, bringing his total earnings from the film to over $60 million.
• $3 million from Shrek (2001)
• $20 million from Doctor Dolittle 2 (2001)
• $20 million for The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002)
• $10 million from Shrek 2 (2004)
• $4 million for Shrek Forever (with potential backend points bringing it to as much as $12 million)
• $7.5 million from Tower Heist (2011)

Netflix Project

In July 2019, reports indicated that Eddie was negotiating to receive $70 million for a series of comedy specials for Netflix. This amount exceeds by $10 million the $60 million that Dave Chappelle made for his three-special deal, while Chris Rock earned $40 million for two specials.

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

Throughout the years, Eddie has owned several remarkable mansions. During the 1990s, he resided in a lavish custom-built mansion located within a gated community in Granite Bay, California, near Sacramento. After selling this property, he purchased a 3.7-acre undeveloped lot for $10 million in the highly exclusive Beverly Park neighborhood of Beverly Hills. This gated community is situated in one of the wealthiest areas of Beverly Hills and is home to numerous celebrities, including Mark Wahlberg, Denzel Washington, Rod Stewart, and Sylvester Stallone, as well as various multi-billionaires.

Following his acquisition of the $10 million lot in 2001, Eddie invested millions in constructing an impressive 40,000 square-foot mansion featuring 32 rooms, including nine bedrooms and nine bathrooms. The estate boasts a swimming pool, tennis court, library, and bowling alley. If put on the market, the house is expected to sell for over $30-40 million. A previous property Eddie owned in Beverly Hills during the 1980s was later listed for $85 million in 2016 by its subsequent owner.

In 2007, he purchased a 15-acre private island known as Rooster Cay in the Bahamas for $15 million, having previously owned another private island named Pearl Island.

In 2012, Murphy sold his New Jersey home for $12 million after it had been on the market for seven years following an initial listing price of $30 million.