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 an American actor, comedian, producer, and director who ranks among the highest-grossing actors in film history. His films have amassed nearly $7 billion at the global box office, positioning him as the sixth highest-grossing American actor. Throughout the late 80s, 90s, and 2000s, Murphy consistently held one of the top-paid actor statuses, securing an average of $20 million per film. To date, he has reportedly earned over $300 million from salaries and backend royalties. In 2019, Netflix paid Eddie $70 million for a series of comedy specials. When calculated, it is estimated that Eddie has made at least $420 million, based on the deals that are known.

In the early 1980s, Saturday Night Live catapulted Murphy to national fame, establishing him as a major star. He developed iconic characters such as Buckwheat, Mister Robinson, and Gumby on the long-running sketch comedy program.

As a teenager, Murphy’s passion for comedy was ignited after listening to one of Richard Pryor’s comedy albums. When he joined SNL in 1980, the show was facing challenges. With Lorne Michaels absent and the original cast departed, Murphy is credited with revitalizing the program.

Between 1980 and 1984, Murphy appeared in 65 episodes of SNL, joining the NBC show at just 19 years old. His routines often addressed racial issues in a provocative manner. Sketches such as “Mister Robinson’s Neighborhood” and “White Like Me” have become timeless classics. This exposure set the stage for his rise to superstardom, and in a 2015 ranking of the greatest SNL cast members, Murphy was positioned second, right behind John Belushi.

Murphy’s film career began while he was still on SNL with the release of 1982’s 48 Hours. He quickly followed up with a succession of hits including Trading Places, the Beverly Hills Cop series, Coming to America, Harlem Nights, and Another 48 Hrs. Despite a slight decline in box office appeal during the 1990s, he enjoyed a comeback with a number of family-friendly films like Mulan, the Shrek series, Dreamgirls, and the Nutty Professor series. In 2006, he received an Academy Award nomination and won a Golden Globe for his performance in Dreamgirls. Eddie made a return to the screen in the 2021 sequel, Coming 2 America.

Early Life

Eddie Murphy was born

Eddie Murphy was born on April 3, 1961, in Brooklyn, NY, and grew up in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn. His mother worked as a telephone operator, while his father was a transit cop and also an amateur comedian. Unfortunately, Eddie lost his father at the age of eight. During a period when their mother fell ill, he and his older brother, Charlie Murphy, lived in foster care. Thankfully, their mother made a full recovery and later remarried.

At a young age, Eddie developed a passion for comedy after listening to a Richard Pryor comedy album. He was also significantly influenced by Bill Cosby. In 1980, just 19 years old, Eddie joined the cast of Saturday Night Live. The show, at that time, was facing a significant decline in ratings following the departure of its original stars. Eddie made a remarkable impact, revitalizing the show and propelling it to new successes. He remained a part of SNL until 1984.

Film Career

Eddie made his big-screen debut in 48 Hrs in 1982 while still working on SNL. He followed this with several blockbuster successes, featuring in films such as Trading Places, the Beverly Hills Cop series, Coming to America, Harlem Nights, and Another 48 Hrs. Although there was a slight decline in his box-office appeal during the 1990s, it surged again with a lineup of family-oriented films, including Mulan, the Shrek franchise, Dreamgirls, and the Nutty Professor series.

In 2006, Murphy received an Academy Award nomination and won a Golden Globe for his performance in Dreamgirls. He has also produced several films, such as Vampire in Brooklyn, Life, and Harlem Nights, which he also directed. Furthermore, in 2017, it was revealed that Murphy would reprise his role in the Beverly Hills Cop series with the upcoming Beverly Hills Cop 4, set to be released in the future. In 2021, Eddie starred in the sequel to Coming to America, titled Coming 2 America.

Personal Life

Eddie Murphy tied the knot with his long-term girlfriend Nicole Mitchell in 1993, but they divorced later in 2006. Reports indicate that Eddie paid Nicole a settlement of $15 million as part of their divorce agreement. He was in a relationship with Spice Girl Mel B from 2006 to 2007 and later dated businesswoman Tracey Edmonds in 2008. Since 2012, he has been in a relationship with model Paige Butcher, and they got engaged in September 2018. Across his relationships, Eddie has fathered ten children.

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

Eddie Murphy Salary Highlights

In 1981, Murphy earned just $4,500 for each episode of Saturday Night Live. By the following year, his salary increased to $30,000 per episode. For his role in 48 Hours in 1982, he was compensated $450,000. In 1990, he received $7 million for the sequel, Another 48 Hours. The substantial earning of $1 million from the film Best Defense marked his first major paycheck in 1984. Over the 1980s, 90s, and early 2000s, Eddie amassed at least $250 million in film salaries and backend points, with his total career film earnings likely exceeding $300 million.

Below is a summary of notable salaries that Eddie Murphy earned throughout his career:

• InIn 1987, $8 million was earned by him for Beverly Hills Cop II, equivalent to about $18 million today when adjusted for inflation.
• The following year, he received another $8 million for Coming to America.
• For Beverly Hills Cop III in 1994, his earnings amounted to $15 million, roughly translating to around $25 million today.
• He made $16 million from The Nutty Professor (1996).
• In 1998, $17.5 million came from Doctor Dolittle.
• He earned $20 million for Nutty Professor II (2000).
• In addition to the $20 million for Nutty Professor II, he obtained 20% of the gross receipts, bringing his total earnings from the film to over $60 million.
• For Shrek (2001), his payout was $3 million.
• He earned $20 million from Doctor Dolittle 2 (2001).
• $20 million was received for The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002).
• For Shrek 2 (2004), he earned $10 million.
• He received $4 million for Shrek Forever, which could potentially increase to $12 million with backend points.
• Finally, he earned $7.5 million for Tower Heist (2011).

Netflix Project

Reports in July 2019 revealed that Eddie was negotiating to receive $70 million for a series of comedy specials for Netflix. This figure surpasses the $60 million that Dave Chappelle earned for his three-special deal. Chris Rock was paid $40 million for two specials.

Eddie Murphy Quote on Money

“All my poor choices have stemmed from money. Growing up in the projects, you learn not to turn down money. You take it, as you never know when it might all come to an end. I accepted $15 million for Beverly Hills Cop III. That $15 million was worth taking the hit from Roger Ebert.“

Real Estate

Throughout the years, Eddie has owned many remarkable mansions. In the 1990s, he resided in an extravagant custom-built mansion located in a gated community in Granite Bay, California (near Sacramento). After selling the Granite Bay property, he invested $10 million in a 3.7-acre undeveloped lot situated in the highly exclusive Beverly Hills neighborhood of Beverly Park. This gated community is home to celebrities such as Mark Wahlberg, Denzel Washington, Rod Stewart, and Sylvester Stallone, along with several multi-billionaires.

After purchasing his lot for $10 million in 2001, Eddie built an impressive 40,000 square-foot mansion at significant additional cost. This residence features 32 rooms, including 9 bedrooms and 9 bathrooms, along with a large pool, tennis court, library, and bowling alley. If this property were to come on the market, its value would easily exceed $30-40 million. A previous Beverly Hills residence owned by Eddie in the 1980s was listed for $85 million by a subsequent owner in 2016.

In 2007, Eddie bought a private island in the Bahamas called Rooster Cay for $15 million. He had previously owned another private island known as Pearl Island.

After seven years on the market, Murphy finally sold his New Jersey home in 2012 for $12 million, having originally listed it for $30 million.