What is the Net Worth and Salary of Chris Rock?
__American comedian, actor, writer, producer, and director is Chris Rock, with a net worth of $60 million. Despite his potential for higher net worth, a divorce settlement with his wife of 20 years, Malaak Compton, reportedly caused him to lose tens of millions of dollars, possibly up to $40 million in 2016. They parted ways in 2016 after two decades of marriage. In the following section, we will delve into the fact that Chris is one of the highest-paid comedians in history. Having been a stand-up comedian for over 40 years, he can now earn tens of millions of dollars from one stand-up special. He was voted the fifth-greatest stand-up comedian in a Comedy Central poll.
Earning wide popularity through “Saturday Night Live” in the early 1990s, Chris Rock had spent several years performing stand-up and taking on minor roles before that. Today, he is one of the most renowned comedic actors worldwide. Films such as “The Longest Yard” (2005), the “Madagascar” film series (2005-2012), and “Grown Ups” (2010) are among his notable works.
The movies that have made the most money worldwide for Rock include:
- Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted (2012) – $746 million
- Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008) – $603 million
- Grown Ups (2010) – $271 million
- Grown Ups 2 (2013) – $247 million
- Madagascar (2005) – $532 million
Marty the Zebra is a character voiced by Rock in all four successful Madagascar movies. Additionally, he co-wrote and starred in the popular Grown Ups movies with Adam Sandler despite mixed reviews from critics. Furthermore, Rock created and produced the semi-autobiographical sitcom “Everybody Hates Chris,” which aired 88 episodes between 2005 and 2009.
Highest Paid Comedian
During his tours, Chris is consistently one of the highest-paid comedians globally. For instance, between June 2016 and June 2017, he made around $60 million, securing the title of the highest-paid comedian globally during that period. In the subsequent year, from June 2017 to June 2018, Rock’s earnings totaled $30 million.
Netflix Special Payday
Netflix announced the release of two new stand-up specials by Rock on October 30, 2016. He received $40 million ($20 million per special) for the agreement. The first special, “Chris Rock: Tamborine,” was launched on February 14, 2018, marking his return to concert specials after a decade. Additionally, on March 4, 2023, Rock launched a third special via Netflix. This special, titled “Chris Rock: Selective Outrage,” was streamed live from Baltimore.
Early Life and Career
Christopher Julius Rock was born in Andrews, South Carolina, on February 7, 1965. Following a move with his parents to Brooklyn, New York, and then a subsequent move to Bedford-Stuyvesant, Rock was bussed to schools in predominantly white Brooklyn neighborhoods where he encountered bullying and discrimination from white students. As the situation escalated, he dropped out of high school and obtained his GED while working at fast-food eateries.
In 1984, Rock ventured into stand-up comedy at New York City’s Catch a Rising Star club. As he performed, his reputation slowly grew, leading to several roles, including an appearance in the TV series “Miami Vice.” These early years also involved Eddie Murphy spotting Rock performing in a nightclub and subsequently befriending him. Murphy mentored Rock and gave him his first film role in “Beverly Hills Cop II” (1987).
Saturday Night Live and Comedy Success
Rock joined the Saturday Night Live (SNL) cast in 1990. Alongside new cast members like Chris Farley, Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider, and David Spade, they were collectively known as the Bad Boys of SNL. His debut comedy album, “Born Suspect,” was released in 1991, the same year he received accolades for his portrayal of an addict in the film “New Jack City.”
Two years later, Rock left SNL and appeared on the predominantly African-American sketch show “In Living Color.” His stint on the show lasted for only six episodes, as it was terminated a month after his inclusion. Rock then wrote and starred in the comedy “CB4,” a film that cost $6 million to produce but generated $18 million.
His inaugural HBO special, “Big Ass Jokes,” premiered in 1994, but it was the 1996 follow-up, “Bring the Pain,” that earned him two Emmy Awards and the status of one of the finest American comedians. During the 1996 United States Presidential Elections, Rock gained further adoration as a commentator on “Politically Incorrect” on Comedy Central, winning him yet another Emmy nomination.
His HBO comedy specials such as “Bigger & Blacker” (1999) and “Never Scared” (2004) attracted effusive praise from Time and Entertainment Weekly, which described him as “the funniest man in America.” HBO also aired his talk show, “The Chris Rock Show,” where he conversed with celebrities and politicians, earning an Emmy for writing. During this period, he also secured Grammy Awards for his comedy albums, including “Roll with the New,” “Bigger & Blacker,” and “Never Scared.” In September 2008, his fifth HBO special, “Kill the Messenger,” debuted, fetching him another Emmy for exceptional writing in the variety or music program category.
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Film Career
With his comedy career acclaim, Rock secured leading roles in films such as “Down to Earth” (2001), “Bad Company” (2002), “The Longest Yard” (2005), “Death at a Funeral” (2010), “Grown Ups” (2010), and “2 Days in New York” (2012). He also provided the voice for Marty the Zebra in three films of the “Madagascar” animated franchise. After portraying Milton King in 2022’s “Amsterdam,” Rock is set to take on the role of Roy Wilkins in the forthcoming biographical drama “Rustin.”
Besides acting on screen, Rock has explored writing and directing. He wrote, directed, and starred in films like “Head of State” (2003), “I Think I Love My Wife” (2007), and the critically lauded “Top Five” (2014). Additionally, in 2009, he released a documentary titled “Good Hair” on the perceptions and history of African American women’s hairstyles.
Other Projects and Ventures
Besides writing and directing films, Rock possesses television producing experience. He served as the executive producer and narrator of the comedy series “Everybody Hates Chris,” which premiered on UPN in 2005. Subsequently moving to The CW, where it concluded its last season in 2009, the show was heavily influenced by Rock’s personal teenage experiences and received a 2006 Golden Globe nomination for Best TV Series (MusicalIn addition to winning a 2006 People’s Choice Award for Favorite New Television Comedy and two 2006 Emmy Awards for costuming and cinematography, Rock also produced the series “Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell” in 2012.
Utilizing his extensive experience in comedy performance, Rock not only hosted the 77th Academy Awards in 2005 but also took on hosting duties for the 88th Academy Awards in 2016. Known as “a dedicated cannabis consumer,” Rock made an investment in Lowell Herb Co., a cannabis brand in California, in August 2019.
Will Smith Slap
As is widely known, at the Academy Awards in March 2022, Will Smith charged onto the stage and slapped Chris following a joke the comedian made about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett. For nearly a year, Chris barely addressed the incident publicly until his live Netflix special on March 4, 2023, where he strongly criticized both Jada and Will Smith.
Personal Life
Shortly after marrying Malaak Compton-Rock on November 23, 1996, the couple settled in New Jersey with their two daughters born in 2002 and 2004. In December 2014, Rock announced his decision to file for divorce, revealing past infidelity and a struggle with porn addiction. The divorce was finalized in 2016, with Chris reportedly providing his ex-wife with approximately $40 million in real estate and liquid assets.
News emerged in July 2022 that Chris Rock had started a romantic relationship with actress, screenwriter, and director Lake Bell.
Real Estate
Back in 1994, while working on SNL, Chris purchased a home in Brooklyn, New York, where he lived for two years before relocating to the suburbs with his then-new wife, Malaak. He proceeded to lease the property in Brooklyn for $8,000 per month until 2017 when he listed the home for sale at $3.25 million. After the divorce, Malaak continued to reside in the family’s 13,000-square-foot mansion in Alpine, New Jersey, a property they acquired in 2001 for $3 million.