Wayne Brady Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What is Wayne Brady’s Net Worth and Salary?

Wayne Brady, an American actor, comedian, singer, and television personality, has a net worth of $12 million. He is most recognized for his role as a regular on the American edition of the improvisational comedy show “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” (1998–2007, 2013–present), a show that he also produces. From 2001 to 2004, Wayne wrote, produced, and starred in ABC’s variety show and later talk show, “The Wayne Brady Show.” Despite its cancellation, Brady’s warm, down-to-earth persona and relatable nature have greatly contributed to his rising popularity.

Over the years, Wayne has made guest appearances on various television shows including “Chappelle’s Show” (2004), “Sesame Street” (2004), “Stargate SG-1” (2005), “Everybody Hates Chris” (2006–2008), “30 Rock” (2007), and “Psych” (2012). He portrayed James Stinson, the half-brother of Neil Patrick Harris’s character Barney, in 13 episodes of “How I Met Your Mother” (2006–2014). Additionally, from 2007 to 2009, he hosted the Fox game show “Don’t Forget the Lyrics!” and began hosting the revival of CBS’s “Let’s Make a Deal” in 2009. Furthermore, Brady has released two albums: “A Long Time Coming” (2008) and “Radio Wayne” (2011).

Early Life

On June 2, 1972, Wayne Alphonso Brady was born in Columbus, Georgia. His mother, Linda, was employed at a hospital, while his father, Wayne, served as a drill sergeant in the Army. With his father stationed overseas and his mother being only 17 at the time of his birth, Wayne was sent to live with his paternal grandmother, Valerie, in Orlando, Florida, whom he affectionately calls “Mom.” Wayne experienced bullying in his childhood, which led to anxiety and the development of a stutter. He graduated from Dr. Phillips High School in 1989, where he formed a close friendship with future *NSYNC member Joey Fatone. Although he initially intended to join the military, Brady began performing in local theater at 16 and refined his improv techniques at SAK Comedy Lab. In 1990, he enrolled at the University of Miami and later relocated to Los Angeles in 1996.

Career

Wayne Brady’s television career kicked off with a 1990 appearance on “Superboy,” followed by guest spots on “I’ll Fly Away” and “In the Heat of the Night” in 1993. He showcased his skills on “Kwik Witz,” an improvised sketch comedy competition, from 1996 to 1999, and in 1998, he appeared in three episodes of the British original version of “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” The American version debuted that same year, and Wayne became a staple performer on the Drew Carey-hosted series alongside Ryan Stiles and Colin Mochrie. His standout performances garnered him three Emmy nominations, with a win in 2003. Wayne remained part of the show until its conclusion in 2007, later returning for the 2013 revival on The CW, hosted by Aisha Tyler.

During the original airing of “Whose Line Is It Anyway?,” Wayne participated in films such as “Going to the Mat” (2004), “Roll Bounce” (2005), and “Crossover” (2006). He lent his voice to animated films including “Clifford’s Really Big Movie” (2004), “Stuart Little 3: Call of the Wild” (2005), and “The Adventures of Brer Rabbit” (2006). Additionally, he guest-starred in two improvisational episodes of “The Drew Carey Show” (1999, 2000), portrayed Lazardo V The Magician in the TV movie “Geppetto” (2000), and hosted the Miss America pageant in 2002. In August 2001, Wayne kicked off his hosting career with the variety show “The Wayne Brady Show,” which after its cancellation in March 2002, was relaunched as a daytime talk show six months later. The show earned him two Daytime Emmys and won the Outstanding Talk Show award (tied with “The View”) in 2003. In 2004, Brady took on the role of Billy Flynn in the Broadway production of “Chicago,” and he would later return to Broadway once more.

Wayne Brady appeared in “Kinky Boots” (2015–2016, 2018) and “Freestyle Love Supreme” (2019-2020). He also portrayed Tom Collins in “Rent” (2010) at the Hollywood Bowl and Aaron Burr in Chicago’s production of “Hamilton” (2017).

In 2009, he began hosting “Let’s Make a Deal,” a role that earned him more than a dozen Daytime Emmy nominations. He co-hosted the NAACP Image Awards alongside Holly Robinson Peete in 2011. Brady featured in the improv comedy series “Trust Us with Your Life” in 2012, and from 2013 to 2018, he voiced Clover the Rabbit in the Disney Channel series “Sofia the First.” In 2018, he secured a recurring role on the USA Network’s “Colony,” and that same year, he started playing Dr. Reese Buckingham on the soap opera “The Bold and the Beautiful.” In 2019, he won “The Masked Singer,” and in 2020, portrayed Tyson Sykes / Gravedigger on The CW’s “Black Lightning.” Announcements in November 2020 revealed that Wayne will host and produce the Fox variety show “Game Of Talents.”

(Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images)

Personal Life

From December 31, 1993, to September 21, 1995, Wayne was married to Diana Lasso. He later married dancer Mandie Taketa on April 3, 1999, and their daughter Maile Masako was born on February 3, 2003. The couple divorced in April 2008. Wayne has openly discussed his struggles with clinical depression, revealing that he experienced a mental breakdown on his 42nd birthday. For over a decade, he has supported the Ronald McDonald House Charities and is a member of the Friends of RMHC, the organization’s celebrity board. The Phi Beta Sigma fraternity honored Wayne with honorary membership in 2020, alongside actor/director/screenwriter Bill Duke.

Awards and Nominations

Brady received a Primetime Emmy in 2003 for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program for “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” and won his first Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Talk Show Host for “The Wayne Brady Show.” As of this writing, he has garnered 19 Daytime Emmy nominations, winning Outstanding Talk Show Host in 2004, Outstanding Original Song for “30,000 Reasons to Love Me” (an improvised rap featured on “Let’s Make a Deal”) in 2014, and Outstanding Game Show Host for “Let’s Make a Deal” in 2018. In 2009, Brady earned a Grammy nomination for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance for “A Change is Gonna Come,” alongside nominations from the Behind the Voice Actors Awards, NAACP Image Awards, and NAMIC Vision Awards.

Real Estate

In November 2017, Wayne Brady listed his Sherman Oaks home, measuring 4,200 square feet, for $3 million just two years after purchasing it for a little over $2.5 million. The 5-bedroom house eventually sold for $2.65 million in June 2018. Previously, in 2013, he sold another Sherman Oaks property for $1.8 million, and six months later, he bought a 3-bedroom condo in Pacific Palisades for $1.75 million, selling it for $1.8 million two years afterward. Additionally, Wayne once owned a Sherman Oaks home bought from actress Melissa Joan Hart in 2005 for $2.8 million, which he sold at a loss seven months later for $2.4575 million.