Introduction

Jay Pharoah is an American professional actor, stand-up comedian, and rapper with an estimated net worth of $4.5 Million. 

Throughout his career, Jay Pharoah has realized success as both an actor and comedian, notably starring in 128 episodes of Saturday Night Live between 2010 and 2016. His trademark celebrity impressions quickly earned him a name within the industry.

This profile outlines our research into Jay Pharoah’s net worth, income sources, and other aspects of his finances.

Quick Facts

• Potentially earned $2.2 million from Saturday Night Live (estimate)
• Grossed $835 million in worldwide box office revenue (film career)
• Assets include a $3.5 million, 5,650-square-foot home in Tarzana

Saturday Night Live Salary

In the early years of his career, Pharoah’s work on Saturday Night Live represented a substantial portion of his income. At least based on the typical salary for featured cast members. Jay began appearing on the show in 2010, where he was allowed to show off some of his iconic celebrity impressions, including Denzel Washington, Barack Obama, Will Smith, Eddie Murphy, and Chris Rock.

Cast members are typically paid depending on how long they’ve been with the show, and the pay scales are often as follows:

• First-year cast members – $7,000 per episode
• Second-year cast members – $8,000 per episode
• Third-year cast members – $15,000 per episode
• Veterans – $25,000 per episode

However, the figures can vary, and since Jay Pharoah’s official salary from SNL has never been publicly disclosed, there’s no way of knowing exactly how much he earned during his tenure on the show. If we assume the information is correct, we can do some quick calculations to estimate how much Pharoah earned per season of SNL. 

In his first season, he appeared in 22 episodes, potentially earning $154,000 (Season 36). He was also in 22 episodes of his second season, likely earning $176,000 with the pay rise. With 21 episodes of a third SNL season, he potentially earned up to $315,000, which leaves us with his three final seasons between 2014 and 2016. If he were paid a veteran’s salary during this time, he could have received approximately $1.575 million. All things considered, that would place his total earnings in the ballpark of $2.22 million, based on our estimates.

Additional Income Sources

Following his success on SNL, Jay Pharoah’s comedy career reached new heights. He began performing stand-up comedy more frequently on tour, and landed roles in various films and television shows. Given his unique ability for voice manipulation, he naturally attracted attention from animated productions, working on shows like The Simpsons, Family Guy, American Dad!, and Legends of Chamberlain Heights.

Pharoah also put together his own television show, White Famous, which aired on Showtime for ten episodes in 2017. Though this wasn’t his first project with the network. The comedian’s debut stand-up comedy special, Can I Be Me?, was also released on Showtime in 2015. Pharoah recently released his second stand-up special, JARED, on YouTube in 2024.

In summary, Jay Pharoah’s income sources outside of SNL comprise the following:

• Stand-up comedy
• Comedy specials
• Voiceover work (TV & film)
• Acting 
• TV hosting
• Brand endorsements

Highest-Grossing Films

While technically not known for his box office hits, Jay Pharoah’s films have racked up some decent numbers. The highest-grossing film of his career was the 2016 animated flick Sing, in which he voiced the character of Meena’s grandfather. The film grossed $634.2 million worldwide against a $75 million budget. Pharoah’s only other film to gross more than $100 million was Ride Along (2014), starring Ice Cube and Kevin Hart. Though he only appeared in a single scene of the movie.

Here’s a list of Jay Pharoah’s highest-grossing films:

1. Sing (2016) – $634.2 million
2. Ride Along (2014) – $154.5 million
3. Top Five (2014) – $25.9 million
4. Unsane (2018) – $14.2 million
5. Busboys (2026) – $2.65 million
6. All My Life (2020) – $1.96 million
7. Get A Job (2016) – $23,910

Real Estate

In November 2018, Pharoah purchased a $2.4 million, 5,650-square-foot, six-bedroom, six-bathroom home in Tarzana, California. According to public records, the home’s property taxes are roughly $31,000 per year. The property is also estimated to be worth $3.5 million now.

Introduction

Eddie Murphy is an American professional actor and stand-up comedian, with an estimated net worth of $200 Million.

While Murphy’s career began in the 1980s as a stand-up comedian, it didn’t take long for him to start earning millions as an actor. Some of Murphy’s most significant movie salaries include earning $52 million for The Beverley Hills Cop tetralogy, and $28 million for the Shrek movies.

Between acting and comedy, Murphy is estimated to have earned between $300 million and $400 million during his career. He was once one of the top ten highest-grossing actors worldwide. Eddie’s net worth is the result of over four decades of earning 7-figure and 8-figure sums for his work.

In this profile, we’ll discuss our extensive research into Eddie Murphy’s net worth, including his earnings history and known film salaries. We’ll also take a look at his highest-grossing flicks, and how he spends his fortune.

Quick Facts

• Earned at least $246 million in the 1990s
• Received close to $30 million from the Shrek franchise
• Owns an 18,598-square-foot Beverly Hills mansion worth $30 million

Earnings History

While we will cover Eddie Murphy’s film salaries in more detail later in this article, we also provide estimates of his total income from all endeavors for the years 1991 to 1999. During this period, Murphy was consistently ranked among the highest-paid comedians in the world, typically earning between $25 million and $48 million per year. He earned an estimated $246.5 million over the decade.

Film Earnings

Earliest Film Salaries

The earliest recorded paycheck of Eddie Murphy’s career was $450,000 for starring in 48 hrs. (1982). However, the following year, he began commanding seven-figure salaries for each film role. Murphy earned $1 million apiece for starring in Trading Places (1983) and Best Defense (1984). 

Beverly Hills Cop Salary

Murphy quickly went from earning $1 million per film to an impressive $14 million for starring in the first Beverly Hills Cop film in 1984. The franchise was an instant hit, initially spawning a second and third installment in 1987 and 1994. For Beverly Hills Cop II, Murphy was reportedly paid $8 million, followed by $15 million for Beverly Hills Cop III. For the 2024 reboot, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, Eddie earned an estimated $15 million. This would bring his total for all four films to approximately $52 million.

Comedy Film Salaries

Between Beverly Hills Cop films, Eddie Murphy starred in numerous comedy hits, earning as much as $20 million per film. In 1988, he was reportedly paid $8 million for starring in Coming to America. Next came The Nutty Professor and The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps, earning him $16 million and $20 million, respectively.

The Doctor Dolittle series was also another smash hit, earning Murphy $17.5 million for the first installment and $20 million for Dr. Dolittle 2.

Shrek Salary

When Eddie Murphy began his iconic voiceover role as Donkey in 2001’s Shrek, he earned a reported salary of $3.35 million. He was paid approximately $10 million for Shrek 2, $12 million for Shrek the Third, and $4 million for Shrek Forever After. However, for the latter, he was reportedly given a share of the backend, which could have brought his total earnings closer to those of the second and third. Overall, Murphy is estimated to have earned at least $29.35 million from the Shrek franchise.

Highest-Paying Franchises

Now that we’ve covered Eddie Murphy’s film salaries, here’s a quick breakdown of his estimated earnings per franchise:

1. Beverly Hills Cop – $52 million
2. Doctor Dolittle – $37.5 million
3. The Nutty Professor – $36 million
4. Shrek – $29.35 million

Highest-Grossing Movies

When Murphy landed the role of Donkey in the Shrek franchise, little did he know it would lead to some of his biggest box-office successes. What’s interesting about Murphy’s list is that, aside from the Shrek films, all the films on it are from the 20th century. Three of Murphy’s ten highest-grossing films were released in the 1980s.

Murphy starred in all four Shrek films, grossing a combined $2.99 billion at the worldwide box office, with Shrek 2 performing the best at $932 million. Shrek the Third came in second place with $813 million, and Shrek Forever After grossed $753 million. The original 2001 installment grossed $489 million globally. It’s worth noting that the original film had a production budget of just $60 million, compared to the other three films, which had budgets ranging from $150 million to $165 million each.

The three films from the ’80s that remain on Murphy’s highest-grossing list include Beverly Hills Cop ($316 million), Beverly Hills Cop II ($300 million), and Coming to America ($289 million). From the 1990s, Mulan grossed $304 million, Doctor Dolittle scored $294 million, and The Nutty Professor earned $274 million.

Beverly Hills Cop produced the highest return on investment of any film on the list, grossing $316 million worldwide on a production budget of just $13 million.

Here’s a complete list of Eddie Murphy’s ten highest-grossing movies:

1. Shrek 2 – $932 Million (2004)
2. Shrek the Third – $813 Million (2007)
3. Shrek Forever After – $753 Million (2010)
4. Shrek – $489 Million (2001)
5. Beverly Hills Cop – $316 Million (1984)
6. Mulan – $304 Million (1998)
7. Beverly Hills Cop II – $300 Million (1987)
8. Doctor Dolittle – $294 Million (1998)
9. Coming to America – $289 Million (1988)
10. The Nutty Professor – $274 Million (1996)

Real Estate

In 1988, Eddie Murphy paid $6.3 million to acquire Cher’s 32,000-square-foot, eleven-bedroom, seventeen-bathroom mansion in Beverly Hills. The property spans 13.5 acres and features an outdoor tennis court and equestrian stables with a paddock. Interestingly, reports suggest that Murphy lost a substantial sum of money on the property, selling it for just $4 million in 1995. What makes this even more interesting is that the current owners tried to sell it for as much as $85 million in 2016.

In January 2001, Murphy acquired a 3.67-acre plot of land in Beverly Park for $10 million and constructed an 18,598-square-foot, ten-bedroom, seventeen-bathroom mansion on the property. Reports suggest the home cost $20 million to build, though we were unable to verify that figure. Eddie still owns the mansion, which is now valued at roughly $30 million, and he pays approximately $290,000 in annual property taxes.

Introduction

David Cross is an American professional stand-up comedian, actor, and director with an estimated net worth of $10 Million.

Cross began his stand-up comedy career as a teenager in the 1980s and transitioned to film and television in the 1990s. Since then, he’s starred in more than 150 projects, though he’s best known for Arrested Development and voiceover roles in Kung Fu Panda and Megamind. To date, his films have grossed more than $5.3 billion at the global box office.

In this profile, we’ll discuss our research into David Cross’ net worth, income sources, highest-grossing films, and any events that have significantly impacted his finances.

Quick Facts

• Fined $150,000 for breaking an NDA regarding Alvin & The Chipmunks
• Grossed $5.3+ billion in worldwide box office revenue

Alvin & The Chipmunks Loss

Cross’ role in the Alvin and the Chipmunks franchise brought him significant financial rewards but also serious frustrations. Starting with Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007), the films became global hits, earning over $1.04 billion at the box office. Cross reportedly made a seven-figure sum across all three films, giving him financial stability and the means to fund other projects.

However, in 2011, while promoting Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked, he called the experience “the most miserable” of his career due to alleged mistreatment and difficult working conditions.

In several interviews, Cross stated that he was forced into uncomfortable situations, like wearing a heavy Pelican costume for long periods. Despite the challenges, he still acknowledged that the financial rewards outweighed the negatives, allowing him to pursue other goals and interests.

Consequently, speaking out about his negative experience resulted in a $150,000 penalty for violating his non-disparagement clause, compounding the bitterness of his involvement. This highlighted the problematic balance between financial gain and the personal cost of participating in a creatively unsatisfying and emotionally draining project.

Highest-Grossing Films

As we briefly mentioned in the introduction, Cross’ films have grossed approximately $5.3 billion worldwide. Upon researching which of his films returned the most money at the box office, here’s what we found.

Seven of his ten highest-grossing films are animated, or semi-animated children’s films, belonging to just three franchises. The first, and most successful franchise, was Kung Fu Panda. Cross voiced the character of Crane in the first three Kung Fu Panda films, grossing a combined $1.8 billion in box office revenue. 

Between 2007 and 2011, he played Ian in the Alvin & the Chipmunks trilogy, with the three films grossing $1.04 billion worldwide. The second film, The Squeakquel, was the most successful, bringing in $443.1 million against a $70 million budget.

The last children’s film on the list is Megamind, which was released in 2010 and grossed $321.9 million.

Here’s a list of David Cross’ highest-grossing films:

1. Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011) – $665.7 million
2. Kung Fu Panda (2008) – $632 million
3. Men in Black (1997) – $589.4 million
4. Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016) – $521.2 million
5. Men in Black II (2002) – $445.1 million
6. Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (2009) – $443.1 million
7. Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007) – $361.3 million
8. Megamind (2010) – $321.9 million
9. Pitch Perfect 2 (2015) – $287.5 million
10. Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (2011) – $234 million

Real Estate

The only information we could find about David Cross’ real estate investments is that he owns a townhouse in the Brooklyn neighborhood of New York City. There aren’t any details online about the value of the home, nor how much he paid for it.