Everybody Pays Chris! Find Out Chris Rock's Net Worth in 2023
Chris Rock
As a stand-up comedian, Chris Rock is up there with greats like Richard Pryor and Dave Chapelle (controversial though he may be), and he's got the massive net worth to prove it. On top of bringing in the big bucks from his work on stage, Rock has also earned quite the pretty penny from his career as movie and TV star, with roles in Grown-Ups, Empire, Fargo and Rustin, to name a few. He most recently teamed up with Kevin Hart for the new Netflix documentary, Kevin Hart & Chris Rock: Headliners Only, out now.
Read on for a look at how Rock got his start and how many millions have come his way since.
How did Chris Rock get his start?
Rock started out the same way many comedians do—by doing standup in the city. While performing in New York City at the age of 18, he was discovered by Eddie Murphy, who gave him a small role as a parking valet in Beverly Hills Cop II (1987).
Rock’s career steadily snowballed after that. He picked up more small-time movie and TV gigs until 1990, when he first appeared as a cast member of Saturday Night Live. His sketches with fellow SNL stars such as Adam Sandler, Chris Farley and David Spade launched his career to the next level. His first HBO special, Big A** Jokes, premiered in 1994. His second, Bring the Pain (1996), won him two Emmy Awards.
What is Chris Rock's net worth?
Chris Rock has an estimated net worth of $60 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. He’s one of the highest-paid standup comedians in the world and can earn tens of millions on a single standup special. Between June 2016 and June 2017, he reportedly grossed around $60 million, and the year after that, around $30 million.
He would be even richer if not for his eight-figure divorce. In 2016, Rock and his wife of nearly 20 years, Malaak Compton-Rock, finalized their divorce in which Rock conceded about $40 million, per Celebrity Net Worth.
Related: Rock of Love: All About Chris Rock's Ex-Wife and Dating History
How many specials does Chris Rock have on Netflix?
Although Rock has seven standup specials in total, five were with HBO—so he has two with Netflix. Tamborine, released in 2018, was his first special in a decade and recounted some very personal struggles, including his 2016 divorce and custody battle. Chris Rock: Selective Outrage came out in March 2023 and focused on pop-culture of the moment, including the infamous Will Smith slap at the Oscars.
How much did Chris Rock get paid by Netflix?
In 2016, Rock inked a deal with Netflix that paid him $40 million for two comedy specials, according to The Hollywood Reporter. His end of the deal was fulfilled by 2023’s Selective Outrage—and means he made $20 million per special, cementing him as one of the top-earning comedians of all time.
Related: The 42 Best Stand-up Comedy Specials on Netflix
How much does Chris Rock make from touring?
A headliner such as Rock is guaranteed to bring in big bucks from his comedy tours, although it’s uncertain exactly how much. One source, TheRichest, estimates his earnings at $100,000 per day for a live show, or roughly $12 million per year for 120 shows.
Is Chris Rock the richest comedian?
While Chris Rock may be one of the highest-paid comedians, he’s by no stretch the richest. Eddie Murphy, for example, who “discovered” Rock back in the 1980s, has a massive net worth of $200 million that makes Rock’s $60 million look slim.
In any case, Rock likely lives a very comfortable life with his eight-figure sum of wealth and can still be considered majorly rich and successful as a comedian.
How much did Chris Rock make from Madagascar?
Among his acting credits, Rock voice-acts as Marty the zebra in the 2005 hit animated movie Madagascar. The film also stars Ben Stiller as Alex the lion, David Schwimmer as Melman the giraffe and Sacha Baron Cohen as King Julien the lemur.
It’s unknown how much Rock made for his role in the first or second Madagascar films, but he reportedly earned $5 million for his work on the third.
How much did Chris Rock make from Everybody Hates Chris?
Everybody Hates Chris, created and produced by Rock, is based on the comedian's childhood growing up in Brooklyn and going to a predominately white school. It's unclear what Chris made for the show, which ran from 2005 to 2009, but Forbes estimated that Chris Rock earned $42 million in 2009, the year the sitcom was picked up for syndication, so it's safe to assume the project was lucrative. (It's worth noting that Rock also went on tour, dropped an HBO special and starred in Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa and Death at a Funeral that same year, but his windfall was at least in part due to the success of his show.)
How much did Chris Rock make for hosting the Oscars?
Chris Rock hosted the Oscars in 2005 and 2016 (he was merely a presenter the year he was slapped in 2022). He hasn't publicly revealed what he made for those gigs, but former host Jimmy Kimmel once shared that he earned $15,000 for hosting (less than "scale," or the minimum that SAG-AFTRA union members can get paid), so it's possible Rock made a similar amount.
Next, Adam Sandler's Net Worth In 2023 Is Staggering! Find Out How Much He Makes Per Movie
