What Is Anthony Anderson's Net Worth and Salary?
Anthony Anderson is an American actor and writer who has a net worth of $25 million. Anthony Anderson's early career in Hollywood saw him in a variety of films, including "Me, Myself & Irene," "Barbershop," and "Big Momma's House." His magnetic on-screen presence combined with impeccable comedic timing solidified his reputation as a leading man in the comedy genre.
However, Anderson didn't limit himself to film. In television, he is perhaps best known for his role as Dre Johnson in the critically acclaimed sitcom "Black-ish." The show, which addresses racial, societal, and family issues through a comedic lens, earned him numerous award nominations. His portrayal of Dre not only demonstrated his ability to elicit laughter but also underscored his proficiency in handling more sensitive subjects with depth and nuance.
During his time on "Black-ish," Anthony was one of the highest-paid actors on television. He earned almost $9 million per year through a combination of salaries for acting and producing as well as his slice of the show's back-end.
Apart from acting, Anderson's versatility shines as he delves into the realm of hosting. He has hosted various events, award ceremonies, and game shows, notably including "To Tell the Truth." His charismatic personality and quick wit make him a favorite among audiences, ensuring the show's popularity.
In addition to his on-screen work, Anderson's dedication to the entertainment industry is evident in his behind-the-scenes contributions. He has taken on roles as a producer and has been instrumental in the development of several projects.
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Early Life
Anthony Anderson was born on August 15, 1970, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was raised in Compton and is an alumnus of the Hollywood High School Performing Arts Magnet's Class of 1988 and Howard University. After his first attempt at stand-up comedy was a self-described "failure" (amusingly, his first gig at The Comedy Act Theater was under the stage name "Tasty Tony, the One and Only, and if there's another, he's a phony," which as he told it years later led the audience to boo him off the stage before he said a single word), Anderson kept at it and met an actor named Guy Torry, who would go on to be a key collaborator in the early part of his career. Despite much of his work continuing to be in comedy following this inauspicious stage debut, Anthony has been clear that he doesn't see himself as a comedian in the traditional sense, but instead as an actor who often works in comedy. In 2022, Anderson received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Howard University.
Television Career
Before "Black-ish," Anthony was probably best known for his sitcom "All About the Andersons" as well as "The Bernie Mac Show," on which he had a role during the show's fifth and final season. His television work has also included a lead role in the teen series "Hang Time," on which he played the role of Teddy Broadis. He has had many guest roles on television shows such as "NYPD Blue," "Malcolm & Eddie," "In the House," and "Ally McBeal," just to name a few. In 2008, Anderson joined the cast of the long-running NBC crime television series "Law & Order," having previously starred in two other crime series, Fox's "K-Ville" and FX's "The Shield." From 2014 to 2022, Anthony played the lead role in the ABC series "Black-ish," which went on to become one of the network's biggest hits. He is also an executive producer on the show, which, as you'll see below, has added significantly to his compensation for the series. Anderson has also appeared in two "Black-ish" spin-off series in his role as family patriarch Andre "Dre" Johnson, Sr.: "Grown-ish," which premiered in 2018, and "Mixed-ish," which premiered in 2019.
Anderson's job as one of the highest-profile TV dads on ABC kept him busy with other projects on the network. In 2017, he was one of the celebrity guest hosts of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" while Kimmel was on paternity leave, and in 2019, he appeared in both of ABC's "Live in Front of a Studio Audience" specials. In 2020, he made a return appearance as a contestant on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" as well as ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition."
Anthony has also done voice work for a trio of video games over the years. In 2006, he voiced a drug dealer in the video game "Scarface: The World Is Yours," and the following year, he appeared in "Def Jam: Icon" as Troy Dollar. In 2012, he was credited with doing "Monster voices" for the game "Diablo III."
Film Career
While most of Anderson's best-known work has been on television, he's also been in a decent number of feature films. His movie debut was in the film "Liberty Heights" in 1999, and that same year he (and his friend Guy Torry) appeared in the Eddie Murphy/Martin Lawrence vehicle "Life." He had small roles in a variety of high-profile films in the following years, including "Big Momma's House" (also with Martin Lawrence), "Me, Myself & Irene" with Jim Carrey, and "Barbershop" starring Ice Cube. He also snagged a recurring role in two later entries in the "Scary Movie" franchise, appearing in "Scary Movie 3" and "Scary Movie 4" in the role of Mahalik. Two years after "Scary Movie 4," Anderson was cast in Martin Scorsese's "The Departed" and went on to appear in films like Michael Bay's "Transformers," Wes Craven's "Scream 4," and 2016's belated "Barbershop" sequel "Barbershop: The Next Cut." Following the success of "Black-ish," his film career slowed down a bit but by no means came to a stop. He appeared in the 2017 crime drama "Small Town Crime," did voice work in the 2017 animated films "The Star" and "Ferdinand," and in 2019, he starred in the film "Beats," which premiered on Netflix. Anderson also played the role of a barber in 2023's "You People."
Anthony also has at least one directorial credit, for a short film made for the Responsibility Project that aired on the TV program "In the House" in 2009.
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"Black-ish" Salary
Starting in the fifth season, when you combine his acting salary, producer salary, and back-end profit income, Anthony Anderson's salary per episode of "Black-ish" was $400,000. Over 22 episodes, that worked out to $8.8 million per year before taxes. That's a significant raise from the $100,000 he earned per year in season one before syndication was locked in.
Personal Life & Divorce Settlement
In 1995, Anthony married his college sweetheart, Alvina Stewart. The couple has two children, Kyra and Nathan. The latter has already begun an acting career, appearing on the Netflix series "Richie Rich" and on "Black-ish."
Anthony and Alvina separated in 2014. She filed for divorce in 2015. The couple reconciled in January 2017 before Alvina filed for divorce a second time in March 2022. Their divorce was settled in September 2023. According to the terms of their divorce settlement, Anthony pays Alvina a base monthly support of $20,000 if he makes less than $2 million per year. In any year when he makes more than $2 million, Alvina is entitled to 20% of the amount over $2 million. So if he makes $9 million per year, as he did in a typical year from "Black-ish," Anthony would pay Alvina 20% of $7 million ($9m – $2m), which is $1.4 million on top of the $240k base support for a total of $1.64 million, or $54k per month.
Per the terms of their divorce, Anthony maintained their home in Encino, California, which, as we describe in a moment, was purchased in 2017 for $4.8 million. He also kept a 2004 Land Rover. Alvina kept a home in Houston and a 2022 Mazda.
Real Estate
Anthony Anderson's primary residence is located in Los Angeles, California. He reportedly purchased a three-bedroom, 3,451-square-foot home in 2005 for some $1.1 million. In August 2022, he sold the home for $2.1 million in an off-market deal. Anderson also has a Mediterranean mansion in Encino he purchased in 2017 for $4.8 million.
Car
In 2016, Anthony wrote a piece for "The Hollywood Reporter" about one of his big splurges, a $200,000 Mercedes Maybach. In the piece, he says he didn't even hesitate to pay so much for a car: "The retail price of my Maybach (about $198,000) did not give me pause. It was a reward to myself. I've come a long way. Looking back, I think my younger self would look at my older self and be proud and commend me on the hard work."
