What is David Chokachi's Net Worth?
David Chokachi is an American film and television actor who has a net worth of $2 million. David Chokachi is best known for portraying Detective Jake McCartney in the American television series "Witchblade," based on the comic book series, and for his role as Cody Madison – an aspiring Olympic swimmer with an irregular heartbeat who becomes a lifeguard – in the American action television drama television series "Baywatch."
Baywatch Salary
In the 2024 docuseries, "After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun," Nicole Eggert revealed that the standard pay for every cast member throughout the series run was $3,500 per episode. There were typically 22 episodes per season. That would mean the cast members were paid around $77,000 per season. And while those numbers are worth roughly twice as much today after adjusting for inflation, it's still a relative pittance compared to how popular and profitable the show was. Ironically, with overtime pay and other benefits actual California lifeguards probably earned more every year in salary. Today, some senior California lifeguards actually earn over $500,000 per year ($150,000 in base salary + $250,000 in overtime + $110,000 in other benefits and perks).
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Early Years
David Chokachi was born on January 16, 1971, in Plymouth, Massachusetts, to an Iraqi father – Modhaffer Khalaf Al-Chokhachy – and an English and Finnish mother – Carolyn Coombs. He attended Tabor Academy, a preparatory school located in Marion, Massachusetts. He went on to graduate from Bates College, a private liberal arts college in Lewiston, Maine, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. After college, he served as a legislative aid to Congressman Gerry Studs in Washington, DC, before deciding to pursue an acting career in California.
Film & Television
In 1995, David Chokachi made his debut on the television screen when he was signed to play Cody Madison – a swimmer at Pepperdine University and an Olympian hopeful turned lifeguard with an irregular heartbeat – on the American action drama series "Baywatch" which starred David Hasselhoff and Pamela Anderson. Chokachi continued in the role from season six through season nine.
In 2001, Chokachi assumed the role of Detective Jake McCartey in the American television series "Witchblade," which ran 23 episodes from its premiere until 2002. Based on the comic book series of the same name, "Witchblade" ranked as number seven on the list of the Top Ten Basic Cable Dramas of 2002, despite being canceled.
Chokachi went on to appear in the 2003 action-adventure television show "She Spies," the 2006 American drama television series "Beyond the Break, and the 2007 Sci-Fi channel horror/thriller movie "Bats: Human Harvest."
In 2009, Chokachi played himself on the American VH1 eight-episode reality series "Confessions of a Teen Idol." Produced and hosted by former teen idols Scott Baio and Jason Hervey, the show chronicled the lives of five other former teen idols and their attempts to reemerge into Hollywood. The cast included Christopher Atkins of "Blue Lagoon" fame, Billy Hufsey from the 1980s television series "Fame" and Jamie Walter, who once starred in the teen series "Beverly Hills 90210."
Chokachi played Jonas in the 2011 monster film "Rage of the Yeti." Another monster film in 2013 – "Atlantic Rim" – had Chokachi playing the character of Red, the controller of three robots being utilized to help solve the mysterious disappearance of an oil rig. In 2013, he appeared in the comedy film "Abner, the Invisible Dog" and, in 2014, the American disaster film "10.0 Earthquake."
In 2017, Chokachi starred as Drew Kraz in the film "Limelight" and in 2019, as Jake Howard in the romantic drama "Loves Me, Loves Me Not." In the 2019 film "Sensory Perception," which focuses on a recovering drug addict struggling with hallucinations about the end of the world, Chokachi plays Micah Donaldson.
"The Bone Box," a 2020 horror thriller, stars Chokachi as Sheriff Alex Burrows in the tale of a grave robber who believes he is being haunted by the spirits of those he stole from. That same year, Chokachi starred as John Thomas in the film "Emerald Run" which concerns a man smuggling emeralds across the Mexican border in order to save his daughter's life.
Chokachi appeared in several projects during 2022, including the television film "Drowning in Secrets," the biographical drama "As Long As I'm Famous" and the western film "Trailblazers." In 2024, he played Uncle Ron Wetzel in the action thriller film "Shark Warning," in which a man returns to his hometown two decades after a shark killed his brother there – only to have the shark resurface.
(Photo by Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images)
Production Credits
David Chokachi served as executive producer on two films; "Last Call in the Dog House" in 2021 and "As Long As I'm Famous" in 2022.
Accolades
In 1997, David Chokachi was chosen as one of People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People in the World."
Personal Life
David married Susan Brubaker in 2004. They live in Los Angeles, California.
He has one child, daughter Brit, born on October 2, 2011.
An environmentalist and animal rights activist, he serves on the board of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary and is involved in the Vital Ground Foundation, which protects grizzly bears, as well as Waterkeeper Alliance – a global movement of community-based advocates, united for clean, healthy, and abundant water for all people on the planet. He also supports the Surfrider Foundation – an organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world's oceans through a powerful activist network.
