What is Sarah Jessica Parker's Net Worth and Salary?
Sarah Jessica Parker is an American actress, model, singer, and producer who has a net worth of $200 million. That's a combined net worth with her longtime husband, fellow actor Matthew Broderick. Sarah is probably best known for her role as Carrie Bradshaw on the HBO series "Sex and the City." She starred in 94 episodes of the show across six seasons in the original run. She then appeared in two feature films and a 10-episode revival on HBO Max titled "And Just Like That…" which premiered in December 2021. Thanks to the role, Sarah earned four Golden Globe Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Emmy Awards.
Before her rise to television stardom, Parker established herself as a talented actress in both film and theatre. Her early film roles included "Footloose" (1984) and "L.A. Story" (1991), showcasing her versatility across various genres. She also starred in "Hocus Pocus" (1993), a film that has since become a cult classic. In theatre, Parker is a celebrated Broadway actress, having starred in productions like "Annie" and "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying," the latter alongside her husband, Matthew Broderick. Her stage work is marked by critically acclaimed performances that highlight her roots and enduring love for theatre.
Following "Sex and the City," Parker continued to expand her filmography with movies such as "The Family Stone" (2005) and "Failure to Launch" (2006). She also ventured into producing, with credits including the HBO series "Divorce," in which she also starred, showcasing her talent both in front of and behind the camera. Additionally, Parker has made a name for herself in the fashion industry, launching her own footwear line, SJP, by Sarah Jessica Parker.
Sex and the City Salary/Earnings
As of this writing, Sarah holds the record for the highest per-episode salary in television history. She set this record after receiving a pay raise prior to the fourth season in 2001 that also gave her a producer credit. Thanks to this deal, for the final three seasons of the show, which aired between 2001 and 2004, Sara earned $3.2 million per episode. She filmed 46 episodes over that period which equates to $147 million on those three seasons alone. After adjusting for inflation, she earned essentially earned $4.333 million per episode, which is $182 million for the final three seasons.
Sara earned roughly $50 million over the first three seasons, 48 episodes, bringing her total earnings from the show alone to right around $200 million.
Much to the chagrin of her castmates, Sara also earned massive paydays for the two feature films. Sara earned $15 million for the first movie and $20 million for the second. By comparison, for the first film, her co-stars Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis each earned just $3 million.
For 2021's 10-episode revival "And Just Like That…" Sarah earned $1 million per episode.
Added all up, between television and film salaries, Sarah Jessica Parker earned $250 million from HBO thanks to "Sex and the City."
As we mentioned moments ago, Sarah is the highest-paid actress in television history in terms of salary per episode. The top five highest-paid actors as of this writing are:
Highest Paid Actors of All Time
- #1: Sara Jessica Parker – $3.2 million per episode
- #2: Jennifer Aniston – $2 million (The Morning Show)
- #3: Reese Witherspoon – $2 million (The Morning Show)
- #4: Charlie Sheen – $1.8 million (Two and a Half Men)
- #5: Ray Romano – $1.6 million (Everybody Loves Raymond)
(Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)
Early Life
Sarah was born on March 25, 1965, in Nelsonville, Ohio. Being the fourth of eight siblings, Parker was raised in relative poverty following the divorce of her mother, an elementary school teacher, and her father, an aspiring writer. In such surroundings, Parker started to train as both a dancer and singer. Soon, she was bringing home paychecks from a young age. Parker was only eight years old when she landed her first TV show in 1976. After the young fledgling actress won her first Broadway role in The Innocents, her family moved to New Jersey to encourage her career.
Career
Sarah Jessica Parker's journey in show business began at a young age, with her first Broadway role at just 11 years old in the revival of "The Innocents." This early start paved the way for a diverse and enduring career spanning theater, film, and television. In her teens, Parker continued to hone her craft on stage, notably starring in the Broadway production of "Annie" from 1977 to 1981. Her transition to the screen came with the cult classic film "Footloose" (1984) and the quirky teen comedy series "Square Pegs" (1982-1983), which, though short-lived, showcased her comedic timing and charm.
Parker's career trajectory took a significant upward turn in the 1990s with a string of film roles that demonstrated her versatility. She starred in comedies like "L.A. Story" (1991) and "Honeymoon in Vegas" (1992), as well as more dramatic fare such as "The First Wives Club" (1996) and "State and Main" (2000). However, it was her iconic role as Carrie Bradshaw in HBO's groundbreaking series "Sex and the City" (1998-2004) that catapulted her to international stardom. The show's massive success not only earned Parker multiple Golden Globe and Emmy awards but also cemented her status as a fashion icon and cultural influencer. The series spawned two feature films in 2008 and 2010, further extending its popularity and Parker's prominence.
Following the conclusion of "Sex and the City," Parker continued to diversify her portfolio. She balanced her film career with a return to the stage, appearing in productions like "Once Upon a Mattress" on Broadway and "Wonder of the World" off-Broadway. Her film choices ranged from romantic comedies like "Failure to Launch" (2006) to more indie-spirited projects such as "Smart People" (2008). In recent years, Parker has embraced producing alongside acting, taking on executive producer roles for the HBO comedy series "Divorce" (2016-2019), in which she also starred. Her return to the character of Carrie Bradshaw in the "Sex and the City" revival series "And Just Like That…" (2021-present) marked a full-circle moment in her career, reaffirming her enduring appeal and adaptability in an ever-changing entertainment landscape.
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Other Ventures
In 2005, Sarah released her own perfume called "Lovely" and launched her own fashion line, "Bitten," in 2007. In February of 2014, she started the SPJ Collection line of footwear at Nordstrom. In 2022 it was reported that the line was bringing in $25 million annually.
Sarah Jessica Parker started the production company "Pretty Matches" in 2005 with Alison Benson. Since 2009, it has been creating content for HBO and other channels. She announced a partnership with the American Library Association in 2017 to create the online platform Book Club Central. In 2019, Sarah entered into a collaboration partnership with New Zealand Winery Invivo & Co. to produce a collection of wines.
(Photo by Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic)
Personal Life
Sarah has been married to Matthew Broderick since 1997. They have three children together: A son, James, and twin daughters, Marion and Tabitha. She previously dated Robert Downey, Jr. from 1984 to 1991.
Real Estate
In March 2011, Sarah and Matthew paid $18.995 million for a townhouse in New York City. They proceeded to spend millions renovating the property before listing it for $24.99 million in 2012. They struggled to find a buyer, and eventually, they accepted $18.25 million, swallowing a multi-million loss after their renovation expenses were taken into account.
In 2016, Sarah and Matthew spent a whopping $34.5 million on two side-by-side NYC townhouses. They combined the property into one brand-new mansion with 14,000 square feet of living space, 2,100 square feet of outdoor space, and 50 feet of street frontage.
While they were finishing up their ambitious property development project in New York, they lived in a nearby townhouse that they purchased way back in 2000 for $2.995 million. They also renovated this property. They lived in this home for much of the two decades between 2000 and 2002. In January of 2020, the couple listed this townhouse for sale for $19 million. It took exactly a year to finally offload. They ultimately accepted $15 million.
They also own two modest homes in the Hamptons neighborhood of Amagansett that were acquired in 2006 for a total of $6.6 million. Broderick and Parker also own property in Ireland, where Matthew spent his summers as a child.
