In America being successful means being rich. Black celebrities have a way to go before they achieve parity with their white counterparts. However, Hollywood has its share of black actors who are rich and famous. Some act, sing, or rap. Some go behind the screen , producing or directing films. Some even write books or engage in profitable business ventures. Take a look at the African American males who make up the pool of Hollywood's richest black actors. You might be surprised by who is listed and who is not.
At the top of the heap is Emmitt Perry, Jr. aka Tyler Perry, who in his brief 10 year career has done it all. He is an actor, director, screenwriter, playwright, producer, author and song writer. His efforts earned him $78 million in 2013 and an overall net worth is $400 million. His Madea films made his initial mark, including Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Madea's Family Reunion, and Madea Goes to Jail. His television shows Meet the Browns and House of Payne continue to be successful. Now Perry is taking his skills to OWN, Oprah Winfrey's cable network, with its first scripted shows, Love Thy Neighbor and The Haves and Have Nots.
His ground breaking show The Cosbys highlighted the experiences of an affluent African American family and ran for eight seasons. It was the number one show in America for five straight years. Cosby received several Emmys and Grammys for his work in television and his comedy performances. He was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1991 and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2002.
Willard Carroll "Will" Smith Jr., better known as the Fresh Prince of Bel Air, grabbed the number three spot with a net worth of $200 million. Will is an actor, producer and rapper and has enjoyed success in television, films, and music. In his early career, he rapped with D. J. Jazzy Jeff and called himself Fresh Prince. His sitcom about his life in Philadelphia and moving to Bel Air was a beacon in his crown. The series lasted six years. He's then starred in a variety of films including Men in Black, Independence Day. The Pursuit of Happyness and I Am Legend. His portrayal of boxing champion Muhammad Ali was well received. In 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood.
Samuel L Jackson keeps working and making millions. His net worth is $170 million and his is number 4 on our list. His films in the early 1990s include Jungle Fever, Patriot Games, Amos and Andrew and Jurassic Park. One of my personal favorites is his portrayal of Mitch Henessey in Long Kiss Goodnight. His performance in Pulp Fiction (1994) earned him an Oscar nomination. His role as Jedi Master Mace Windu in Star Wars Episode One, The Phantom Menace allowed him to be a part of the Star Wars Saga. Recently, he's moved from the bad boy of his earlier career to action hero with his nine picture deal with Marvel Comics. You can read more about Samuel L. Jackson's interesting life in an Emerald Quill blog, On the Record: Samuel L. Jackson Revealed.
Morgan Freeman takes the number five spot with a net worth of $150 million. After high school, he spent four years in the U. S. Air Force, took acting lessons in Los Angeles, dance lessons in San Francisco and worked as a transcript clerk at Los Angles City College.
I became acquainted with actor, film director, and narrator Morgan Freeman early in his career. You may remember him, as I do, as Easy Reader on PBS kids' show The Electric Company. He also played Mel Mounds the DJ and Vincent the Vegetable Vampire on that show. He moved on to receive Academy Award nominations for his performances in Street Smart, Driving Miss Daisy, The Shawshank Redemption and Invictus. In 2005, Freeman won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in Million Dollar Baby. He has also won a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Award.. He continues to perform in numerous box office hits where his authoritative voice and calm demeanor have become his calling card.
At age 65, Freeman earned a pilot's license and has bought three private aircraft. He is certified to fly all of them.
A net worth of $140 million secured actor, director, producer Denzel Hayes Washington, Jr. spot number 6 on the list of the richest Black actors. His performances have won critical acclaim and include his portrayal of several historic figures, including Steve Biko, Malcolm X, Ruben "Hurricane" Carter, Melvin B. Tolson, Frank Lucas, and Herman Boone. He has been awarded two Golden Globes, a Tony, and two Oscars: Best Supporting Actor in Glory (1989) and Best Actor in Training Day (2001).
Denzel says he grew up in the Boys and Girls Club in Mount Vernon, New York. He has served as National spokesman for the organization since 1993 and board member since 1995. He earned a BA in Drama and Journalism from Fordham College and set out to perform in film and on stage. The son of a Pentecostal minister, Denzel is a devout Christian and has considered becoming a preacher. He says he "takes his talent seriously" and "wants to use it for good". He donated $2.5 million to build the new West Angeles Church of God in Christ facility in Los Angeles. In addition, he donated $1 million to Children's Fund of South Africa, $1 million to Wiley College, $2 million to his alma mater Fordham University and a substantial amount to Fisher House Foundation.
Coming in with a net worth of $110 million is comedian, actor, screenwriter, director and producer Martin Fitzgerald Lawrence. Martin was born in 1965 in Frankfurt am Main, Hesse, Germany while his father was in the military. His popular television show Martin ran from 1992-1997. His Hollywood films include, House Party, Blue Streak, Bad Boys (with Will Smith), Big Momma's House, and Thin Line Between Love and Hate. He also served as host of Russell Simmons' Def Comedy Jam on HBO.
His ventures with Showtime, Barbershop, and TBS series Are We There Yet, gave him a solid background as a producer and were from films in which he had starred. Following his breakout role as Doughboy in Boyz n the Hood, Ice Cube took pen in hand and wrote the movie Friday, followed by two sequels. Friday made $28 million on a $3.5 million budget. In 2012, he played Captain Dickson in 21 Jump Street and reprised the role in 2014 in 22 Jump Street.
Although under the $100 million dollar net worth threshold of this list, here are some names you'll recognize as mega Hollywood and/or television stars:
Jamie Foxx-$ 85 million; Eddie Murphy-$85 million; L L Cool J-$80 million
Chris Rock-$70 million; James Earl Jones $45 million; Don Cheadle-$35 million
Laurence Fsihburne-$30 million
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