What is Alex Borstein's Net Worth and Salary?
Alex Borstein is an American actress, writer, producer, and comedian who has garnered a net worth of $20 million. She is widely recognized for her role as Lois Griffin on the animated television series Family Guy (1999–present) and as a cast member on the sketch comedy series MADtv (1997–2009). Since 2017, Alex has been captivating audiences as Susie Myerson on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, a performance that has earned her two Primetime Emmys. Her successful film career includes features such as The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003), Catwoman (2004), and Dinner for Schmucks (2010). Additionally, she has lent her voice to a variety of projects, including ParaNorman (2012), The Angry Birds Movie (2016), and Robot Chicken (2005–2020).
Family Guy Salary
The main voice actors of Family Guy each earn $100,000 per episode, translating to approximately $2 million annually, per actor. Additionally, they receive royalties from DVD sales, merchandise, and syndication deals. For comparison, the voice actors on The Simpsons each earn $300,000 annually after negotiating a more lucrative deal several years ago.
Early Life
Alexandrea Borstein was born on February 15, 1973, in Highland Park, Illinois. She was raised in Deerfield, Illinois, and Northridge, California, alongside her parents, Judy and Irv, and two older brothers. The Borstein family is Jewish, with Judy's mother being a Holocaust survivor. Both of her parents worked in the mental health industry. Alex attended Chatsworth High School, graduating in 1989, and later enrolled at San Francisco State University to study rhetoric.
Career
Alex began her comedy career at Hollywood's ACME Comedy Theatre, where she trained in improv. She collaborated with writing partner and future husband Jackson Douglas on animated shows such as The Spooktacular New Adventures of Casper and Pinky and the Brain, eventually quitting her ad agency job to pursue writing full-time. From 1993 to 1994, she voiced various characters on Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, and voiced Queen Machina/Robocupid on Power Rangers Zeo in 1996.
In 1997, Alex joined the Fox sketch comedy series MADtv as a featured player and writer, becoming a full-fledged cast member mid-season. She appeared in 127 episodes, known for characters like Ms. Swan, Cordo the GAP troll, and reporter Sue Napersville.
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During her time on MADtv, Alex was cast by Seth MacFarlane as Lois Griffin in the animated series Family Guy. The show, which debuted in January 1999, was briefly canceled in 2002 before returning in 2005 due to strong DVD sales. Alex also writes and produces for the show, earning numerous nominations from the Online Film & Television Association and Primetime Emmy Awards, winning in 2018. She has voiced Lois in various Family Guy projects, including Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story (2005), The Cleveland Show (2009–2013), and several video games.
In 2000, Alex was cast as Sookie St. James in the Gilmore Girls pilot, but her MADtv contract prevented her from continuing in the role. However, she appeared as various characters in nine episodes of the series. Alex made her film debut in the uncredited role in Coyote Ugly (2000), followed by roles in The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003), Bad Santa (2003), Catwoman (2004), and Good Night, and Good Luck (2005).
In 2010, Alex joined the Showtime series Shameless as a supervising producer and writer, appearing in five episodes between 2011 and 2015. From 2013 to 2015, she played head nurse Dawn Forchette on HBO's Getting On. In 2017, she was cast as Susie Myerson in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, a role that earned her critical acclaim and multiple awards.
Alex's recent film credits include Ted (2012), A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014), and Love the Coopers (2015). She is also set to appear in the computer-animated film Extinct, scheduled for release in 2021.
Personal Life
Alex married actor/writer Jackson Douglas in 1999, after he proposed during a MADtv sketch. They have two children, son Barnaby (born September 8, 2008) and daughter Henrietta (born October 1, 2012). The couple separated in 2014, finalizing their divorce in November 2017. They agreed to equally share all royalties and residuals earned during their marriage. Alex received two of their Pasadena condo units, while Jackson received one Pasadena condo and a home in Washington. They also share joint ownership of a NYC apartment valued at $1.2 million.
Awards and Nominations
In 2018, Alex won two Primetime Emmys: Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance for Family Guy and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. She won again for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel in 2019. The show has also earned her two Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards and two Online Film & Television Association Awards. The cast won Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series in 2019 and 2020.
In 2006, Borstein won a DVDX Award for Best Screenplay (for a DVD Premiere Movie) for Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story, shared with Steve Callaghan, Gary Janetti, and Chris Sheridan. She has also been nominated for a Golden Globe, a Satellite Award, and four Gold Derby Awards for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and the Good Night, and Good Luck cast received a Gold Derby nomination for Ensemble Cast in 2006.
