What is Hank Azaria's Net Worth and Salary?
Hank Azaria, born in New York, boasts a net worth of $90 million. Renowned across stage, film, and television, Azaria is a distinguished actor, writer, comedian, and producer. His notable works include his extensive voice roles in "The Simpsons," films like "The Birdcage," and the critically acclaimed series "Huff." Over his career, he has earned six Emmy Awards among other accolades.
Hank Azaria Simpsons Salary
Hank Azaria earns $400,000 per episode of "The Simpsons." With an average season comprising 22 episodes, his annual earnings from the show approximate $9 million.
Early Life
Born Henry Albert Azaria on April 25, 1964, in Queens, New York City, Hank Azaria was raised by his father, Albert Azaria, a dress manufacturer, and his mother, Ruth Altcheck, a homemaker. Both were Sephardic Jews with roots tracing back to Thessaloniki after their families were expelled from Spain. Azaria has two older sisters, Stephanie and Elise.
From a young age, Azaria had a penchant for mimicking and memorizing scripts and stand-up routines. He attended The Kew-Forest School and, at 16, performed in a school play. This sparked his decision to pursue acting, a choice supported by his show-business-loving parents. After high school, he enrolled at Tufts University in 1981, starring in productions such as "The Merchant of Venice." To hone his craft, he trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.
Early Career
Upon moving to Los Angeles and signing with talent agent Harry Gold, Azaria landed a minor role in the pilot "Joe Bash" in 1986, leading to his Screen Actors Guild membership. Despite the role being cut, this opened doors to small roles in series like "Family Ties" and "Growing Pains." During this period, Azaria also worked as a bartender and stand-up comedian to support himself.
The Simpsons
Azaria’s breakthrough came when he was cast as Moe in the animated series "The Simpsons," a voice initially based on Al Pacino. His successful audition led to numerous character roles, eventually making him a staple in the show. Characters voiced by Azaria include Superintendent Chalmers, Lou, Professor Frink, Cletus Spuckler, the Sea Captain, and Kirk Van Houten, among others. Inspirations for his characters often come from real-life figures such as Jerry Lewis, Sylvester Stallone, Charles Bronson, and William H. Macy. He also contributed to "The Simpsons Movie" (2007).
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Azaria's work on "The Simpsons" has earned him four Emmy Awards in the category of Outstanding Voice-Over Performance (1998, 2001, 2003, 2015). However, his portrayal of Apu, an Indian character, drew criticism, leading to his decision to step down from the role in 2020.
Other Work
Beyond "The Simpsons," Azaria has an extensive filmography. He debuted in the major film "Pretty Woman" (1990) as a police detective and later appeared in "Quiz Show" (1994). His performance in "The Birdcage" (1996) earned him a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination. Other notable films include "Heat," "Grosse Pointe Blank," "Great Expectations," and "Godzilla" (1998). He played Mitch Albom in "Tuesdays with Morrie" (1999), winning a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor. Subsequent films include "Run Fatboy Run," "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian," and "Love & Other Drugs."
Azaria has also voiced characters in "Spider-Man: The Animated Series" as Venom, Bartok in "Anastasia" (1997), and roles in "Happy Feet Two," "Hop," and "Bordertown."
(Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)
Personal Life
Hank Azaria dated actress Julie Warner in the early 1990s, and began a relationship with Helen Hunt in 1994. They married in July 1999 in a traditional Jewish ceremony but separated a year later, divorcing in December 2000.
In 2007, Azaria married actress Katie Wright. The couple has a son named Hal, born in 2009, and they have lived in both New York and California. Azaria enjoys playing poker, participating in "Celebrity Poker Showdown" and other poker events. In 2016, Tufts University honored him with a Doctor of Humane Letters degree.
Real Estate
In 2004, Azaria purchased a 5,000-square-foot home on 4 acres in Bedford Corners, NY, for $2.112 million, listing it for $3.25 million in March 2021. He also bought a home in Mamaroneck, NY, for $3.1 million a few months earlier.
In 2005, he acquired a 4,000-square-foot apartment in SoHo, NYC, for $4.625 million, selling it in 2014 for $8 million to Meg Ryan, who sold the unit in 2017 for $9.9 million.
In May 2014, Azaria bought a 3-bedroom apartment overlooking Central Park, located at 75 Central Park West, for $9.225 million.
