What is Julie Chen's Net Worth and Salary?
Julie Chen, also known as Julie Chen Moonves, is an American television personality, producer, and news anchor with a net worth of $30 million. She is best recognized as the host of the CBS reality series "Big Brother" since its inception in 2000. Chen was also a co-host on "The Talk" from 2010 until 2018. She stepped down from "The Talk" following her husband Les Moonves's sexual harassment scandal. Les Moonves served as the CEO of CBS from 2004 to 2018.
In her early career, Julie Chen co-anchored "The Early Show" on CBS from 2002 to 2010 and worked as a producer at ABC NewsOne. She has also made guest appearances on several TV shows including "Veronica Mars," "NCIS: Los Angeles," and "Supergirl." She even lent her voice to an episode of "The Fairly OddParents."
Early Life
Julie Suzanne Chen was born on January 6, 1970, in Queens, New York City. Her parents, Wang Ling Chen and David Chen, were immigrants from China. Her maternal grandfather was a polygamist with nine wives and 11 children. Julie was raised alongside her older sisters, Victoria and Gladys, and attended St. Francis Preparatory School. She graduated in 1987 and earned a double Bachelor's degree in English and Broadcast Journalism from the University of Southern California in 1991.
Career
Julie Chen's career took off in 1990 when she interned at "CBS Morning News," and during this time, she connected with fellow intern Andy Cohen. In 1991, she joined ABC NewsOne as a desk assistant and soon became a producer. She later worked as a news reporter for WDTN-TV in Dayton, Ohio, and anchored for "CBS Morning News" and "CBS This Morning." Julie co-hosted "The Early Show" from 2002 to 2010.
Chen became the host of "Big Brother" in 2000, which has since aired over 780 episodes. She also hosted "Celebrity Big Brother" from 2018 to 2019, featuring contestants like Keshia Knight Pulliam and Ryan Lochte. In 2010, Julie became the moderator and co-host of "The Talk," working with Sara Gilbert, Leah Remini, Sharon Osbourne, and Holly Robinson Peete. She left "The Talk" in 2018 to spend more time with her family.
(Photo by Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images)
Personal Life
In 1991, while working at ABC News, Julie began dating news editor Gary Donahue, and they got engaged in August 2000. However, they split before their wedding. In April 2003, CBS President and CEO Les Moonves finalized his divorce, and he and Julie married on December 23, 2004, in Acapulco, Mexico. They have a son, Charlie, who was born on September 24, 2009. Julie is also a stepmother to Les's three children from his previous marriage.
In 2013, on "The Talk," Julie discussed her decision to undergo blepharoplasty due to criticism from her news director regarding her appearance on camera. Post allegations against her husband, Julie began using her married name professionally, starting with the September 2018 episode of "Big Brother," signing off as "Julie Chen Moonves."
Awards and Nominations
During her time on "The Talk," Chen and her co-hosts received six Daytime Emmy Award nominations, with five nods for Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host. They won the award in 2017, which she shared with Sara Gilbert, Sharon Osbourne, Aisha Tyler, and Sheryl Underwood.
Real Estate
In 2008, Julie and Les purchased a 3,014 square foot home in Malibu for $10 million and sold it for $11.125 million in 2014. They then acquired a 6,500 square foot property on Carbon Beach from Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen for $28.8 million.
