The Beatles sang “Money don’t get every thing it’s true, but what it don’t get, I can’t use.”
Think what you want of money. But it’s a necessity for most of us. And some folks have a hell of a lot more than others.
Since the beginning of Saturday Night Live, the program has been a cash cow and a king maker. After season one, its biggest star famously left the show to chase big paychecks in Hollywood. The network, NBC, raked in tens of millions in mid-1970s money from advertisers. For the first time, a television program was resonating with an audience raised on rock-and-roll and impacted by the Vietnam War. For the first time, advertisers were spending money trying to attract the generation raised on the “boob tube.”
Even before SNL won its first Emmy Award in 1976, Hollywood studios and TV executives were crawling over each other in an effort to poach the talent in Studio 8H. Chevy Chase left the show after doing a few shows in Season 2. A few seasons later, Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi exited to write and star in movies, and tour as the famous Blues Brothers.
For almost as long as SNL has existed, it’s been a vehicle to create mega entertainment superstars. With stardom comes money, baby. And many SNL cast members have went on to earn oodles of cash after they left the show.
Here are the 10 richest former cast members of Saturday Night Live, according to research from Forbes, Fortune, and Hollywood magazine. These are estimates from those sources only.
1. Adam Sandler: $435 million
Fired from Studio 8H in 1995, Adam Sandler turned getting axed into an empire. Rather than adjusting to traditional Hollywood molds, he built Happy Madison Productions, transforming goofiness, sweatpants, and loyal friendships into box-office gold. A string of slapstick classics, from Happy Gilmore to The Waterboy, has laid the groundwork for the Sandler Empire. But in the 20101, his unprecedented multi-hundred-million-dollar deal with Netflix redefined digital distribution. Even while delivering critically acclaimed dramatic turns in films like Uncut Gems, he remains the master of converting lowbrow comedy into gold.
2. Robert Downey Jr.: $300 million
Before becoming the foundation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Robert Downey Jr. endured a single, universally panned season on NBC’s late-night franchise in Season 11. What followed was a storied, turbulent path of personal battles before his career achieved a legendary trajectory. Stepping into the armor of Iron Man transformed him from a brilliant character actor into a global box-office titan who commanded unprecedented backend profits. Beyond the superhero suit, savvy career choices, an Oscar-winning turn in Oppenheimer, and strategic production ventures solidified a massive financial war chest born from one of the greatest comebacks in entertainment history.
3. Julia Louis-Dreyfus: $260 million
Joining the late-night sketch team as a teenager in 1982, Julia Louis-Dreyfus found her footing amid frantic backstage chaos before conquering primetime television. Landing the role of Elaine Benes on Seinfeld placed her at the center of a sitcom phenomenon, yielding massive equity and syndication payouts that continue to accumulate. Rather than resting on that legacy, she proceeded to dominate premium cable with Veep, collecting critical acclaim and executive producer checks alike. Combined with her financial assets, her sharp comedic instincts and relentless work ethic have cemented her standing among the most financially successful women in television history. In many ways she is the Lucille Ball of her generation.
4. Dan Aykroyd: $250 million
As an original member of the 1975 ensemble, the immensely talented Dan Aykroyd helped invent the modern blueprint for comedy stardom. After his brilliant tenure as one of the best cast member sin SNL history, Aykroyd wrote and starred in hits The Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters. A polymath, he crafted multimedia properties that generated decades of merchandising, sequels, and licensing revenue. Aykroyd didn’t rely strictly on Hollywood paydays; he displayed keen entrepreneurial instincts early on. he co-founded the House of Blues venue chain and launched Crystal Head Vodka. As a result he turned his creative fame into business empire assets. His path proves that conceptual genius behind the camera can yield returns every bit as staggering as on-screen performances.
5. Eddie Murphy: $207 million
Virtually rescuing the show from cancellation in Season 6, comedian Eddie Murphy transitioned from teenage prodigy to global superstar almost overnight. Murphy transitioned seamlessly to the big screen, commanding record-breaking film salaries throughout the decade with blockbusters like Beverly Hills Cop and Coming to America. Add in voice work for the multibillion-dollar Shrek franchise and massive standalone paydays for stand-up specials, and Murphy’s earnings reflect four decades of cultural leverage. Unapologetic charismatic flair combined with sharp deal-making allowed him to remain one of the most lucrative comedic talents in cinematic history.
6. Mike Myers: $205 million
The hilarious Mike Myers exported surreal Canadian absurdity to Studio 8H. Following his legendary SNL run, he minted money by building high-concept characters that leaped straight onto film sets. Wayne’s World proved sketch comedy could generate blockbuster returns, but his creation of the Austin Powers trilogy cemented his financial elite status. Voicing the titled ogre across four Shrek movies provided a steady stream of back-end royalties and ongoing merchandising income. Few creators have achieved such a high hit-rate, turning quirky catchphrases into self-contained film franchises that generated billions at global box offices.
7. Ben Stiller:$200 million
Though his late-night performance run lasted a mere four episodes in 1989, Ben Stiller used that brief stint as momentum to conquer every corner of comedy filmmaking. Acting paychecks for ubiquitous hits like Meet the Parents and Night at the Museum established his star power, yet his true wealth stems from working behind the camera. Directing, writing, and producing blockbuster properties such as Zoolander and Tropic Thunder gave him valuable equity stakes. Later directing prestige television projects like Severance, Stiller built an enduring financial footprint by retaining control over the comedy and drama he puts on screen.
8. Bill Murray: $180 million
Stepping into the spotlight during the second season to fill the void left by Chevy Chase, the singularly unique Bill Murray developed an effortless, deadpan style that captivated cinema audiences for half a century. Subversive early comedies like Caddyshack, Stripes, and Ghostbusters proved wildly profitable, while later career choices like Groundhog Day deepened his cultural resonance. By transitioning seamlessly into indie darling status through directors like Wes Anderson and earning acclaim in Lost in Translation, Murray sustained top-tier industry status without resorting to traditional studio politics or high-priced management teams.
9. Will Ferrell: $160 million
All-time great cast member Will Ferrell anchored the late-90s era with unhinged physical comedy and presidential parodies. He set the standard for sketch performers attempting to crack feature film stardom. A legendary mid-2000s run of studio comedies, including Elf, Anchorman, and Step Brothers, yielded massive initial salaries and enduring back-end profits. Beyond his starring roles, co-founding a production company that allowed him to executive produce numerous hit television shows and movies. Consistently blending slapstick humor with savvy behind-the-scenes investments, Ferrell built a sustainable comedy empire that continues to generate revenue across generations, even if his most recent efforts have been less impressive.
10. Harry Shearer: $85 million
Having survived two separate, notoriously contentious stints on the sketch show in 1979 and 1984, Harry Shearer bypassed conventional film stardom to build an enviable voice-acting fortune. Co-creating the legendary rock mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap showcased his creative genius, but voicing an array of key characters on The Simpsons, including Mr. Burns, Ned Flanders, and Principal Skinner became his ultimate financial driver. Decades of lucrative prime-time animation salaries, back-end royalties, and creative rights disputes have quietly made him one of the wealthiest performers to ever walk through Studio 8H.
