Net Worth Ranker
What Is Eriq La Salle Net Worth’s Net Worth?
Eriq La Salle, a multifaceted figure in the entertainment industry as an actor, director, producer, and writer, has accumulated a net worth of $25 million. This financial standing reflects a career spanning decades with notable roles and ventures in both film and television.
Eriq La Salle’s Acting Career and Earnings
La Salle gained widespread recognition for his role in the comedy film “Coming to America,” released in 1988. While specific financial details from this early role are not publicly available, the film’s success undoubtedly contributed to his rising profile. His portrayal of Dr. Peter Benton on the medical drama television series “ER” was a pivotal moment, earning him three NAACP Image Awards and Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. In 1999, during his time on “ER,” La Salle negotiated a deal worth $27 million over three seasons, equating to $9 million per year. This translates to approximately $410,000 per episode, making him one of the highest-paid actors on television at the time. This figure is equivalent to roughly $14 million today, when adjusted for inflation. Prior to this, he was earning $85,000 per episode. His tenure on “ER” spanned eight seasons, followed by a brief return in the final season.
Following “ER,” La Salle continued to work steadily in television, with guest-starring or co-starring roles in shows such as “The System,” “The Twilight Zone,” “Without a Trace,” “24,” “Covert Affairs,” “How to Make It in America,” and “A Gifted Man.” While these roles may not have matched the financial impact of “ER,” they contributed to his ongoing income and maintained his presence in the industry. In 2010, he appeared in the series finale of “24” as the United Nations Secretary General.
In 1985, La Salle appeared in his first big-screen role, “Rappin’,” which was a sequel to “Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo.” In the same year, he had a role in the Italian thriller “Cut and Run.” Two years later, La Salle appeared in the mystery thriller “Where Are the Children?” and the crime drama “Five Corners.” He had one of his most memorable roles in 1988, when he appeared in the romantic comedy “Coming to America.” La Salle’s credits in the 90s include the psychological horror film “Jacob’s Ladder,” the erotic thriller “Color of Night,” and the crime film “Drop Squad.” In the early 2000s, he appeared in the psychological thriller “One Hour Photo” and the psychological drama “Crazy as Hell,” which he also directed and produced. Next, La Salle had cameo appearances in “Biker Boyz” and “The Seat Filler.” His subsequent credits have included the gangster film “Johnny Was” and the superhero film “Logan.” Details about his salary for each movie remain undisclosed.
Directing and Producing Ventures
Beyond acting, La Salle has carved out a successful career as a director and producer, further contributing to his net worth. He made his directorial debut with the 1996 HBO television film “Rebound: The Legend of Earl ‘The Goat’ Manigault,” in which he also played a supporting role. Four years later, he directed an episode of the television drama “Soul Food.” In 2002, he made his feature film directorial debut with the psychological drama “Crazy as Hell,” which he also produced. While specific financial figures for these early directorial projects are not publicly available, they marked the beginning of a significant career shift.
La Salle went on to direct episodes of numerous television shows, including “The Twilight Zone,” “Without a Trace,” “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” and even an episode of “ER” during its final season. He also directed episodes of “CSI: NY,” “Ringer,” “Crisis,” “Madam Secretary,” “The Night Shift,” “Under the Dome,” “CSI: Cyber,” “The Messengers,” “Rosewood,” “Lucifer,” “Once Upon a Time,” “Chicago Med,” “The Quad,” and “The Librarians.” Additionally, he directed and executive produced several episodes of “Chicago P.D.” The income derived from directing and executive producing these episodes has undoubtedly contributed to La Salle’s overall net worth. The exact per-episode fees for directing vary depending on the show’s budget, the director’s experience, and other factors, but established television directors can command fees ranging from $40,000 to $100,000 or more per episode.
Real Estate Holdings and Investments
La Salle’s real estate investments have played a significant role in his wealth accumulation. In 2016, he purchased a home in Bel-Air for $3.03 million, which had been listed for $3.495 million. Prior to this, in 2010, he listed his 6,000-square-foot Beverly Hills mansion for $8 million. He had originally bought this house in 1988, the same year he appeared in “Coming to America,” for $1.7 million. In 2006, he invested at least $1 million in a complete remodel of the property. He eventually sold the Beverly Hills mansion in August 2013 for $6 million. The new owner subsequently demolished the house and rebuilt a modern 6,000-square-foot mansion, which was listed for $44.5 million in July 2020. As of now, this property has not been sold.
In 2013, La Salle also sold a lakefront house in Lake Arrowhead, California, for $2.7 million. Around the same time, he sold another house in Los Angeles for $1.6 million, incurring a loss of nearly $500,000 from the purchase price. These real estate transactions demonstrate La Salle’s active involvement in the property market, with varying degrees of success. While some properties have yielded significant profits, others have resulted in losses.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Eriq La Salle was born on July 23, 1962, in Hartford, Connecticut, and raised by his mother, Ada. He attended Weaver High School and the Artists Collective, Inc., an interdisciplinary cultural institution in Hartford. For his higher education, La Salle studied at the Juilliard School’s Drama Division for two years before transferring to New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, where he earned his BFA in 1984. Upon graduating from NYU, La Salle secured a role in a Shakespeare in the Park production of “Henry V” and subsequently appeared in several Broadway and off-Broadway shows. These early stage roles provided valuable experience and exposure, laying the foundation for his subsequent success in film and television.
In 1985, La Salle landed a role in the television crime film “Out of the Darkness.” The following year, he appeared in episodes of “Spenser: For Hire,” “One Life to Live,” and “ABC Afterschool Special.” Subsequent credits included “Another World,” “Mariah,” “Vietnam War Story,” “Leg Work,” “Knightwatch,” “Gideon Oliver,” and the television films “What Price Victory,” “Magic Moments,” and “When We Were Young.” In the early 90s, La Salle appeared in episodes of the shows “B.L. Stryker,” “A Different World,” “L.A. Law,” “Screenplay,” “Quantum Leap,” and “The Human Factor.” He was also in the television films “Hammer, Slammer, & Slade,” “Eyes of a Witness,” and “Empty Cradle.” These early television roles helped build his resume and provided valuable on-screen experience, leading to his breakthrough role on “ER” in 1994.
