Net Worth Ranker
What Is Melanie Griffith’s Net Worth?
Melanie Griffith, a celebrated American actress and producer, has accumulated a net worth of $40 million. Her financial standing reflects a career spanning several decades, marked by notable roles in both film and television, along with strategic real estate investments and divorce settlements.
Early Career and Breakthrough Roles
Born on August 9, 1957, in Manhattan, New York, Melanie Griffith entered a world closely connected to the entertainment industry. Her mother, Tippi Hedren, was a successful fashion model and actress, and her father, Peter Griffith, had been a child actor and advertising executive. Although she initially began booking roles as a child actor and model, she soon backed away from this career path because she felt shy and uncomfortable. Griffith’s early life involved splitting her time between New York and California, being raised by both parents after their separation when she was two.
Griffith’s formal acting career began in her teens with a role in “The Harrad Experiment.” Despite being only 14, she began a relationship with her 22-year-old co-star, Don Johnson, whom she later married briefly. At 17, she secured a more significant role in “Night Moves,” which required her to appear nude in several scenes. She followed this with roles in films like “Smile,” “The Drowning Pool,” and “One on One,” all of which helped build her profile during the 1970s. However, it was her performance in Brian De Palma’s thriller “Body Double” (1984) that earned her a National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress. This role showcased her range and set the stage for her mainstream breakthrough.
The late 1980s marked a pivotal period for Melanie Griffith. After a role in the film “Roar” and a brief hiatus due to substance abuse issues, Griffith gained significant attention for her role in 1984’s “Body Double,” playing a pornographic actress. She ended the decade with a notable role in “Working Girl.” Her role as a secretary propelled her towards mainstream success, and she won a Golden Globe for her performance.
Success in the 1990s and Beyond
The 1990s saw Melanie Griffith solidifying her status as a leading actress. One of her more lucrative roles during this time was in “Milk Money” (1994), for which she earned $2 million. This decade also included notable roles in films like “Pacific Heights” (1990), “Paradise,” “Shining Through,” “A Stranger Among Us,” and “Born Yesterday.” These roles allowed her to command substantial salaries, contributing significantly to her overall net worth. She also ventured into television, earning a Golden Globe nomination for her role in the series “RKO 281.”
Griffith continued to work steadily in the 2000s, balancing film and television roles. In 1999, Melanie made her stage debut with “The Vagina Monologues,” a play that was staged at the Old Vic in London. In 2002, she voiced the character of Margalo in “Stuart Little 2” before making her Broadway debut with the musical “Chicago.” Throughout the next few years, she took roles in series like “Twins,” “Nip/Tuck,” and “Hot in Cleveland.” In 2017, Melanie returned to film with roles in films like “The Pirates of Somalia” and “The Disaster Artist.” These ventures, while not always as high-profile as her earlier work, helped sustain her income and maintain her presence in the entertainment industry.
Salary highlights from her career include $1 million for “Bonfire of the Vanities” (1990), which demonstrates the high demand for her talent during that period. While specific salary details for all her roles are not publicly available, these figures provide insight into her earning potential at the peak of her career.
Personal Life and Relationships
Melanie Griffith’s personal life has been closely followed by the media, particularly her marriages and divorces. Her first marriage to Don Johnson occurred in 1976 when she was 18. Although it ended quickly, they remarried in 1989 and had a daughter, Dakota Johnson, who has become a successful actress known for her role in the “Fifty Shades of Grey” series. Between her marriages to Johnson, Griffith was married to actor Steven Bauer from 1981 to 1987, with whom she has a son, Alexander Bauer.
Her marriage to Spanish actor Antonio Banderas in 1996 was a significant event in Hollywood. They had a daughter, Stella Banderas, in the same year. However, after nearly two decades, Griffith and Banderas announced their separation in 2014, and their divorce was finalized in 2015. The divorce settlement had a notable impact on Melanie Griffith’s net worth.
Antonio Banderas Divorce Settlement Details
The divorce settlement between Melanie Griffith and Antonio Banderas was a complex affair involving substantial assets. Antonio agreed to pay for their daughter Stella’s expenses through her 19th birthday, including both college and grad schools. Banderas and Griffith then agreed to split all money received from entertainment projects through May 31, 2014. Interestingly, they agreed to allow each other to keep whatever money was earned from their own projects between May 1998 and December 2003. They each received a Porsche and a Picasso, but Melanie received a total of six cars, whereas Antonio only kept two. Antonio was also required to pay Melanie $780,000 per year in spousal support, which equates to $65,000 per month. This ongoing spousal support contributed to her income stream.
Real Estate Investments and Holdings
Melanie Griffith’s real estate portfolio has been a significant component of her overall net worth. In 2019, she purchased a Spanish-style villa above the Sunset Strip in Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, for $3.7 million. The 3,000-square-foot residence, originally listed for $3.85 million, features tile flooring, a stone fireplace, and a pool. She sold this home in September 2024 for $4.7 million, realizing a profit of $1 million. Just before the sale, she paid $4.3 million for a new home in the Hollywood Hills. These transactions highlight her ability to make profitable real estate investments.
Another significant real estate venture involved a property in Aspen, Colorado. In 2002, Melanie and Antonio purchased a 12-acre estate for $3.5 million. The property included a 7,400-square-foot mansion, which Melanie received as part of the divorce settlement. In 2015, she initially attempted to sell the entire estate for $10 million but eventually decided to divide it into two parcels. She sold a 10-acre slice in 2017 for $2.24 million and the remaining two acres, which included the mansion, in 2019 for $4 million. These sales demonstrate her strategic approach to maximizing the value of her real estate assets.
The couple’s former L.A. mansion, located in Hancock Park, was also a significant asset. They bought the original lot in the late 1990s for $4.2 million and an adjacent property a year later for $1.3 million. They razed the property on that annexed lot to create an estate that stood at an acre and a half. The 15,000-square-foot mansion featured a grand foyer, a formal sitting room with a terrace, a wood-paneled library, and heavy tile flooring. The house reportedly had 13 bedrooms and 11 bathrooms. The property also included a two-story banquet hall, hand-stenciled ceilings, four fireplaces, and an elevator. They sold this mansion for $16 million in 2015 to Netflix executive Ted Sarandos, netting a substantial profit from their initial investment.
Melanie Griffith’s Net Worth: Summary
In summary, Melanie Griffith’s $40 million net worth is a result of her successful acting career, strategic real estate investments, and divorce settlements. Her roles in films such as “Working Girl” and “Milk Money,” along with her real estate transactions in Los Angeles and Aspen, have been key contributors to her financial success. The details of her divorce settlement with Antonio Banderas, including spousal support and asset division, also played a role in shaping her financial standing. Melanie Griffith has had a very impressive career and has earned her place as a very well off actress with the $40 million net worth that she has today.
