David Schwimmer Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What is David Schwimmer’s Net Worth and Salary?

With a net worth of $120 million, David Schwimmer, the American actor, director, and producer, is widely recognized for his role as Ross Geller on the classic sitcom “Friends” (1994-2004). This performance earned him both a Screen Actors Guild Award and an Emmy nomination. Before gaining fame, Schwimmer appeared in multiple television shows and films, including “The Wonder Years,” “NYPD Blue,” and “The Pallbearer.”

Following the conclusion of “Friends,” Schwimmer acted in films including “Duane Hopwood,” “Big Nothing,” and “Nothing But the Truth.” He also provided the voice for the character Melman in the “Madagascar” animated film series. Additionally, Schwimmer has directed episodes of various television shows such as “Friends,” “Joey,” and “Little Britain USA.”

On stage, Schwimmer made his Broadway debut in 2006 with “The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial.” He is a co-founder of the Lookingglass Theatre Company in Chicago, where he has appeared in and directed many productions. In recent years, he has taken on more serious roles in series like “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” and “Intelligence.”

Early Life

Born on November 2, 1966, in Flushing, Queens, New York City, David Lawrence Schwimmer grew up in a Jewish family with an older sister, raised by parents who were attorneys. The family later moved to Los Angeles, where David discovered his passion for acting and developed an interest in Shakespeare.

Eventually settling in Beverly Hills, David attended high school. During this time, he often felt like an outsider and initially aimed to become a doctor, excelling in math and science. Nevertheless, his love for acting remained strong, leading him to enroll in drama classes and summer programs.

After completing high school, David Schwimmer went to Northwestern University, where he joined an improv group that featured Stephen Colbert. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in theater and speech in 1988. Although he co-founded the Lookingglass Theater Company in Chicago post-graduation, he soon returned to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career.

Career

David Schwimmer began his career with roles in television shows like L.A. Law, The Wonder Years, NYPD Blue, and Monty. He also appeared in films including A Deadly Silence and Flight of the Intruder.

His major breakthrough occurred in 1994 when he was cast as Ross Geller in Friends. The premiere episode attracted 22 million viewers, establishing a dedicated fan base for the show. Throughout his involvement with Friends, Schwimmer diversified his roles in movies like The Pallbearer, Kissing a Fool, Six Days, Seven Nights, Picking Up the Pieces, and Apt Pupil.

Another

A significant highlight in Schwimmer’s career occurred in 2001 when he took on the role of Captain Sobel in the World War II miniseries Band of Brothers. His character was depicted as a neurotic and unpopular officer in the United States Army. In 2005, he began voicing Melman the giraffe for the Madagascar film series.

In the subsequent years, David Schwimmer expanded his repertoire by directing films such as Run Fatboy Run. He also made his Broadway debut in The Caine Mutiny Court Martial. Additionally, he appeared in TV shows like Curb Your Enthusiasm, 30 Rock, and Entourage.

Following a lengthy break, he returned to television in 2011 with a guest role in the British comedy series Come Fly With Me. He portrayed Robert Kardashian in the first season of American Crime Story in 2016, which revolved around the OJ Simpson trial. Among various series, David Schwimmer was part of Feed the Beast, Homecoming, and Intelligence. In 2019, he took on the role of Matthew Quirk in The Laundromat. Furthermore, in 2023, Schwimmer played Joel Moon in Captain Fall and Harris Goldblatt in Extrapolations.

Relationships

During the late 1990s, Schwimmer had a romantic relationship with singer-songwriter Natalie Imbruglia. In 2010, he tied the knot with Zoe Buckman, and the following year welcomed their child. The couple divorced in 2017 after spending some time apart.

David Schwimmer Friends Salaries and Royalties

For the debut season of Friends, each cast member made $22,500 per episode, totaling $540,000 for that season. In the second season, their salaries increased to $40,000 per episode, amounting to $960,000 annually.

Prior to the expiration of their contracts at the start of the third season, the main cast united to renegotiate their deals. Following successful negotiations, each main cast member received $75,000 per episode during season three, translating to $1.875 million per year.

This revised contract also included stipulations for salary increases in subsequent seasons. The main cast of Friends was paid $85,000 per episode for season four ($2.04 million yearly), $100,000 per episode for season five ($2.5 million yearly), and $125,000 per episode for season six ($3.125 million yearly).

However, the cast was not done negotiating. Before the seventh season commenced, they returned to the table with even greater demands. As they stood united, the studio acquiesced to their request for $750,000 per episode during seasons seven and eight, which amounted to $18 million per season.

This highly lucrative new agreement also included a fee of $1 million per episode for seasons nine and ten. Ultimately, the main cast of Friends earned $24 million for season nine and $18 million for season ten. In total, David Schwimmer amassed approximately $90 million in base salary from the show, similar to his co-stars.

main cast member – and that’s before backend bonuses and ongoing royalties were factored in.

Royalties

During the contract renegotiation for the main cast of Friends in 2000, including David Schwimmer, they succeeded in incorporating backend points into their agreements, which set the stage for significant royalties once the show went into syndication. Such arrangements were quite uncommon, with only a few individuals, like Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Cosby, having successfully negotiated similar terms.

The Friends franchise consistently accumulates over $1 billion annually from syndication royalties and streaming contracts, allowing David Schwimmer to earn between $10-20 million in royalties each year.

Real Estate

In 1998, David Schwimmer acquired a loft in Chicago for $425,000. After initially listing the condo for $1.15 million, he eventually reduced the price and sold it for $965,000 in 2020.

In 2001, Schwimmer purchased a sprawling mansion in the prestigious Hancock Park neighborhood of Los Angeles for $5.6 million. This 11,336-square-foot home includes nine bedrooms, five fireplaces, and a wood-paneled library, along with outdoor amenities like tennis courts and a swimming pool. After first listing the mansion for $10.7 million in 2011, he settled for just under $8.9 million when the property sold in 2012.

In 2010, Schwimmer made New York City his primary residence by buying a townhome in Manhattan’s East Village for $3.9 million. He then undertook redevelopment through a limited liability company, completely demolishing the historic 1852 structure and replacing it with a five-story brick townhouse.