Will Ferrell’s Net Worth and How He Achieved It
Does $160 million sound like lottery winnings? You may have even fantasized about just what you would do with that kind of wealth. It may certainly seem like an overwhelming amount, but for one man, Will Ferrell, it’s his net worth.
Who Is Will Ferrell?
John William Ferrell was born in Irvine, California, on July 16, 1967, to Lee and Betty Kay.
His father was a musician, and his mother was a teacher. He has one younger brother, Patrick. Will Ferrell has been married to Viveca Paulin since 2000 and has three children.
Although Ferrell has stated that he was a high school athlete and scholar rather than a class clown, he amused his California classmates by doing daily announcements using different voices. While studying sports broadcasting in college, he discovered that his comedic timing gave him the possibility of a new career direction.
When you think “Will Ferrell”, some of his iconic roles may come to mind. From his regular appearances on Saturday Night Live to the Christmas cheer he brought to holiday comedy Elf, Will Ferrell has made his mark on Hollywood as an actor and comedian. In fact, his list of credits is both extensive and impressive.
His film credits include:
- Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999),
- Zoolander (2001),
- Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001),
- Old School (2003),
- Elf (2003),
- Anchorman (2004),
- Bewitched (2005),
- The Producers (2005),
- Stranger Than Fiction (2006),
- Step Brothers (2008),
- The Other Guys (2010),
- The Lego Movie (2014),
- Daddy’s Home (2015),
- Eurovision (2020), and many others.
Will Ferrell Net Worth and How He Achieved It
As of 2023, Will Ferrell net worth is $160 million.
Will Ferrell may have worked as a bank teller in high school and aimed for a career in sports broadcasting in college, but his fortune came as a result of his career as an actor. Here are a few examples of the kind of salary Will Ferrell earns in movies and television shows today.
- Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) $7,000,000
- Kicking & Screaming (2005) $20,000,000
- Bewitched (2005) $20,000,000
- Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006) $20,000,000
- Semi-Pro (2008) $20,000,000
- Land of the Lost (2009) $20,000,000
- The Shrink Next Door (2021) $1,000,000 /episode
- Spirited (2022) $20,000,000
Additionally, Ferrell has worked as a producer, executive producer, voice actor, and writer. He even has his own podcast on iHeart Radio, The Ron Burgundy Podcast.
He even made his Broadway debut in 2009. He’s been nominated for an Emmy and three Golden Globe awards. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on March 24, 2015.
Fun Facts About Will Ferrell
Will Ferrell can do the following celebrity impressions: George W. Bush, Alex Trebek, Harrison Ford, James Lipton, Janet Reno, Jesse Ventura, and more.
Will Ferrell’s father, Lee Ferrell, was the keyboard and saxophone player for The Righteous Brothers.
Will Ferrell has a college degree in Sports Information from the University of Southern California.
The actor joined the Saturday Night Live (SNL) cast in 1995 and left in 2002. In 2001, he was the highest paid SNL cast member in the history of the show.
Will Ferrell competed in the Boston Marathon in 2003.
He also competed in the New York City Marathon with his Swedish wife Viveca Paulin in 2001.
Will Ferrell worked as a Wells Fargo bank teller in high school.
Will Ferrell on Social Media
Ferrell deleted his Facebook account in 2018, citing the data breach by Cambridge Analytica. As reported in an article on CNBC, Ferrell made the following Facebook statement before deleting his account:
“Hi Friends,
I’m reaching out to let you know that in 72 hours I will be deleting my Facebook account. I am not deleting it immediately, in order to give this message enough time to get across to my fans and followers.
I have always had an aversion to social media and have primarily used it as a tool to help support our work at Funny Or Die, some of my personal projects, as well as charity causes that I am passionate about. Facebook allowed me to promote and share the work of many dedicated and talented individuals who deserved recognition.
I know I am not alone when I say that I was very disturbed to hear about Cambridge Analytica’s misuse of millions of Facebook users’ information in order to undermine our democracy and infringe on our citizens’ privacy. I was further appalled to learn that Facebook’s reaction to such a violation was to suspend the account of the Cambridge Analytica whistleblower.
In this day and age, with misinformation running rampant, it’s important that we protect the truth, as well as those who work to bring it to light. I can no longer, in good conscience, use the services of a company that allowed the spread of propaganda and directly aimed it at those most vulnerable.
I love my fans and hope to further interact with them through my comedy via the mediums of film and television.
Will Ferrell”
He does not utilize Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, or any other social media presence. While fan accounts do exist on many social media platforms, none of them are official and verified accounts of the actor.
Will Ferrell Quotes
I’ve never been a conceited person or cocky, never felt boastful, but I always had a sense of self-worth; I always had a real sense of myself.
Aren’t we all striving to be overpaid for what we do?
I know the nature of comedy, and you never know what will happen with the next movie or whether people will find it funny.
I think a lot of the instincts you have doing comedy are really the same for doing drama, in that it’s essentially about listening. The way I approach comedy, is you have to commit to everything as if it’s a dramatic role, meaning you play it straight.
My kind of wanting to be funny didn’t come from need, necessarily. The closest I can analyze it is that it was an easy way to make friends, I found out. It was just a great kind of social tool.
It’s very easy for me to play silly, but to reveal something closer to you, that’s so much harder.
When I first started doing sketch comedy, I promised myself that if I were ever to have any success in this business, I wouldn’t hold back. Why get there and play it safe?
I’d much rather be in a comedy. In my view, comedy wins out in the long run. I’m not sure I’m a good enough actor to play real tragedy, so I bring a comic element to most things as my answer to the world’s problems. I’m not a clown, though. I love goofing around, but I don’t feel the need to act the clown in private — I do it at work, that’s where I exorcise my demons. Although I confess that I do sometimes put together outfits to annoy my wife.
I’ve always had, when I needed it, an extreme amount of focus that I could put into something. That has served me well.
I grew up in an entertainment family, and so I saw how susceptible you are to the ups and downs of this business.
I was never a class clown or anything like that, but I do remember being in the first grade and my teacher, Mr. Chad, told the class one day that we were going to do some exercises. He meant math exercises, but I stood up and started doing jumping jacks. To this day, I don’t know what possessed me to do that, but all my friends cracked up.
Key Lessons from His Career
Will Ferrell’s suburban beginnings took him straight down the path to stardom. While being a comedic actor wasn’t in his original life plans, it’s safe to say that his plans changed over the years as he embraced new opportunities. Here are a few key lessons from his career.
1. Comedy Doesn’t Require Tragedy
Oftentimes, there’s an idea that comedians all have a personal darkness they are striving to overcome with humor. Not so in the case of one Will Ferrell who readily admits that he had a normal suburban existence free from angst and trauma. Seeing the bright side and humor in life seems to be the foundation of his career.
2. Expand Your Skill Set
Will Ferrell may be one of the world’s best paid actors, but he’s not only an actor. He has producer, executive producer, and writing credit as well as a podcast and voice acting credit.
He’s known for comedy but has also been able to play other roles and take on behind the scenes responsibilities as well. His wealth has been amassed not through one skillset alone but by acquiring many of them.
Recommended read: Dave Chappelle Net Worth & How He Built His Empire
3. Give Back
Will Ferrell may have a net worth of currently $160 million, but he continues to give back to help others. He has reportedly supported the following organizations.
- Afghanistan Relief Organization
- Artists for Peace and Justice
- Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes
- BID 2 BEAT AIDS
- Boys & Girls Clubs of America
- Cancer For College
- charity:water
- Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project
- City Year
- Entertainment Industry Foundation
- Human Rights Action Center
- Milk+Bookies
- MoveOn
- Music for Relief
- ONE Campaign
- Room to Read
- Skoll Foundation
- Small Steps Project
- Stand Up To Cancer
- Stephen J Wampler Foundation
- UNICEF
- US Campaign for Burma
- Variety — The Children’s Charity
Even though he’s amassed great wealth, he’s also made sure to donate to the causes close to his heart. Whether we’re millionaires or living paycheck to paycheck, giving back will always be a classy move.
4. Embrace Life’s Curveballs
Will Ferrell might have once dreamed of a career in broadcast sports, but he was able to make a massive pivot to become one of the world’s best known comedic actors. Lines from his movies have infiltrated pop culture, and his career continues to add successful movies and films to his credits. Although life may have thrown unexpected curveballs his way, Ferrell has clearly made the most of them.
Learning from Will Ferrell’s example may not end in a $160 million windfall, but it can’t hurt to embrace the grace, good humor, and hard work of this iconic actor.
Recommended reads:
- How to Become a Millionaire in 5 Years or Less
- Mark Wahlberg Net Worth and How He Built His Wealth
- Bryan Cranston Net Worth and How He Amassed His Fortune
- Aaron Paul Net Worth and How He Built His Fortune
- Johnny Depp Net Worth and How He Built His Fortune
- Tom Welling Net Worth and How He Built His Wealth
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