The Richest Grey's Anatomy Cast Member Might Surprise You
"Grey's Anatomy" is one of the longest running prime-time medical dramas in the world. Its popularity never seems to ebb, which means its cast, network, and production team are raking in a continuous stream of profits. Show creator Shonda Rhimes, for instance, is one of the highest-paid showrunners in television, with a net worth of $135 million, according to Insider. But some of the other (former and current) cast members have been investing their earnings, giving them a pretty hefty net worth, too.
One of the great things about "Grey's Anatomy" is that it regularly welcomes new cast members, like newcomers Jake Borelli (Dr. Levi Schmitt), Richard Flood (Dr. Cormac Hayes), and Anthony Hill (Dr. Winston Ndugu). These stars have impressive acting backgrounds and respectable net worths of $1 million apiece, but this doesn't compare to some of the show's longstanding cast members. So, keep reading to find out who the richest "Grey's Anatomy" stars are and where exactly their money came from.
Camilla Luddington made a fortune voicing Lara Croft
Actor Camilla Luddington is known globally for playing the surgeon-turned-OB GYN Dr. Jo Wilson on "Grey's Anatomy." Since joining the medical drama, the British actor's career has been going full throttle. Luddington, who'd previously starred in "William & Kate: The Movie" and "Californication," currently has a net worth of $2 million, per Celebrity Net Worth.
However, her earnings aren't just from her work in that white coat. Luddington is also known for voicing Lara Croft in the "Tomb Raider" video game trilogy. Lara is "so iconic," remarked Luddington, who is incredibly proud to have been part of the gaming franchise, per Entertainment Tonight. While she would love to play Lara Croft in a live-action production, Luddington jokes that she would have made "a very pregnant, slow Lara Croft" for the 2018 film, per Entertainment Tonight.
The Brit isn't too disappointed though because she's still got more seasons of "Grey's Anatomy" ahead of her. In 2020, Luddington renewed her contract for three years and bagged a pay raise to boot, per Deadline. Based on her net worth, The Richest estimates the star takes home around $83,000 per episode.
Luddington and her husband, fellow actor Matthew Alan, are also selling off some property to boost their cash flow. The pair have listed their Sherman Oaks bungalow for $1.45 million, a significant increase from the $1.2 million they paid for it in 2016, per Dirt.
Kevin McKidd is a triple threat
Scottish actor, singer, and director Kevin McKidd got his start in "Trainspotting" and "Father Ted" and has been playing trauma doc Owen Hunt since the fifth season of "Grey's Anatomy." McKidd has a net worth of $2 million thanks to his busy career, per Celebrity Net Worth. The "Brave" star has focused on directing lately, both on and off the "Grey's Anatomy" set. His work behind the camera includes the show's dramatic Season 17 finale.
"I'm really proud of it," he told Awards Radar. As a result, McKidd wants to "branch out" and direct more, but he's not ready to leave Owen behind yet. "I want to be there to the end ... so I'm trying to balance both things," he explained.
McKidd dedicates his spare time to passion projects and charity work — like launching a single to raise money for U.K. food banks. The actor-singer-director says his approach to charity stems from his upbringing. "The night before my dad got his pay packet, I remember many times we'd go through the sofa looking for change to get a chippy for tea," he told Scotsman. "That's why I think this food bank thing is brilliant. It's nothing to be ashamed of or embarrassed about."
However, McKidd's costly divorce from ex Jane Parker has affected his finances. Monthly, McKidd pays $65,096 in spousal support alongside the $22,440 he pays to support the teenage children he and Parker share custody of, per E!
Caterina Scorsone's public speaking money
Caterina Scorsone joined the cast of "Grey's Anatomy" after starring in the show's spin-off, "Private Practice," from 2010 to 2013. Playing neurosurgeon Dr. Amelia Shepherd has been lucrative for the Canadian actor, who has a net worth of $3 million, per Net Worth Status.
Acting professionally wasn't originally on Scorsone's radar, as it was just a way to make money for college, she told Shondaland. The "Missing" star revealed that she always envisioned herself working as a medical professional and that she is actually a trained midwife. "In my last year of undergrad, I was studying for finals and also watching the first season of 'Grey's Anatomy' to unwind. I loved it so much that I went to the medical faculty ... to see what would be involved in transitioning from arts and science to premed," explained Scorsone. "[But] I concluded that, in fact, I did not want to be a doctor. I just wanted to be on 'Grey's Anatomy.'"
Scorsone made her dreams a reality, having starred in over 165 episodes of the medical drama. However, the thing Scorsone loves most about acting is getting to use her platform to raise awareness for important issues. "I think my job ends up being an active way to participate in social justice," she said. Scorsone also actively raises awareness about Down Syndrome, a genetic disorder her daughter Pippa has, by speaking at events across the U.S. — and making between $5,000-$20,000 for each appearance, per All American Speakers.
Chris Carmack's passion project
Actor, singer, and former model James Christopher "Chris" Carmack has a net worth of $4 million, per Celebrity Net Worth. "The O.C." alum is best known for starring as Will Lexington in the musical television series "Nashville" from 2012 to 2018. The country star wasted no time bagging a new role when the series ended though, and joined the cast of "Grey's Anatomy" as ortho doc Atticus "Link" Lincoln in the same year.
Carmack's income comes from his busy acting and music career, which now includes a passion project he worked on with his wife, Erin Slaver. The duo, known as "Life on Eris," released their debut album "Stonewall" together in 2020. "Our passions for music collided together and we began collaborating in many ways," Carmack told Celebrity Page. "That collaboration has led us to a family with a daughter and some great songs."
Making music during quarantine presented some new challenges for the couple, who say they also had to take on producer roles for the project. "We not only self-produced but we recorded everything here in our home studio," Carmack revealed, per Celebrity Page. One of the new challenges for Slaver was editing the videos which they recorded at home on their iPhones. "It's true what they say about being an artist, music is the easy part, everything else — the Photoshop, the Premiere Pro editing, the Pro Tools — it's a full time [job]," she explained, adding that they made it work.
Grey's Anatomy boosted Kelly McCreary's bank balance
Playing Dr. Maggie Pierce, the half-sister of title character Dr. Meredith Grey, has certainly boosted Kelly McCreary's net worth. The actor, who had relatively small recurring roles in series like "Emily Owens, MD" and "Castle" before joining the medical drama, is now worth $9 million, according to Famous Trending. Alongside acting, McCreary has also turned her hand to producing, with her company Lighten Up Productions helming the podcast "Wednesday Morning," which McCreary also starred in, per Deadline.
McCreary tops up her income by endorsing products on social media. The actor publicly announced her pregnancy in a paid partnership with Clearblue. "Lemme tell you, there's nothing like finding out by seeing the word spelled out, clear as day, leaving no mystery whatsoever: PREGNANT! Thank you, Clearblue, for being with us on the journey!" McCreary wrote on Instagram alongside a snap of her positive test. The actor also uses her platform for charity work. In the same Instagram post, the actor wrote: "As part of this exciting moment, I wanted to help raise awareness for Clearblue partner [March of Dimes] and their amazing efforts to raise awareness for Black maternal and infant health."
Chandra Wilson's charity work
Chandra Wilson, aka Dr. Miranda Bailey on "Grey's Anatomy, has a net worth of $10 million, per Celebrity Net Worth. Acting was always in the cards for Wilson, who got her start at age 4 because her single mother (a postal worker) wanted her to keep active. "Her main goal was for me to have hobbies so that I wasn't idle. She just felt like if I was busy then the less opportunity I would have to get in trouble," Wilson explained, per Broadway.com. "Fortunately she got me involved in things that kind of stuck." After classes three days a week, Wilson had her first show in "The King and I" at age 5.
Wilson continued acting and eventually appeared in episodes of "Law & Order," "Sex and the City," and "The Sopranos." In 2005, the actor scored her biggest role to date on "Grey's Anatomy" and is one of the few original cast members who remains in the series. Wilson stepped behind the camera while starring on the medical drama too. She's now directed multiple episodes of the show along with episodes of other series like "The Fosters" and "Scandal."
When away from television sets, Wilson spends her time helping with charity initiatives. She works as a celebrity ambassador and spokesperson for CVSA, a charity that raises awareness for cyclic vomiting syndrome, a condition which her daughter has, per chandrawilson.com.
Jesse Williams' career boost
After starring on "Grey's Anatomy" for 12 seasons, Jesse Williams has a net worth of $12 million, per Celebrity Net Worth. But this is a far cry from his life before the show. With only two credits to his name ("Law & Order" and "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2"), he moved to L.A. to get serious about acting, but he was pretty close to being broke. "A friend of a friend gave me a rent stabilized apartment. I had no furniture, I had a bare mattress that I had bought on Craigslist," he said on "Live with Kelly and Ryan."
But Williams was determined to "try this acting thing," and on his birthday he bagged a role in "Grey's Anatomy." It was a "guest star as far as I could tell, two episodes, and I booked it and that entire season, every week I didn't know if I had a job." Thankfully, Williams kept getting asked back each week and is departing a decade later with an impressive net worth. Since leaving, he's been taking his career in a new direction, directing the legal drama "Rebel" which was released in 2021.
Williams' personal life hasn't fared as well as his career, however. The actor has been involved in a heated custody battle with his ex, Aryn Drake-Lee. Williams currently pays $40,000 per month in child support, per Page Six.
Kim Raver started earning as a kid
Kimberly Jayne "Kim" Raver is a stage, television, and film actor with a net worth of $12 million, according to Net Worth Times. Raver is best known for playing Dr. Teddy Altman on "Grey's Anatomy." The actor was a regular on the series from 2009 to 2012, when she departed to pursue other projects like "Revolution" before returning to the medical drama in 2017.
Raver got her start in 1975 as "a Sesame Street kid" at the age of 6, she told Women's Health. "Basically it was paid child care, and my mom also got enough money to put me through private school in New York," she said. In her four-decade-long career, Raver has bagged main roles in series like "Third Watch," "24," and "Lipstick Jungle," and appeared in a handful of Broadway productions and feature films, all contributing to her impressive net worth.
The "Grey's Anatomy" star, who is married to writer and director Manuel Boyer, has invested her money wisely throughout her career. Together, the couple bought a multi-story four-bedroom home in Venice in the mid-aughts. Raver and Boyer sold the property in 2018, making a huge profit just shy of $1 million on the sale, per Los Angeles Times.
James Pickens Jr. is grateful for Grey's Anatomy
Alongside Ellen Pompeo and Chandra Wilson, James "Jim" Pickens Jr. is one of the few original cast members left on "Grey's Anatomy." The actor and producer has amassed a net worth of $13 million during his 16 years playing Dr. Richard Webber on the show, per Celebrity Net Worth. Pickens Jr. said he feels "truly blessed" to have gotten "a gig like this, and at this stage in my career," per "Live with Kelly and Ryan."
Like many other "Grey's Anatomy" cast members, Pickens Jr. has also branched out from acting. In 2012, he nabbed his first producer credit on the short film "The Realest Audition Ever." Since then, he has executive produced another project, the feature film "One Last Prayer," which was released in 2020, per Green Apple Entertainment.
Off the screen, the actor has a pretty active hobby — he competes in team roping events across the U.S. "It's been a lot of fun, it's a great escape from the craziness that is Hollywood," he explained, per Team Roping Journal. "It's been a nice therapy for me, even if I'm not roping, to get out on the trail with your horse and get away from the madness." The actor's love of horses runs deep, and he shows off his western lifestyle in the Cameo videos he makes in his spare time. Pickens Jr. charges anywhere from $300 to $1,750 for a personalized video, but all the profits go to charity.
Justin Chambers almost missed out
American actor and former model Justin Chambers has a net worth of $18 million, per Celebrity Net Worth. After 15 years on the medical drama playing Dr. Alex Karev, Chambers decided to hang up his stethoscope and bid Grey Sloan Memorial farewell.
Playing Dr. Karev on "Grey's Anatomy" was a career-defining role for Chambers. "I don't remember life before this show, it's been so many years," said Chambers, per Seattle Refined. However, Chambers almost missed out on this role of a lifetime. "They shot the pilot before I came on ... So, the character wasn't even created yet," he revealed during a 2008 Q&A. But "The Wedding Planner" alum, who was living in New York at the time, got the chance to fly to L.A. and try to win the part. He blew the producers away with his performance, and the rest is history.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Chambers was making $9 million per season at the time of his exit. "There's no good time to say goodbye to a show and character that's defined so much of my life for the past 15 years," the actor said, per The Hollywood Reporter. "For some time now, however, I have hoped to diversify my acting roles and career choices." His financial security and supportive family are helping him make the big career jump, which seems to be paying off already. Chambers will play Marlon Brando in the upcoming miniseries "The Offer," per TVLine.
Jessica Capshaw's profitable properties
According to Celebrity Net Worth, actor Jessica Capshaw is worth $20 million. Capshaw played Dr. Arizona Robbins on "Grey's Anatomy" from 2008 to 2018. Following her departure from the medical drama, the actor starred in the Netflix original movie "Holidate" with Emma Roberts, Luke Bracey, and Kristin Chenoweth. She is also set to appear in the upcoming drama film "Dear Zoe," per Broadway World.
But even after a decade on "Grey's Anatomy," some of the actor's biggest financial successes have happened off-screen. As something of a property mogul, Capshaw makes substantial profits on the properties she flips with her husband, Christopher Gavigan, the co-founder of The Honest Company. The couple's passion for environmental sustainability is a big part of their lives and all their projects.
"I embrace the idea that we have to live sustainably ... but I am also eternally about aesthetics and things looking beautiful," Capshaw explained to Cambria Style. Their enthusiasm for aesthetic sustainability was reflected in their Santa Monica home, which they sold for $5.75 million in 2020, just shy of double what the couple paid for the property in 2007, per Architectural Digest.
In July 2021, the pair sold another property — their Pacific Palisades home. The property went for $13.3 million, making the couple a $3.3 million profit on their 2016 purchase, per OK Magazine. Capshaw and Gavigan are clearly partners in life and business, and together they have a net worth of $40 million.
Kate Walsh's return
Kathleen "Kate" Walsh has been doing well for herself since she departed "Grey's Anatomy" to take the lead role in the spin-off "Private Practice." She played the same character, Dr. Addison Montgomery, in the spin-off which ran for six seasons on ABC. At the same time, Walsh discovered her entrepreneurial side and founded her own perfume company, Boyfriend, in 2009. "[Perfume] is powerful in terms of the feelings it brings up and the storytelling that could come around it. That's what really intrigued me," Walsh explained after her company launched, per mylifeinbeauty.com. Walsh has now been helming Boyfriend for over a decade, giving the actor and businesswoman an impressive net worth of $20 million, per Celebrity Net Worth.
Walsh has recently appeared in Netflix original series like "The Umbrella Academy" and "Emily in Paris." She also shocked fans earlier this year when she announced her return to "Grey's Anatomy" on Instagram. Walsh is set to return to the medical drama in the upcoming 18th season. According to Celebrity Net Worth, the actor was making $175,000 per episode on "Private Practice," so we'd expect that figure to increase when she returns to "Grey's Anatomy."
On top of her busy acting career and running a successful business, Walsh also keeps her bank balance topped up endorsing products on social media. She partners with health and wellness brands like FabFitFun and loves to show off the products she uses.
Sandra Oh found more success after Grey's Anatomy
Toronto-born actor Sandra Oh has a net worth of $25 million, per Celebrity Net Worth.
Sandra Oh is a household name thanks to her role as Dr. Cristina Yang on "Grey's Anatomy." However, when Oh auditioned for the medical drama in 2004, she originally went in for the part of Dr. Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson). Oh knew the part wasn't right for her, though, and almost walked away from the series because of it. Thankfully, there was one other part open. "It was the character of Cristina, who was clearly the antagonist, and I remember thinking it was the best part for me," recalled Oh, per InStyle.
Oh was making $350,000 per episode on "Grey's Anatomy" at the time of her exit from the series. However, the actor has said more than once that she won't be making a return to the medical drama (or that lucrative salary). Now that she has some money in the bank, Oh wants to work on projects that she's passionate about — even if that means waiting years for the right script to come along, per Vanity Fair. For Oh, that was "Killing Eve." The actor's character in the BBC thriller, Eve Polastri, is one that she's been waiting her entire career to play. "[Killing Eve] is a real transitional piece for me," Oh explained to the Los Angeles Times. "I am now only interested in pieces that are specifically dealing with Asian experiences. Not in a heavy-handed way, but in a way that considers it."
Patrick Dempsey's passion for racing
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Patrick Dempsey has amassed a net worth of $80 million. Dempsey is best known for playing the McDreamy doc Derek Shepherd in "Grey's Anatomy," Dylan Gould in "Transformers: Dark of the Moon," and Jack Qwant in "Bridget Jones's Baby." Acting has been lucrative for Dempsey, who was making $350,000 per episode on "Grey's Anatomy" before he left the series. However, fans who follow his acting career may not know Dempsey has a completely separate career off the screen — and that it's pretty lucrative, too.
Auto racing has always been a big part of the actor's life, but his interest just got "deeper and deeper" over the years (via Gulf News). Racing then became more than a hobby to Dempsey, who has been competing globally for the last decade, even while filming "Grey's Anatomy."
"ABC and the show and the producers have been incredibly supportive to allow me to go racing," Dempsey said, per Autoweek. "I can't thank them enough for that. The exposure has helped me tremendously get sponsors."
When he's not racing, the actor and sports person is tending to his hefty luxury car collection. That collection is certainly worth a few bucks.
Ellen Pompeo is mega rich thanks to Grey's Anatomy
In 2018, star Ellen Pompeo revealed that "Grey's Anatomy" has generated "nearly $3 billion" for parent company Disney, per The Hollywood Reporter. The actor also disclosed that she signed a new deal with creator Shonda Rhimes to take home $575,000 per episode, so we know Pompeo's pockets are pretty deep. Like her former co-star Patrick Dempsey, Pompeo is worth a whopping $80 million, per Celebrity Net Worth. As the title character of the medical drama, it's no surprise that Pompeo has the highest net worth of anyone currently on the show. But reaching this level of personal wealth is huge for Pompeo, who was almost broke before starting "Grey's Anatomy."
Pompeo did more than just take home her paycheck — she played it smart by investing, fighting for a pay raise, and even asking for a piece of the show. After all, the actor hitched her career to the incredibly successful medical drama, so she deserved a piece. "I've finally gotten to the place where I'm OK asking for what I deserve, which is something that comes only with age," Pompeo wrote in her op-ed for The Hollywood Reporter. In the same op-ed, the "Grey's Anatomy" star shared the details of her deal with Rhimes, which included a salary of $575,000 per episode, backend equity in the medical drama and its spin-off "Station 19," along with a seven-figure signing bonus.
"I made a decision to make money," Pompeo said, explaining why she chose to stay on the show, rather than chase other acting roles, per "Jemele Hill is Unbothered." Besides, staying on the medical drama opened up other creative avenues for the actor, who discovered her love of producing.
Ellen Pompeo's lucrative side hustles
Off-screen, actor and producer Ellen Pompeo has a keen interest in property development, making money from selling and renting out properties during her time on "Grey's Anatomy." Before selling off her Hollywood Hills home for $2 million, Pompeo had been renting out the "split-level residence" for around $7,000 per month, per Los Angeles Times.
The "Grey's Anatomy" star puts a lot of care and effort into her properties, especially her Hamptons retreat, which she designed herself. But after owning the property for nine years, she decided to let it go. This was clearly a smart decision for Pompeo, who made a cool $2.07 million on the sale, per Observer.
Pompeo also makes a bit of extra cash by endorsing products on social media. The actor and producer is a huge Martha Stewart fan — if you follow her on Instagram, you'll know. So obviously, Pompeo jumped at the chance to show off Stewart's CBD line.
"I admire her business acumen and her pursuit of excellence in everything she does," Pompeo gushed on Instagram. "Not only has she built a brand passing knowledge onto people, her mission has always been about doing things the right way. This is my definition of a queen. This @marthastewartcbd line is no exception."