Here's How Much Mike Myers Is Actually Worth
It may have been a while since we've seen actor Mike Myers on the big screen, but the former "Saturday Night Live" comedian has found himself back in the headlines thanks to the 2022 Super Bowl. No, he didn't switch careers to NFL player; he would actually be starring in a commercial airing during the big game!
While it's safe to say that Myers dominated the 1990s and early 2000s with his popular movie franchises, these days the dad-of-three keeps a pretty low profile. Outside of doing a few commercials here and there, as of February 2022, Myers' last big-screen role was back in 2018 in the film "Bohemian Rhapsody." Perhaps he has been doing a bit less lately because well... he can. The "Shrek" star has certainly made enough money to kick back and relax after being a major Hollywood player for almost five decades. Because of his long career and many successes, Celebrity Net Worth reports that Myers has earned a whopping $200 million.
And it's not like Myers needs the fame, either. Not only is he, of course, already a household name, but the "Wayne's World" star told People in 2022, "I'm actually quite reserved when I'm not performing." He continued, "I have a public life and I have a very, very private life. I go between the two, and it's always satisfying." So now you're probably wondering: How did Myers make all that money in his public life, and how does he spend it in his private life? Let's break down Mike Myers' net worth to find out.
Mike Myers is cashing in on Super Bowl commercials
Mike Myers fans were happy to hear that the Canadian actor would finally be reprising his role as Dr. Evil from the beloved "Austin Powers" movies. No, there wasn't an official "Austin Powers 4" happening just yet, but Myers would be bringing back the evil mastermind for a 2022 Super Bowl commercial for the manufacturing company GM. This wasn't the first time that Myers not only made a Super Bowl commercial, but reprised a previous role to do so, since he channeled his famous character from "Wayne's World” for an Uber Eats ad in 2021.
If you're wondering why a talented big star like Myers has been doing commercials, it's probably because it pays very well. According to Variety, A-listers who appear in Super Bowl commercials typically make at least $5 million, but as of 2021, that number was to rise to over $7 million for certain companies.
For Myers, however, it seems some of these commercials are about more than just the money, since he also agrees with the message behind the ads. When it came to his Uber Eats commercial, he explained why it was important, saying in reference to the COVID-19 pandemic (via The Hollywood Reporter), "Local restaurants need our support more than ever right now." As for his 2022 spot with GM, it involves climate change. Myers told People, "It's a very, very positive message about saving the world. ... I was like, that's a positive message for my three kids, so I'm in."
Inside the SNL star's income from comedy
Mike Myers wasn't necessarily an overnight success. While the actor did get a job with the well-respected theater company, The Second City, right out of high school, it's safe to say that Myers wasn't raking in the dough with them. Years after his stint, the Chicago Tribune reported in 2011 that their performers only made between $32,000-$42,000 annually. One actor even dished, "Every single person had another job. ... Without revealing dollar for dollar, you need another job."
However, Myers' work with The Second City did open doors for the "54" star since fellow comedian Martin Short apparently convinced "Saturday Night Live" creator Lorne Michaels to hire Myers after working with him on one of their shows. By 1989, Myers did join "SNL" and became a key cast member until his departure in 1995. According to The Richest, new cast members were making $5,500 each episode in the '90s. But considering that Myers stayed on for six years, he presumably made more toward $12,500 a week.
Myers wasn't just making good money from "SNL," he also created a name for himself in Hollywood through his characters from the show. Of course, one of his more famous characters, Wayne Campbell, even led to his film debut in 1992's "Wayne's World." That alone made Myers a millionaire, with Celebrity Net Worth reporting that he made $1 million for the first film and $3.5 million for "Wayne's World 2" the following year. However, that wouldn't be the only franchise to pay Myers the big bucks.
Mike Myers made bank from multiple movie franchises
Mike Myers didn't just make money from acting in a few movies, he was involved in super successful film franchises. As mentioned above, Myers did this the first time with the "Wayne's World" flicks. Yet, it could be said that it was his role in 1997's "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery" that made him an official A-lister. That's because the comedy led to two highly profitable sequels, with the third grossing an impressive $296.6 million, per Celebrity Net Worth. The films also gave Myers some big paychecks since he made $3.5 million from the first, $7 million from 1999's "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me," and $25 million off of 2002's "Austin Powers in Goldmember."
Then there were the animated "Shrek" movies, in which Myers voiced the titular role. The star's paycheck increased to $15 million for the third and fourth films in the franchise from the $3 million he received for 2001's "Shrek." That's probably due to "Shrek 2" at one point being the highest-grossing animated movie of all time, per The Week, with the films earning more than $3.5 billion total.
Myers presumably also got paid for the multiple short "Shrek" films and TV spots he appeared in, as well as for voicing the ride at Universal Parks and Resorts. Yet for Myers, playing "Shrek" was about more than the paychecks. As he told Cinema.com, "I loved the whole idea behind the story, which is that you're beautiful, so don't let other people tell you that you're not."
The Shrek star came from humble beginnings
Mike Myers may be a multi-millionaire these days, but "The Love Guru" star actually came from a modest upbringing. Myers was born in 1963 in Toronto's Scarborough district, which according to the Toronto Star, was considered by some as "a cultural wasteland." His parents had immigrated to the area from Liverpool, England years before, per Hello! magazine. While Myers' mother had hoped to be an actor herself, she worked as a data processor, and his father sold the Encyclopedia Britannica.
Myers' family seemingly had money struggles during his childhood, since he told People in 2018 that his success felt "weird," explaining, "I grew up in government assisted housing in Toronto, so all of this is bizarre and fun." What's more is that Myers did start working while he was quite young, landing his first TV commercial when he was just a child. From there he went on to appear in a few Canadian TV shows in guest starring roles, before joining The Second City theater group after high school.
Although Myers' parents let him work as a kid, they seemed to put more of an emphasis on happiness over making money. He told The Guardian, "My parents taught me to do whatever makes you happy — follow your bliss." That doesn't mean he doesn't work hard, though. "I'm very meat and potatoes when it comes to work, putting in eight hours each day," Myers continued, but added, "I only do what I love."
Mike Myers' behind-the-scenes gigs
While Mike Myers is best known for being an actor and comedian, it seems that "The Cat in the Hat" star also made a lot of his money from work he did behind the scenes. For one, Myers is a writer and has been writing comedy shows and screenplays since 1986. Not only had Myers penned some "Saturday Night Live" episodes in his day, but he also wrote the "Austin Powers" movies, as well as the comedy "The Love Guru."
Myers hasn't only written most of what he stars in, but he's also produced many of his own movies, like the "Austin Powers" trilogy and "The Love Guru." In 2017, Myers produced the TV remake of "The Gong Show," which he also hosted in character as Tommy Maitland. He revealed why in a "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" appearance, saying, "I was happy for them to use the name Mike Myers, I just wanted to do something for shizzies and gizzies, something just for funsies." Two years later, Myers signed on to produce another TV series he would star in, but this time for Netflix called the "The Pentaverate." He gushed to Variety, "I love creating characters, and Netflix has given me a fantastic playground to play in."
Outside of writing and producing, in 2013, Myers made his debut as a director in the documentary "Supermensch," which according to IMDb, is about "the life and career of a legendary Hollywood insider, Shep Gordon." For Myers, it seems creating goes beyond just acting.
The Love Guru star was sued
Mike Myers' successful career did come with its fair share of setbacks, mainly in the form of major lawsuits. According to Variety, when Myers was fresh off his second "Austin Powers" movie in 2000, the actor was slated to make a flick with Universal Pictures called "Dieter," based on another one of his famous "Saturday Night Live" characters. However, the film never got made since Myers pulled out of the project, reportedly blaming the script, which he himself had co-written.
Universal then went on to sue Myers for $5 million for allegedly breaching his contact, as did the production company Imagine Entertainment for $30 million. Not only did Imagine's suit claim that Myers "insisted on increasing his fee" after he got more famous, but it also accused him of "breaking his promises, betraying the trust of others and causing serious damages to those with whom he deals through selfish, egomaniacal and irresponsible conduct."
While the lawsuits were most likely a blow to Myers' bank account, they were also not good for his reputation, either. The actor attempted to salvage the situation by counter-suing the studio, claiming (via BBC News) that it was "a classic example of a movie studio ... placing greed above artistic integrity." He even stated, "I cannot in good conscience accept $20m and cheat movie-goers who pay their hard-earned money to see my work by making a movie with an unacceptable script." Celebrity Net Worth reports that Myers eventually settled the lawsuits by agreeing to do the 2003 film "The Cat in the Hat."
He spends money on real estate
It appears that when it comes to spending his millions, Mike Myers likes to do so on real estate. The "Terminal" actor has made some lavish purchases over the years in terms of where he hangs his hat. Let's start with his former penthouse in the upscale Soho neighborhood of Manhattan. In 2007, Myers bought the place for around $8 million, and while he tried to sell it at one point for $21.5 million, he eventually sold it for $14 million in 2018, per 6sqft.
That wasn't the first time that turning around a New York City apartment didn't totally work out in Myers' favor. The Real Deal reports that he attempted to sell a $14.675 million Tribeca condo for $15 million only weeks after initially purchasing it. However, the former "SNL" star ended up only getting $14 million for the property, taking a $675,000 loss. It's unknown why Myers was quick to put the residence on the market, but the New York Post notes that it could have been due to his expanding family with wife Kelly Tisdale at the time.
Outside of New York City, Celebrity Net Worth reports that Myers "bought an 8-acre lakefront home in Colchester, Vermont" in 2014. At one point, according to the Los Angeles Times, he also owned a $5.45 million home in Hollywood Hills West, which was later purchased by Nick Jonas. While it's unclear where Myers resides at the time of this writing, from the looks of his past real estate purchases, we imagine it's somewhere pretty fancy.
Mike Myers values happiness over success
It seems that Mike Myers has always valued his art and personal happiness over cashing checks. In terms of his art, he explained to GQ, "I, for the most part, have been able to write my own stuff in the movies." That appears to be what the multitalented star prefers, since he added, "I do turn virtually everything down." For Myers, it's apparently more about the process of creating, as he explained, "I just love making stuff, dude, you know, you can't be too attached."
When Myers isn't creating, he admitted that he "love[s] to take time off." He also emphasized that he would rather put his focus on being a dad over being a movie star. "I had my first child and I really wanted to be present for that, I wanted to just take it in." Myers also reiterated how his priorities changed since having kids to Deadline, saying, "Anyone who tells you fatherhood is the greatest thing that can happen to you, they are understating it. I am the happiest I have ever been in my life."
While it must be nice to have both the fame and the fortune, Mike Myers apparently has never lost sight of what he deems truly important in life. "Don't get so caught up in the career thing," he reflected to The Guardian. "It's never going to nourish you. It's not, in the end, what matters. On my death bed I'm not going to say, 'God I wish I did more movies.'"