What Is Leslie Jones’ Net Worth?
Leslie Jones is an American comedian, actress, and writer with a net worth of $7 million.
She gained recognition as a cast member on “Saturday Night Live” and has appeared in several films including “Ghostbusters” and “Coming 2 America.”
She has also hosted the game show “Supermarket Sweep” and starred in stand-up comedy specials like “Leslie Jones: Time Machine.”
Jones has been named one of Time magazine’s most influential people.
SNL Cast Member Salaries
First-year cast members on “SNL” make $7,000 per episode, or $147,000 per season. Second-year cast members make $8,000 per episode, or $168,000 per season. By their fifth season, cast members make $15,000 per episode, or $315,000 per season. The highest salary on the show is $25,000 per episode, or $525,000 per year, reserved for those who have been on the show the longest or are most important to the show. It’s likely that Leslie Jones earned a salary on the mid to higher end of that spectrum during her time on the show.
Early Life and Education
Leslie Jones, born Annette Jones in Memphis, Tennessee in 1967, moved frequently as her father was in the U.S. Army. Her family eventually settled in Los Angeles where her father found work as an electronics engineer at KJLH, a radio station owned by Stevie Wonder. Jones attended high school in Lynwood, California, and earned a basketball scholarship to Chapman University in Orange, California. While at Chapman, she worked as a DJ at the student radio station KNAB. Jones later transferred to Colorado State University, where she majored in communication and won the title of “Funniest Person on Campus” in 1987 after being entered into a comedy contest by a friend. Jones had a younger brother named Rodney who passed away in 2009.
Leslie Jones’ Career Highlights
Leslie Jones started her comedy career in L.A. after winning the title of “Funniest Person on Campus” at Colorado State University. She worked odd jobs during the day and performed at comedy clubs at night, eventually catching the attention of comedians Dave Chappelle and Mother Love, who encouraged her to move to New York City to hone her comedic skills.
After returning to L.A., Jones performed at the famed Comedy Store and toured with Jamie Foxx before meeting Chris Rock, who helped her get hired at “Saturday Night Live” (SNL). She appeared in several short films and movies before landing her own Showtime comedy special, “Problem Child: Leslie Jones,” in 2010.
In 2013, Jones auditioned for SNL when the show held a casting call for African-American women. She was initially hired as a writer but made appearances on “Weekend Update” and was eventually promoted to a featured player in October 2014, becoming the oldest person to join the cast in the show’s history. Jones remained on SNL for six seasons, earning two Primetime Emmy nominations for her performance.
Jones also appeared in several movies, including “Top Five” (2014), “Trainwreck” (2015), and “Ghostbusters” (2016). She starred in her own Netflix comedy special, “Leslie Jones: Time Machine,” in 2020 and began hosting the revival of “Supermarket Sweep.” Jones co-starred in “Coming 2 America” (2021) and was cast in a recurring role on the HBO Max series “Our Flag Means Death.”
Besides her work in comedy, Jones is also known for live-tweeting the Olympics and has appeared in Allstate Insurance ads. She hosted the 2017 BET Awards and the 2021 MTV Movie & TV Awards.
Leslie Jones Faces Racist and Sexist Attacks on Twitter
After the release of “Ghostbusters” in 2016, Leslie Jones was subjected to racist and sexist attacks on Twitter. Several users were banned from the platform after Jones met with Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, including “Breitbart” editor Milo Yiannopoulos. Jones spoke about the abuse on “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” stating that “hate speech and freedom of speech are two different things.” Her website was later hacked, and personal information and alleged nude photos were posted. Jones received an outpouring of support, including from Hillary Clinton, Gabourey Sidibe, and Ellen DeGeneres, among others.
Leslie Jones’ Awards and Nominations
Leslie Jones has been nominated three times for Primetime Emmy Awards for her work on “Saturday Night Live.” She also shared a Women Film Critics Circle Award for Best Female Action Hero for “Ghostbusters” in 2016 and won an MTV Movie + TV Award for Best Comedic Performance for “Coming 2 America” in 2021. Jones received Black Reel Award nominations for Outstanding Breakthrough Performance, Female for “Ghostbusters” in 2017 and Outstanding Supporting Actress, Comedy Series for “Saturday Night Live” in 2017 and 2019.
In addition, Jones has received three Online Film & Television Association Award nominations, a NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, a People’s Choice Award nomination for Favorite Comedy TV Star, and a Writers Guild of America Award nomination for Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) – Series. She was also nominated for a Legionnaires of Laughter Legacy Award for Best Comedy Artist Female and a Leo Award for Best Performance by a Female in a Short Drama for “Does That Make Me a Bad Person?” in 1999.
Leslie Jones shared a Kids’ Choice Award nomination for #SQUAD with her “Ghostbusters” co-stars in 2017.
Leslie Jones Real Estate Purchases
In November 2020, Leslie Jones bought a 3,860 square foot home in Beverly Hills, California for $3.875 million. The L.A. property boasts four bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms. Prior to this purchase, Jones acquired a Manhattan condo for roughly $1.75 million three years prior. The condo spans nearly 1,100 square feet.
