Martin Lawrence's Net Worth (Updated 2022) | Wealthy Gorilla

Net Worth:	$110 Million
Age:	60
Born:	April 16, 1965
Gender:	Male
Height:	1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)
Country of Origin:	United States of America
Source of Wealth:	Professional Comedian/Actor
Last Updated:	Feb 9, 2026

Table of Contents

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• Introduction
• Early Life
• Acting Career
• Bad Boys Salary
• Notable Film Salaries
• Highest-Grossing Movies
• Summary

Introduction

Martin Lawrence is an American professional actor, stand-up comedian, and producer with an estimated net worth of $110 Million.

Lawrence gained recognition when he starred in his acting debut in What’s Happening Now? and received several more gigs after his debut appearance. He started in films like Do the Right Thing and Boomerang. Lawrence recently starred in Bad Boys 3 with Will Smith, the long-awaited return of the franchise after the first two films were box-office hits.

Early Life

Martin Lawrence was born on April 16, 1965, in Frankfurt, West Germany, to African American parents who served the U.S military.

Lawrence was named after the civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and John F. Kennedy. His parents divorced when he was 8 years old, and during his teenage years, he lived in Queens, New York, where he excelled at boxing.

Lawrence attended Thomas G. Pullen School of Creative and Performing Arts and Fairmont Heights High School. He initially considered a boxing career, but after he suffered a broken eye, he changed his opinion about boxing and started to gain interest in acting.

Acting Career

Lawrence’s early career started when he moved to California, where he got a guest spot on the television show What’s Happening Now?. His appearance led to his big break in acting.

After his appearance on the show, he hosted HBO’s Def Comedy Jam and launched his sitcom for Fox, Martin, which ran from 1992 to 1997. When Martin ended, Lawrence found work in comedy films. Many of his films, including Blue Streak, Big Momma’s House, and Nothing To Lose, were blockbusters at the box office.

Big Momma’s House 2 opened at No.1 at the North American box office and grossed $28 million in its first week. At the 2009 BET Awards, he appeared in a trailer with Jamie Foxx for a fictional movie, The Skank Robbers. In 2011, Lawrence played the role of Big Momma in the third sequel, Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son.

In January 2013, it was announced that he would star with Kelsey Grammar in a comedy for Lionsgate TV. A year later, Lawrence confirmed that the Bad Boys 3 sequel was almost done being written. Lawrence has collaborated with world-famous actors, including Will Smith, Eddie Murphy, Luke Wilson, and John Travolta.

Bad Boys Salary

When the first Bad Boys film was released in 1995, Lawrence was a more prominent household name than co-star Will Smith and received a higher salary. Lawrence earned $6 million compared to Smith’s $2 million. This caused tensions later when Smith’s star power snowballed, and Lawrence refused to star in sequels unless he was paid the same as Will.

They each earned $20 million for the 2003 sequel, Bad Boys II, and for the 2020 reboot, Bad Boys for Life, Lawrence was back down to $6 million. Will Smith reportedly earned $25 million for the fourth installment, Bad Boys: Ride or Die, but Lawrence’s salary is unconfirmed. He earned $32 million from the first three films.

Notable Film Salaries

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Lawrence was one of the highest-paid actors in the world. Outside of Bad Boys, he earned $6 million for Nothing to Lose (1997) and $8.5 million for Life (1999). Lawrence earned $29.5 million in 2001 from two films: $13 million for What’s the Worst That Could Happen? and $16.5 million for Black Knight. In 2003, he was paid $20 million to star in National Security.

Highest-Grossing Movies

Lawrence’s incredible run from the ’90s to the mid-2000s produced some of his biggest box office hits until recently. Bad Boys for Life grossed $427 million worldwide, becoming his highest-grossing movie. The latest release, Bad Boys: Ride or Die, has earned $395 million. All four movies are in Lawrence’s top ten, grossing a combined $1.22 billion.

His other box office hits include Big Momma’s House ($174 million) and its sequel, Big Momma’s House 2 ($142 million). The third installment missed the top ten, only making $83 million worldwide.

Some notable mentions that didn’t make Lawrence’s top 10 highest-grossing films include National Security ($50 million), Death at a Funeral ($49 million), and Black Knight ($40 million).

Here’s a complete list of Martin Lawrence’s ten highest-grossing movies:

1. Bad Boys for Life – $427 Million (2020)
2. Bad Boys: Ride or Die – $395 Million (2024)
3. Bad Boys II – $273 Million (2003)
4. Wild Hogs – $254 Million (2007)
5. Open Season – $201 Million (2006)
6. Big Momma’s House – $174 Million (2000)
7. Big Momma’s House 2 – $142 Million (2006)
8. Bad Boys – $141 Million (1995)
9. Boomerang – $131 Million (1992)
10. Blue Streak – $118 Million (1999)

Summary

Martin Lawrence is a highly accomplished actor whose star role in the Bad Boys films has cemented his successful career. It’s hard to imagine the Bad Boys characters being played by anyone other than Martin Lawrence and Will Smith.