Jim Parsons has been one of the popular actors in these last couple of years, but you probably didn’t know that he’s also the highest paid TV star right now, according to Forbes.
Remember about the Big Bang Theory? No, not the one that talks about the beginning of time. The Big Bang Theory with the neurotic know-it-all physicist Sheldon Cooper. Right. Sheldon Cooper is Jim Parsons. Or the other way around.
With his unique talent and brilliant acting skills, Parsons has made a good fortune so far, especially from portraying that wacky physicist. His net worth rises to $160 million today.
Early Life and Career
Jim was actually born as James Joseph Parsons on March 24, 1973, in Houston, Texas. Given his interest in acting from a very young age and the heavy influence from sitcoms, he became prominent in high school productions, at Klein Oak High School.
He started writing his own scripts at home and later on he continued to study his craft at the University of San Diego, where he was prolific, appearing in 17 plays during the 3 years there and getting a degree in classical theater.
He moved to New York afterwards and started performing in off-Broadway plays while struggling to find better work. But then got a role into the TV show Judging Amy and the series Ed, and with some minor roles in films like the 2004’s Garden State he quickly started to make a name for himself.
The Big Bang Theory
His big break came in 2006, when Jim Parsons managed to impress Chuck Lorre in an audition for The Big Bang Theory, and got his first appearance in the now famous TV series in September 2007, as the geeky genius physicist Sheldon Cooper.
The Big Bang Theory has grown to be one of the most popular sitcoms around, and Parsons has made a wondrous job for portraying his queer character which entertains millions of fans around the world.
For his work in the show, Jim received his first Emmy Award in 2010, and went on to win three more, in 2011, 2013 and 2014. He also won the Golden Globe Awards for Best Actor in a Television Series: Musical or Comedy in 2011 and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the spring of 2015.
Other Work
Whenever he got some production breaks from The Big Bang Theory, Parsons pursued other opportunities, most of them on the small screen.
He has appeared in many televisions shows such as Saturday Night Live, iCarly or Family Guy. In 2014, he appeared in the HBO TV movie The Normal Heart, a drama that displays the horror and devastation of AIDS in New York City between 1981 and 1984.
Parsons has also made appearances on the big screen, in roles for Wish I Was Here, The Big Year, The Muppets, Hidden Figures, and many more.
His Homes and Cars
The actor first had a 3 bedroom home in Los Feliz, Los Angeles, which he bought in 2009 for $1.3 million. He later sold it with a profit of $300,000 and went on to buy something better in the same area.
For his new, wonderful mansion he dropped a good $6.4 million. The house has a Spanish Colonial ambiance. With its formal entry, library, den, 3 bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms, the two story house is everything the actor needs. Other amenities give it an antique vibe.
Besides that, Parsons also owns an elegant apartment in Lower Manhattan, New York, valued at $2.9 million.
We couldn’t find out if he owns a car, but we do know that he’s got motion sickness. Too much physics going on in his head might be the cause for that.
Jim Parsons Net Worth Over Time
His salary in 2010 for each episode of The Big Bang Theory was $200,000, but got substantial rises with each new season, plus a percentage from the show’s earnings.
While in 2013 Parsons’s salary was $325,000, the new contract signed in 2014 guaranteed him $1 million per episode plus over 1% of the show’s earnings. That’s more than decent, don’t you think? But I didn’t tell you that each season of the show has 24 episodes. With a little bit of math, just a little bit, don’t worry, you’ll see he’s in for some good money.
That’s why his net worth of $160 million today is still young and growing.
Last update: May 2020.
