James Spader Net Worth (Money & Salary)
James Spader Net Worth (Money & Salary)
February 12, 2025
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What is James Spader’s Net Worth and Salary?
Born in Massachusetts, James Spader has amassed a net worth of $30 million. Recognized in the 1980s for his roles in films like “Pretty in Pink,” “Less Than Zero,” and “Sex, Lies, and Videotape”—the latter granting him the Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival—his talent quickly became evident.
Spader’s distinctive presence on screen and his knack for complex characters have solidified his status in the television industry as well. From 2003 to 2008, he played the quirky attorney Alan Shore in both “The Practice” and its spin-off “Boston Legal,” a performance that earned him three Emmy Awards.
In 2013, he embarked on a new chapter by portraying the mysterious former government agent Raymond ‘Red’ Reddington in the NBC crime thriller “The Blacklist,” a role that garnered critical acclaim and introduced him to a younger audience.
Although he is primarily recognized for his recent television endeavors, Spader has also lent his voice to various projects, notably portraying Ultron, the antagonist in Marvel’s “Avengers: Age of Ultron.”
Blacklist Salary
During seasons 1-7 (133 episodes) of “The Blacklist,” James Spader earned a salary of $160,000 per episode, totaling about $3.5 million per season before taxes, hence accumulating around $21.3 million for these seasons. In the subsequent seasons 7-10 (85 episodes), he commanded $300,000 per episode, resulting in $6.6 million for a 22-episode season and approximately $25.5 million pre-tax for seasons 7-10 overall. Collectively, James Spader earned close to $50 million before taxes for his work on The Blacklist.
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Early Life
On February 7th, 1960, James Todd Spader entered the world in Boston. He grew up with two older siblings, raised by parents who were educators. He has remarked that his childhood was “progressive” and “influenced by strong women.” His education involved several private institutions, where he studied under both of his parents in different schools. He later attended Phillips Academy, where he became friends with John F. Kennedy, Jr.
At the age of 17, Spader left school, relocating to New York City to pursue acting. As he strived to break into the entertainment scene, he took on several odd jobs including farm work, teaching yoga, and truck driving.
Career
James Spader’s acting career took off in the early 1980s with a role in Endless Love. He subsequently gained more significant attention in the 1985 film Tuff Turf. His monumental breakthrough came in 1986 when he starred as a wealthy high schooler in Pretty in Pink. Throughout the 1980s, he continued to land roles in films such as Mannequin, Less Than Zero, Baby Boom, and Wall Street.
His notable performance came in the 1989 film Sex, Lies, and Videotape, where he portrayed a voyeur. The film was well-received by critics and grossed over $36 million globally despite its limited release. Critics lauded Spader’s performance, leading to him winning the Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival.
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The 1990s marked a period of further advancement for Spader, beginning the decade with roles in films like White Palace, Bad Influence, True Colors, and Music of Chance. Particularly noteworthy was his portrayal of an Egyptologist in the sci-fi cult classic Stargate. He made waves with the controversial 1996 film Crash and also played an assassin in 2 Days in the Valley.
In 1997, Spader landed a significant television role with a guest appearance on Seinfeld. He entered the 2000s with roles in The Watcher and Secretary. In 2002, he portrayed Alan Shore in The Practice, later transitioning this role to Boston Legal, where he starred from 2004 to 2008, garnering three Emmys among other accolades.
In 2006, Spader gained recognition as a voice actor, narrating the documentary China Revealed for Discovery Channel, and later provided voice-over work for Acura commercials. In 2009, he appeared in the Broadway production of Race, a notable Ben Mamet play.
Though his role in The Office in 2011 was initially intended as a guest spot, he became a recurring character throughout the eighth season. In 2013, he landed another recurring role in The Blacklist, portraying a fugitive wanted by the FBI. A year later, he gained more recognition for voicing Ultron in Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Personal Life
In 1987, James Spader married his first wife, with whom he had two children before their divorce in 2004. He began a relationship with actress Leslie Stefanson in 2002 after they met on a film set, and they share one son. Spader has admitted to dealing with obsessive-compulsive behaviors.
Real Estate
In November 2002, he invested $1.74 million in a house located in Los Angeles. This property was sold in July 2016 for $4 million.
In February 2016, Spader purchased a waterfront estate in Marion, Maine for $1.1 million, which includes a small island just off its coast.
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The data utilized is from the years 2023 and 2024, with forecasts extending through 2025 and 2026. Additionally, we will broaden our projections to include the years 2027 and 2028.
Post Title: James Spader Net Worth (Money & Salary)
Last Updated: February 12, 2025
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