Melanie Griffith is an American actress with a net worth of $40 million. She gained recognition for her breakout role in Brian De Palma’s thriller “Body Double” (1984), which earned her the Best Supporting Actress award from the National Society of Film Critics. She further solidified her status as a leading actress with her widely acclaimed performance as Tess McGill in the film “Working Girl” (1988). Griffith received widespread acclaim for her portrayal and went on to win a Golden Globe for Best Actress and receive nominations for both an Academy Award for Best Actress and a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress.
Throughout the 1990s, Griffith maintained her presence in the film industry by featuring in a mix of mainstream and non-mainstream movies such as “Pacific Heights” (1990) and “Nobody’s Fool” (1994). Additionally, she explored the world of television and received a nomination for the esteemed Golden Globe award for her performance in the series “RKO 281.”
Griffith, in addition to her acting career, is also a skilled producer. Throughout the years, she has had romantic involvements with various renowned celebrities, such as Don Johnson, Steven Bauer, and Antonio Banderas.
Salary Highlights
Melanie earned $1 million for her role in 1990’s “Bonfire at the Vanities.” In 1994, she earned $2 million for “Milk Money.”.
Vittorio Zunino
Antonio Banderas Divorce Settlement
Consisting of both university and postgraduate institutions, Antonio consented to financially support their daughter Stella until she turned 19 after a lengthy legal procedure. Their collection of properties became a source of disagreement, nevertheless, Antonio and Melanie’s divorce was relatively amicable, broadly speaking.
Melanie was given a combined total of six vehicles, while Antonio chose to retain only two. Both of them were given a Porsche and a Picasso, but Melanie ended up with a total of six cars, whereas Antonio only decided to keep two. Interestingly, they reached an agreement to allow each other to keep any earnings from their individual projects between May 1998 and December 2003. Subsequently, Banderas and Griffith agreed to divide all income received from entertainment ventures until May 31, 2014. Lastly, Antonio agreed to provide Melanie with a yearly spousal support of $780,000, which amounts to $65,000 per month.
Early Life
Melanie Richards Griffith was born on August 9th, 1957, in Manhattan, New York. She always had a strong chance to pursue a career as an actress, thanks to her family connections in the entertainment industry. Her mother, Tippi Hedren, is a former fashion model and actress, while her late father, Peter Griffith, was an executive in advertising and a former child actor.
Griffith was an excellent student at secondary school, managing to graduate at the age of 16. However, she soon backed away from this career path because she felt uncomfortable and shy. Initially, she started booking roles as a child model and actor, although she felt uneasy about it. After her parents split up, she was raised by both her father and mother, spending a few years between California and New York. When Melanie was two years old, she relocated to Los Angeles with her mother, as her parents were separated.
Career
Although the relationship only lasted for 6 months, Griffith and Johnson eventually got married. Johnson also had a booked role in “The Experiment” and was 22 years old. Melanie started dating Johnson when she was only 14 years old. Griffith’s proper film role came during her teenage years, with an appearance in “The Experiment” where she performed as an extra during her childhood.
“Body Double,” in which she portrayed a pornographic actress, Melanie generated significant attention with a part in 1984’s “Roar” and a short break caused by substance abuse problems. Although these roles propelled Griffith’s career in the 70s, her true breakthrough occurred in the 80s. She then pursued roles in movies such as “Smile,” “The Drowning Pool,” “One on One,” “The Garden,” and “Joyride.” The character necessitated her to appear unclothed in several scenes, she secured a more prominent role in the film “Night Moves” at the age of 17.
“Working Woman.” In a notable role, she ended the decade with success as a mainstream secretary. Her performance as a secretary propelled her towards mainstream success, for which she won a Golden Globe. She also had success in notable roles throughout the decade, including “Working Girl.” After bouncing back with another performance in “Pacific Heights,” Melanie struggled with cocaine addiction. She won another Golden Globe for her performance and continued to propel herself towards mainstream success as a secretary.
Griffith had a prominent role in the films “Celebrity,” “Lolita,” “Mulholland Falls,” “Two Much,” “Now and Then,” “Nobody’s Fool,” and other movies. She was especially notable for her leading role in the film “Milk Money.” Some of her most noteworthy roles in the 90s included “Among Us,” “A Stranger,” “Born Yesterday,” “Paradise,” and “Shining Through.”
“The Disaster Artist” and “The Pirates of Somalia” are among the films in which Melanie returned to roles in 2017, in Cleveland. She took on roles in “Nip/Tuck,” “Twins,” and other projects over the next few years. Before making her debut on Broadway in the musical “Chicago,” she voiced the character Margalo in the 2002 film “Stuart Little 2.” In 2000, Griffith sought treatment for addiction to painkillers in London. She made her stage debut in the play “The Vagina Monologues” at the Old Vic in 1999.
Real Estate
In 2019, it was reported that Melanie had spent $3.7 million on a Spanish-style villa above the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles’ Hollywood Hills. The property, originally listed for $3.85 million, features a 3,000 square foot residence with a backyard pool, a stone fireplace, and tile flooring. She managed to scoop up the residence with a minor discount.
The couple initially listed it for $10 million but later reduced the price significantly, ultimately settling on a much lower amount. Reportedly, she and her ex-husband Antonio Banderas had bought the property back in 2002 for $3.5 million. In early 2019, Griffith sold her 7,391-square-foot getaway in Aspen for $4 million, at a much lower price.
They began building the mansion of their desires and combined the two plots of land after tearing down the house that stood on the second property. They acquired another nearby property for $1.2 million after demolishing the previous house that stood there. Banderas and Griffith initially bought one property for $4.2 million with the intention of creating this majestic estate. The purchaser was Netflix executive Ted Sarandos, who then moved into a 15,000-square-foot mansion situated on 1.5 acres of land. In 2015, the couple sold a property in LA for $16 million, which also marked the sale of another home.
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