One of the greatest stand-up comedians of all time, Chris Rock has amassed an estimated net worth of $70 million. The 50-year-old comedian is currently making headlines after news broke out that he is returning to the 2016 Oscars as its host after 11 years.
It seems that stand-up comedians are making remarkable comebacks this season. According to CNN, it's now the turn of multimillion net worth-earner Chris Rock to be under the spotlight following Tracy Morgan's return to host "Saturday Night Live" and Eddie Murphy's standup stint while accepting the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor recently.
On Wednesday, Rock took to Twitter and announced his comeback as an Oscar host in 2016, after more than a decade. Considered as one of Hollywood's most admired comic personalities, he already hosted the awards night in 2005 during its 77th year. The Atlantic noted that with the experience, the acidity and the big-ticket presence to take the gig, the "Head of State" actor seemed to be a much wiser hire compared to the slew of mediocre performances seen in the last few years.
In fact, Chris Rock, who has a net worth of $70 million as listed by The Richest, is one of the best Oscar host in the last years. Other notable hosts have been Ellen DeGeneres, who hosted the event in 2007 and 2014, and Jon Stewart, who was the host in the 2006 and 2008 Oscars.
"Chris Rock is truly the MVP of the entertainment industry," Academy Awards producers David Hill and Reginald Hudlin said in a statement. "Comedian, actor, writer, producer, director, documentarian -- he's done it all. He's going to be a phenomenal Oscar host!"
Meanwhile, Chris Rock is an award-winning celebrity himself. Celebrity Net Worth noted that he has won four Emmy Awards for his comedy specials and three Grammy Awards for his comedy albums. His career began as a New York standup comedian. After gaining national exposure, his success in standup led to roles in films.
Aside from being a successful comedian, Chris Rock also earned his net worth as a remarkable screenwriter, actor, film director, film and television producer, voice actor and presenter. But in terms of his personal life, Rock has divorced his wife Malaak Compton-Rock in December after 18 years of marital bliss. They share two daughters: Lola and Zahra.
"Chris Rock has filed for divorce from his wife, Malaak," Rock's rep told Us Weekly last year. "This is a personal matter and Chris requests privacy as he and Malaak work through this process and focus on their family."
The divorce, however, became complicated with Chris Rock's net worth and custody battles. Hollywood Take reported in 2014 that the split started to get messy when it comes to asset division. Even though they agreed to split up their properties evenly, it was unclear how much of Rock's net worth was given to his wife. And though they signed a prenup before getting married, it has since expired.
Today, it seems that Chris Rock is getting back his lost fortune through his 88th Academy Awards stint, which will surely increase his current net worth value. Meanwhile, the event will be aired live on Feb. 28, 2016 on ABC.
