Barry Sonnenfeld Net Worth

What is Barry Sonnenfeld’s net worth?

The estimated net worth of Barry Sonnenfeld is to be $80 million as of December 2022.

Net Worth:

$80 Million

Age:

69 years old

Born:

April 1, 1953

Gender:

Male

Height:

1.66 m (5 ft 5 in)

Country of Origin:

United States of America

Source of Wealth:

TV/Film Director

Last Updated:

December, 2022

Who is Barry Sonnenfeld? What is his Profession and Company?

Barry Sonnenfeld is well-known for being one of the world’s wealthiest directors. He’s directed numerous successful films, including as the big-budget “Men in Black” box office triumph.

He produced and directed “The Addams Family,” one of the most recognizable black comedy films of the 1990s. In 1993, he released the sequel “Addams Family Values,” which was much better than the first.

Barry progressed from low-budget cinematography to producing some of history’s highest-grossing films.

The estimated net worth of Barry Sonnenfeld is to be $80 million as of December 2022.

Barry Sonnenfeld Facts

  • “Men in Black,” a big-budget film directed by Barry, was released in 1997.
  • He also directed “Men in Black II,” which became one of the year’s most popular sequels.
  • In 2007, Barry’s production firm, “Right Coast Productions,” signed a deal with Sony.
  • In the 2016 film “9 Lives,” he played the role of a cat.
  • In 1999, he survived an accident in which his plane collided with five other planes.

Early Life, Birthdate, Birthplace, Family and High School

Barry Sonnenfeld was born on April 1, 1953, in New York, New York, USA. He was the only child in a Jewish family, and his mother was the stereotypical overprotective mother.

Barry was raised in a loving home by his parents, Kelly and Sonny Sonnenfeld, and after finishing high school, he attended Hampshire College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree.

He graduated from New York University Film School in 1978, where he obtained the talents that would propel him to become one of the best film and television filmmakers of all time.

Barry worked on nine pornographic films in his early years, but only for a brief time before moving on to more lucrative projects.

Not long after, his career as a film director took off, launching him on the path to a long and successful career as a director.

Barry Sonnenfeld’s Professional Career

His first project was for the film “In Our Water,” which was nominated for an Academy Award in 1982.

After being hired for “Blood Simple” in 1984, Barry went on to co-write “Miller’s Crossing” and “Raising Arizona” with the Coen brothers.

The first signs of brilliance arrived in 1991, when Barry helmed the hugely popular film “The Addams Family” for Paramount Pictures.

He made a comeback in 1995, directing the picture “Get Shorty,” starring John Travolta, Danny DeVito, and Gene Hackman.

Barry’s name quickly traveled throughout the film industry, catching the attention of Steven Spielberg. He directed the high-budget and enormously successful film “Men in Black” not long after meeting with one of the world’s richest directors, Steven Spielberg, in 1996.

Men in Black stars Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith, both of whom were excellent in their performances but were not the producers’ first choice. To get his favorite actors, Chris O’Donnell and Clint Eastwood, Barry had to undersell the film.

Barry’s career came to a halt after the release of his disastrous film “Wild Wild West” in 1999.

He later directed “Pushing Daisies,” which garnered him an Emmy, and directed “Men in Black II,” one of his most successful sequels.

Barry was able to release a third sequel, “Men in Black 3,” which became one of the world’s highest-grossing pictures.

Josh Brolin and Alice Eve were two new entrants to the Men in Black film franchise who were well received by audiences.

Sonnenfeld’s memoir, “Barry Sonnenfeld, Call Your Mother: Memoirs of a Neurotic Filmmaker,” was published by Hachette Books in 2020.

Barry is far from completed and is considering several other ventures. He is becoming increasingly involved with the DC universe and is collaborating with Paramount Pictures.

Barry Sonnenfeld’s Career Earnings

Barry Sonnenfeld has gone from working on pornographic films to being one of Hollywood’s most recognized directors.

Not only has he grown in stature, but his salary has also expanded significantly over the years.

Here’s a rough estimate of Barry Sonnenfeld’s annual salary:

  • Barry Sonnenfeld’s 2013 salary was $6 million.
  • Barry Sonnenfeld’s 2014 salary was $4 million.
  • Barry Sonnenfeld’s 2015 salary was $5 million.
  • Barry Sonnenfeld’s 2016 salary was $3.1 million.
  • Barry Sonnenfeld’s 2017 salary was $2.5 million.
  • Barry Sonnenfeld’s 2018 salary was $1.8 million.
  • Barry Sonnenfeld’s 2019 salary is $2 million.
  • Barry Sonnenfeld’s 2020 salary is $2.1 million.
  • In 2021, Barry Sonnenfeld’s salary will be $2 million.
  • Barry Sonnenfeld’s 2022 salary is $2.2 million.

When he graduated from film school, Barry had no idea where he wanted to go with his profession. He did, however, realize that he needed to generate some money immediately.

He knew he had outstanding cinematography talents, so he bought a camera and rented it out for 9 days straight, paying it off almost immediately.

Because he owned the camera, he could also insist on being the cameraman on any future projects, which was one of his best investments.

Barry Sonnenfeld’s Net Worth Annually

His ability to detect a good bargain and capitalize on his talents and skills allowed him to quickly progress from shooting films to directing them.

He was able to cash in and make large profits from his initial ideas and small budget when his films became hits.

Barry Sonnenfeld’s annual net worth is as follows:

  • Barry Sonnenfeld’s Net Worth In 2013 – $66 million
  • Barry Sonnenfeld’s Net Worth In 2014 – $68 million
  • Barry Sonnenfeld’s Net Worth In 2015 – $68.5 million
  • Barry Sonnenfeld’s Net Worth In 2016 – $70 million
  • Barry Sonnenfeld’s Net Worth In 2017 – $71 million
  • Barry Sonnenfeld’s Net Worth In 2018 – $73 million
  • Barry Sonnenfeld’s Net Worth In 2019 – $75 million
  • Barry Sonnenfeld’s Net Worth In 2020 – $78 million
  • Barry Sonnenfeld’s Net Worth In 2021 – $79 million
  • Barry Sonnenfeld’s Net Worth In 2022 – $80 million

Barry gained his mark in the film industry with the first three films he directed with the Coen brothers.

He was able to secure work after that because of his reputation, and his fees for each film project rose.

He learned that authoring the script gave him control over who directed the film, even when he had to approach huge production houses for funding.

Barry Sonnenfeld’s Personal Life, Wife and Kids

In 1989, Barry married Susan L. Ringo. Cloe Sonnenfeld, the couple’s daughter, was born after 33 years of marriage.

His daughter has gone on to become a well-known actress, thanks to her early experience working on her father’s films.

Barry spent a significant amount of time writing his memoirs, with a popular section of the book describing his overbearing mother.

He loved doing the audiobook version because he could be more detailed and use his tone of voice to convey his message.

Follow Barry’s official Instagram account to see what he’s up to right now. You’ll also get to see some of his incredible photographing abilities.

Achievements and Awards for Barry

Barry has been nominated for numerous accolades, and his films continue to earn positive reviews.

Some of his older films are still available on multiple platforms and continue to captivate and excite new audiences.

Here are some of Barry Sonnenfeld’s most notable performances:

  • Barry won an Emmy and a DGA Award for “Pushing Daises” in 2008.
  • In 2998, he received the Maverick Tribute Award at the Cinequest San Jose Film Festival.
  • He received a Daytime Emmy Award for “Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography” for “ABC Afterschool Specials” in 1985.
  • In addition, he received a Readers’ Choice Award for “Best Foreign Language Film” in 1998.
  • He earned a Gold Derby TV Award for “Comedy Episode of the Year” in 2008.

With Barry continues directing popular films, we are confident that he will receive additional honors and accolades in the future.

What we do know is that it will not be a scary film, since he has stated that horror films worry him and are not something he appreciates at all.

How Does Barry Sonnenfeld Spend His Money?

Barry has put money into his Real Estate portfolio, with his first purchase being a Colorado ranch.

He offered the ranch for $13.3 million and sold it a few weeks later for $13.25 million. He and his wife currently live on a beautiful piece of land in British Columbia.

Barry is a true gadget freak who adores anything technological. He’d spend his days looking at the latest electronic toys, from flat-screen TVs to video cameras and Bluetooth speakers, if he could.

He also like cars, and the Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder, one of the most expensive cars in the world, is high on his list of dream vehicles.

Barry Sonnenfeld’s Career Highlights

When Barry graduated from film school, he had no idea where his career would take him.

He was aware of his talent for filmmaking and scriptwriting, but becoming a director was not initially on his agenda.

Here are some of Barry Sonnenfeld’s career highlights:

  • The third “Men in Black” film went on to become one of the world’s highest-grossing pictures of 2012.
  • Barry’s debut as a director came in 1991, when he worked for Paramount Pictures and directed “The Addams Family,” a hugely successful film.
  • In 2020, he published “Barry Sonnenfeld, Call Your Mother: Memoirs of a Neurotic Filmmaker” with Hachette Books.
  • From 1991 until 2012, all of the “Men in Black” flicks fueled Barry’s wildly successful career.
  • In 2008, his creation of “Pushing Daisies” set a career high.

Men in Black was one of his favorite films to work on since it was such an unusual concept, and the comic element appealed to his sense of humor.

He had trouble with Tommy Lee Jones at first because he wanted him to play it straight, not even replying to Will Smith when he said something amusing.

It took a while for Jones to achieve what Barry desired, but the end result contains some of the finest one-liners in film history.

Favorite Barry Sonnenfeld Quotes

Over the years, Barry has learned a lot, particularly how to deal with studio executives and their ideas.

He wishes he had learned to be less combative earlier in his career, because he obtained much better results when he treated the executive’s views with more respect.

Here are some of our favorite Barry Sonnenfeld quotes:

  • ” By definition, a sequel can’t be original. So, you’ve got to figure out what worked the first time around.”- Barry Sonnenfeld
  • ” I was seeing a lot of good things about Get Shorty when it came out, and my wife pointed out that if you validate the good reviews, you also must validate the bad reviews. ” – Barry Sonnenfeld
  • ” These movies are like my kids. I just love them to death. Some of them go to Harvard and some of them can barely graduate high school. ” – Barry Sonnenfeld
  • ” We should all relax about life because you don’t have a clue as to what’s going on. ” – Barry Sonnenfeld
  • ” Michael Jackson wanted to be in Men in Black II. He told me he had seen the first Men in Black in Paris and had stayed behind and sat there and wept. I had to explain to him that it was a comedy. ” – Barry Sonnenfeld

3 Amazing Lessons From Barry Sonnenfeld

Barry Sonnenfeld has attempted to take life less seriously and to appreciate every moment.

He was used to being the center of attention as an only child, so when he’s in a group of people, he automatically makes a point of being talkative and entertaining.

Now that you’ve learned everything there is to know about Barry Sonnenfeld’s net worth, here are some of the best success lessons you can take from him:

1. We Don’t Know What’s Next In Life, So Why Not Just Enjoy It While It Lasts?

As Barry has already stated, no one knows what life is or what will happen after it, so why not just enjoy it?

He seizes every opportunity, but he also takes time to appreciate what he has and the people around him.

2. Don’t Follow Your Dream For Money, Follow It For Your Passion

Even with movie sequels, Barry never tried to sell out, always staying as true to the original as possible.

He observes what audiences enjoy and attempts to provide more of the same. However, the bad assessments are equally essential, and he believes that he must take them equally seriously.

3. There is always bad news with good news.

It’s always nice to focus on the positive feedback, but sometimes focusing on the negative feedback might teach you what you need to improve on for future reference.

Barry understands that you cannot please everyone and that you must know when to draw the line and say no. But negative news has its lessons, and he strives to learn from them as well.

Summary

The Coen brothers discovered Barry’s work as a director and helped him generate some of the most amusing film content of the early 1980s.

With the success of Adams Family and subsequently Men in Black, he cemented his place as one of the top directors in the business.

He is now working on TV pilots, and his admirers are looking forward to hearing about his next spectacular film or series project.

The estimated net worth of Barry Sonnenfeld is to be $80 million as of December 2022.