Sterling K. Brown Net Worth

What is Sterling K. Brown's Net Worth and Salary?

Sterling K. Brown is an American actor who has a net worth of $20 million. Sterling K. Brown is an Emmy and Golden Globe-winning American actor known for his dynamic range across television, film, and stage. He first gained widespread acclaim for his portrayal of prosecutor Christopher Darden in the FX limited series "The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story" (2016), which earned him an Emmy. That same year, he began his six-season run as Randall Pearson on the NBC drama "This Is Us," a role that brought him numerous accolades, including another Emmy and a Golden Globe—making him the first African-American actor to win the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Television Drama.

Brown has also appeared in films such as "Black Panther," "Waves," "Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.," and "American Fiction," for which he received his first Academy Award nomination in 2024.

In 2025, Brown starred in the Hulu thriller series "Paradise," created by Dan Fogelman. He plays Xavier Collins, a Secret Service agent framed for the president's assassination in a dystopian underground bunker. The series was a critical success and was renewed for a second season.

This is Us Salary

For the first two seasons, Sterling earned $100,000 per episode of "This is Us." Starting in 2018, ahead of the third season and through the series finale in 2022, Sterling K. Brown earned a salary of $250,000 per episode. In other words, he earned $100,000 for the show's first 36 episodes and $250,000 for the remaining 70 episodes. Together, that means Sterling earned a total of ($3.6 million + $17.5 million) $21.1 million for his work on This is Us before syndication royalties.

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Early Life and Education

Sterling K. Brown was born on April 5, 1976 in St. Louis, Missouri to Sterling Sr. and Aralean. He has two brothers and two sisters. Brown grew up in suburban Olivette and was educated at Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School. When he was ten, his father passed away. For his higher education, Brown went to Stanford University, graduating with his BFA in acting in 1998. He went on to attend graduate school at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, from which he obtained his MFA.

Television Career

Brown had his first major role on television from 2002 to 2004, playing the recurring role of Officer Edward Dade on the NBC crime drama "Third Watch." During that time, he also made appearances on the shows "Hack," "Tarzan," "ER," "NYPD Blue," and "JAG." In 2005, Brown had a main role on the short-lived FX sitcom "Starved." After that, he appeared in episodes of various shows, including "Alias," "Smith," "Without a Trace," and "Supernatural," playing the recurring part of vampire hunter Gordon Walker on the latter. Brown landed his biggest television role yet in 2007 when he started playing Dr. Roland Burton on the Lifetime series "Army Wives." The show ran for seven seasons through 2013. During the show's run, he made guest appearances on such series as "Eli Stone," "Medium," "The Good Wife," "Harry's Law," "Nikita," and "NCIS," and had a recurring role on the science-fiction crime series "Person of Interest."

In 2016, Brown starred in "The People v. O. J. Simpson," the first season of the FX true-crime anthology series "American Crime Story." He portrayed lawyer Christopher Darden, one of the prosecutors in the Simpson murder case. For his performance, Brown won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie. Also in 2016, he began playing the main role of Randall Pearson on the NBC family drama series "This is Us." The popular show, which ran for six seasons through 2022, garnered Brown Emmy, Golden Globe, and SAG Awards. He made some notable guest appearances on other shows during the run of "This is Us," including on "Insecure" and "Brooklyn Nine-Nine." In 2019, he had a recurring role in the third season of "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel." Brown has also lent his voice to some shows, including the animated series "Big Mouth," "Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts," and "Solar Opposites."

In 2025, Sterling K. Brown expanded his television repertoire by starring in the Hulu political thriller series "Paradise." Created by Dan Fogelman, known for "This Is Us," the show features Brown as Xavier Collins, a Secret Service agent who becomes the prime suspect in the assassination of President Cal Bradford, portrayed by James Marsden. Set in a post-apocalyptic underground bunker housing 25,000 survivors after a global catastrophe, the series delves into themes of political intrigue, survival, and personal redemption.

"Paradise" premiered on Hulu on January 26, 2025, and was later broadcast on ABC, garnering positive reviews for its suspenseful storytelling and Brown's compelling performance. The series was renewed for a second season in February 2025, with production commencing shortly thereafter. Season two is anticipated to premiere in early 2026, continuing the narrative of Xavier's quest to uncover the truth behind the president's death and the secrets of the bunker community.

Brown's portrayal of Xavier Collins showcases his versatility as an actor, transitioning from his previous role in "This Is Us" to a more action-oriented character entangled in a complex web of conspiracy and survival. His performance in "Paradise" has been lauded for bringing depth and nuance to a character navigating moral ambiguity and personal loss in a dystopian setting.

Sterling K. Brown

Film Career

Brown debuted on the big screen in 2002 with a tiny part in the romcom "Brown Sugar." He had a bigger role three years later in the romantic dramedy "Trust the Man." In 2008, Brown appeared in the action thriller "Righteous Kill," starring Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. He next played a parole officer in the dramedy "Our Idiot Brother." In 2013, Brown starred alongside Mekhi Phifer and William Sadler in "The Suspect." His subsequent credits included the biographical war dramedy "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot," the biographical baseball film "Spaceman," and the biographical legal drama "Marshall," starring Chadwick Boseman. Brown reunited with Boseman in 2018 in the Marvel superhero film "Black Panther." The same year, he appeared in the dystopian drama "Hotel Artemis" and the science-fiction action sequel "The Predator."

In 2019, Brown gave an acclaimed performance in the drama "Waves," playing the domineering father of a high school wrestler and a younger girl. He also lent his voice to two animated sequel films: "The Angry Birds Movie 2," in which he voiced Garry, and "Frozen II," in which he voiced Lieutenant Destin Mattias. Next, in 2020, Brown played a CIA officer turned private intelligence broker in the action thriller "The Rhythm Section," starring Blake Lively and Jude Law. Two years later, he starred opposite Regina Hall in the comedy "Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.," playing the pastor of a Southern Baptist megachurch.

Personal Life

Brown married actress Ryan Michelle Bathe in 2006. The pair met as college students at Stanford. Together, they have two sons named Andrew and Amaré.

Real Estate

In 2011, Sterling and Ryan paid $675,000 for a home in Los Angeles. They still own this home, though they now use it as a rental property. In March 2019, they paid $2.15 million for another home in Los Angeles.

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