Chris Tucker is an actor who rose to fame thanks to the success of the “Rush Hour“ films, alongside Jackie Chan. He is also a stand-up comedian with several beloved comedy specials under his belt. And though he’s not as popular as he once was, Tucker is still revered as one of the greatest comedic talents in the world.

However, at the height of his popularity, Tucker actually had a negative net worth. How was that possible? And has anything changed since that time?

Let’s take a look at Chris Tucker’s net worth in 2021, and see if he’s doing any better now.

Chris Tucker Net Worth 2021: No Longer In The Red

In 2021, Celebrity Net Worth reveals Chris Tucker has a net worth of $5 million.

While that’s certainly nothing to sneeze at, it’s a long way away from what his net worth could be.

When “Rush Hour” became a success, he negotiated a staggering $20 million salary to appear in the sequel. Then, he negotiated another contract which also included his salary for “Rush Hour 3.” And on top of that, he negotiated a contract to take home 20 percent of the gross (not net) receipts from “Rush Hour 3.”

In total, it’s estimated that Chris Tucker negotiated more than $60 million in contracts at the peak of his career, and $50 million from the “Rush Hour” franchise alone.

So, what went wrong?

The IRS Is Like Death: It Comes For Everybody

Like many celebrities — and like many more people, in general, than perhaps you realize — Chris Tucker ran afoul of the IRS. For that reason, he had a negative net worth.

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Tucker began owing Uncle Sam his fair share beginning in 2011. It was estimated that Tucker owed $11 million for the 2001, 2002, 2004, and 2005 tax years. And by the time 2014 rolled around, that number was at a whopping $14 million. Ultimately, he settled the debt in 2014.

But that’s not all that hit Chris Tucker in the pockets. A series of bad real estate deals also put him on the skids. In 2014, he reportedly said that he didn’t make enough money to pay his bills.

The worst deal he made was in 2007 when he bought a house in Florida for $6 million. After being threatened with foreclosure, he ultimately sold the property for $1.7 million in 2012.

But he did make some other real estate deals that worked out. In 2009, he sold a California property for $3 million, after paying $2.4 million for it in 2001. And in 2013, he sold a $1.1 million property in California for more than $2 million.

Don’t expect Chris Tucker to reprise some of his classic routines or appear in any of his “typical” films, though. He’s reportedly a born-again Christian, and as a result of his newfound faith, he said he will no longer use profanity in films or comedy routines.

Jackie Chan

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