Hank Azaria is a very popular American actor, voice-over artist, comedian, and writer. He is very popular for his voice-over for the popular animated sitcom The Simpsons. Although he joined the show with little to no voice acting experience, he surely aced it.
Hank has been voicing many characters in the sitcom, including, Moe Szyslak, Chief Wiggum, Comic Book Guy, Snake Jailbird, and formerly Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, Lou, Carl Carlson, and Bumblebee Man, among others.
Hank has created his unique identity in the industry and has also won several awards for his workmanship. He built his dream life and now leads it in luxury.
Hank’s struggle period
Hank was born in Manhattan part of New York City, on April 25, 1964. His parents are Ruth Altcheck and Albert Azaria. His father has several dress-manufacturing businesses while his mother raised him and his two sisters.
Back when he was a child, he would often “memorize and mimic” the scripts of films, shows, and stand-up comedy routines that he enjoyed. He developed an interest in acting after performing in a school play at the age of 16. He recalls being “obsessed with acting” at the expense of his academic studies.
Hank completed his high school at The Kew-Forest School in Queens’ Forest Hill neighborhood.
He had supportive parents who loved any type of show business. They stood by him and he went ahead to study drama at Tufts University from 1981-1985. He even befriended actor Oliver Platt during his college days. Seemingly, Hank was inspired by Oliver and even noticed that Platt was a better actor than him.
Hank went ahead to train at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He started his acting career at only 17 with an Italian advertisement.
He set up a theatre company, Big Theatre, along with Oliver in plans to predominantly keep working as theatre actors. Soon enough, Hank realized television would be a better option with more opportunities.
He then moved to Los Angeles after he was offered to work with the talent agent Harry Gold.
Azaria and his journey to success
Hank did not gain overnight success. According to him, his progress was gradual. He played several small roles in television series and films. He even became friends with Matthew Perry while shooting for the failed pilot Morning Maggie.
He kept working jobs between acting and training to supplement his earnings. He performed as a stand-up comedian and even served as a bartender for a catering firm.
Hank started getting recognition as he started voicing for The Simpsons. He had only one prior experience as a voice artist. It had been for the titular animated dog in the failed Fox pilot Hollywood Dog.
He impressed the production of The Simpsons and by the second season, he had the role. He created his mark with the animated show. His co-star in The Simpsons, Nancy Cartwright, wrote: “The thing about Hank that I most remember is that he started so unassuming and then, little by little, his abilities were revealed and his contributions to the show escalated. I realized Hank was going to be our breakaway star.”
Along with the animated sitcom, Hank has worked in several television shows, even appearing in the widely-loved Friends, as Phoebe’s boyfriend.
He kept working in theatres as well and acted in several films too. Hank also performed as a voice actor for various other shows and characters.
Mighty Million Net worth
Until, 1998, Hank’s pay was $30,000 per episode for The Simpsons. After that, all the voice actors demanded raise, and after years of disagreements and threats to stop the show, The voice artists finally began earning $300,000 per episode.
With all these earnings, and acting in several films and shows, Hank has a jaw-dropping net worth of over $90 million, That sure is a hefty amount. No wonder Hank said his progress was gradual.
Along with all these riches, Hank also won four Emmy Awards for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance for his work in The Simpsons. Overall, he has six Emmy Awards and even one Screen Actors Guild Award.
Conclusion
Without any connections and merely with a keen interest in acting, Hank Azaria made it big in life. He is most famous for his voice-over for The Simpsons.
Hank has a net worth of over $90 million. He still works and we can only expect more growth in the numbers
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