Jennifer Tilly, actress and star of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills," continues to benefit financially from her divorce settlement with "The Simpsons" co-creator Sam Simon.
Reflecting on her past during a recent "RHOBH" episode, Tilly acknowledges the lasting impact of her divorce. “It takes a really long time to get over a divorce,” she admits. However, there’s one aspect she remains grateful for.
“My ex-husband was Sam Simon, who created 'The Simpsons,'” Tilly shares. “I was married to him for seven years, and we were together for about 10. When we divorced, I got a piece of 'The Simpsons' in the settlement, and no one could have predicted the show would run for what feels like forever.”
Tilly expresses her continued appreciation. “Every day I’m like, ‘Thank you, Sam.’”
Tilly and Simon were married from 1984 to 1991. "The Simpsons," developed by Simon, James L. Brooks, and cartoonist Matt Groening, premiered on Fox in 1989. Now in its 36th season, the series remains a cultural institution, celebrated for its celebrity guest appearances and uncanny predictions of real-life events.
Although Simon left "The Simpsons" in 1993, he secured a lucrative deal for a share of royalties and syndication profits. In a 2007 "60 Minutes" interview, Simon revealed he earned over $10 million annually from the show’s ongoing success.
Tilly, known for her Academy Award-nominated role in Bullets Over Broadway and her portrayal of Tiffany Valentine in the Chucky franchise, joined "RHOBH" as a "Friend" during its 14th season after previous guest appearances. Aside from voice work on a 2012 episode of "The Simpsons," she holds no creative credits on the series.
In a 2021 interview with Los Angeles Magazine's "The Originals" podcast, Tilly disclosed she receives about one-third of Simon’s continued earnings from "The Simpsons."
“I used to take on a lot of film projects because the roof was leaking or the plumbing needed fixing,” she explained. “Now I don’t have to.”
Simon himself reflected on his financial windfall with a mix of gratitude and disbelief. “When I was involved, I felt underpaid and undervalued,” he admitted. “Now I feel the opposite. I get too much credit, and the money is ridiculous.”
Before his passing from colorectal cancer in 2015, Simon donated his entire fortune to charitable causes, cementing his legacy both professionally and philanthropically.
