What is Raúl De Molina's Net Worth and Salary?
Raúl De Molina is a television presenter and journalist who has a net worth of $18 million. Raúl De Molina best known as the co-host of the Univision Spanish-language pop culture news show "El Gordo y la Flaca," alongside model Lili Estefan. Lili Estefan is the niece of music producer, Emilio Estefan who is married to award-winning singer/actress, Gloria Estefan.
Since "El Gordo y la Flaca" began in 1998, Raúl De Molina has won multiple Daytime Emmy Awards for his hosting work. Molina has made numerous other television appearances over the years, including on such news programs as "Primer Impacto," "Ocurrió Así," and "Club Telemundo," as well as at various live entertainment events.
Salary
At the peak of "El Gordo y la Flaca" in the early 2000s, Raul's salary was $7 million per year. As the show's ratings waned over the years, his salary was reduced several times, first to $4 million and then again to the current $2 million per year.
Early Life and Education
Raúl De Molina was born on March 29, 1959 in Havana, Cuba. His father was detained as a political prisoner for 24 years by the country's Communist Party. When De Molina was 10, he moved with his family to Spain; about six years after that, they moved to the United States. Settling in Florida, De Molina attended the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale as a young adult. He also attended Miami Photography College.
Photojournalism Career
After his graduation from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, De Molina worked as a freelance photographer for the Associated Press. He went on to do freelance photojournalism for Time, Newsweek, U.S. News & World Report, and USA Today. Originally documenting news and live sporting events, De Molina eventually became a celebrity photographer, capturing such famous faces as Oprah Winfrey, Robert De Niro, and Diana, Princess of Wales. His photos appeared in such global publications as Life and Paris Match. Additionally, De Molina served as a special contributor to the Spanish edition of the magazine Travel + Leisure.
Television Career
In the 1990s, De Molina began appearing regularly on television talk shows, such as "The Joan Rivers Show" and "Geraldo." Thanks to these early television appearances, he attracted the attention of the Spanish-language channels Telemundo and Univision. After making appearances on those networks, De Molina landed his breakthrough television gig as co-host of the Univision pop culture news show "El Gordo y la Flaca," which premiered in 1998. He was joined as host by Cuban model Lili Estefan, the niece of singer-songwriter Gloria Estefan and music mogul Emilio Estefan. Filmed in Miami, Florida, "El Gordo y la Flaca" features interviews with actors, musicians, and myriad other celebrities. Elsewhere on Spanish-language television, De Molina has hosted and/or reported for such programs as "Primer Impacto," "Club Telemundo," "Hola América," and "Ocurrió Así." He has also covered many live events, including the Latin Grammy Awards in Las Vegas and the annual New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square, Manhattan.
On English-language television, De Molina appeared on the culinary show "After Hours with Daniel Boulud" in 2008. Later, in 2011, he served as a judge on the Food Network cooking show "Iron Chef America." The following year, De Molina was a judge for Miss America 2012 alongside Kris Jenner, Lara Spencer, and Mark Ballas. Among his other appearances, he has been a guest on the talk shows "The Chew," "The Wendy Williams Show," and "The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore."
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Other Contributions
In his other contributions to media, De Molina has written for HuffPost and AOL News. In 2008, he published his book "La Dieta del Gordo," which covers his struggles with his weight and his secret to losing 70 pounds. De Molina was later featured prominently in the 2020 Netflix documentary film "Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado," about the life and career of the titular Puerto Rican astrologer.
On the philanthropic side of things, De Molina has supported a number of organizations focused on children's health. He sponsors the Miami Children's Health Foundation, Voices for Children, and the Nicklaus Children's Hospital, and is also an ambassador of the latter.
Personal Life
In 1994, De Molina married his wife Millie, with whom he has a daughter named Mia. He is known to travel extensively, documenting his journeys through photography. Additionally, De Molina is an avid collector of watches, art, and cars. His car collection includes a 2006 Ford GT40 and a special edition 2013 Mini Cooper GP.
A survivor of kidney cancer, De Molina has often spoken publicly about his health struggles. He has talked about his efforts to lose weight and to improve his wellbeing.
Real Estate
In February 2017 Raul paid $2.6 million for a 3,000 square foot condo in Miami. He listed the unit for sale in December of that year for $3.1 million, but did not find a buyer. He finally sold the unit in August 2020 at a loss, for $2.385 million.
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