Elaine Chappelle (L) and actor/comedian Dave Chappelle pose ringside at “Mayweather VS Pacquiao” (Getty )
For the past ten years, comedian Dave Chappelle has managed to stay out of the spotlight. Since the final Chappelle Show episode, we haven’t heard much from the funny guy, but tonight, he’s stepping back into the picture by taking on the first SNL hosting gig since Donald Trump was elected president. While Chappelle fans are well aware of his role in films like Half Baked, Woo, 200 Cigarettes, and Undercover Brother, few know the details of his personal life. Who is Chappelle married to? Is his wife a comedian, too?
Read on to learn about Elaine Chappelle, Dave Chappelle’s wife.
1. She Is of Filipina Descent
Elaine Chappelle (nee Erfe) is from the Phillippines. In 2010, the couple attended the annual Philippines-American picnic in Dayton Ohio. You can watch the footage here.
2. They Have Been Married for 15 Years
Elaine Chappelle (L) and Dave Chappelle attend SNL 40th Anniversary Celebration at Rockefeller Plaza on February 15, 2015 in New York City. (Getty)
Dave and Elaine Chappelle married in 2001. In an interview with MTV, Chappelle discussed his life as a comedian. He told the network, “This is the only job I’ve had since I was 14. My wife asked me once if I weren’t a comedian what I would do. I couldn’t answer the question. I never imagined doing anything else. Maybe until six months ago, anyway.”
CBS News describes Chappelle as a “devoted family man and all-around nice guy.”
3. They Have 3 Children
Actress and comedian Dave Chappelle with wife Elaine Chappelle and daughter Sonal Chappelle pose on the red carpet during the 18th Annual Mark Twain Prize For Humor. (Getty)
Chappelle and Elaine have three children– sons Sulayman and Ibrahim, and daughter Sonal.
In 2014, the New Yorker published an article titled “Who’s Your Daddy?” about Chappelle’s comeback. In the piece, the comedian is quoted as saying, “My wife is Asian, and my kids have somehow turned out to be Puerto Rican… My mother is half white. If I grew my hair out, you would think it was a Katt Williams concert. My grandparents were biracial—from rape, but what can you do.”
4. The Family Lives on a 65-Acre Farm
Comedian Dave Chappelle and Elaine Chappelle (L) arrive for the GQ Men of the Year Party, at Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood, California, on December 4, 2014. (Getty)
Chappelle and his family live on a 65-acre farm in Ohio cornfields, according to CBS.
The home is near Antioch College, where Chappelle’s father taught music. In his interview with MTV, the comedian discussed why he prefers living in Ohio over Los Angeles or New York.
I love Ohio. … Being famous is great, it’s not like bad or horrible or anything. But it has nothing to do with who you actually are. And that’s a real important lesson to learn, because I’m telling you, this can be overwhelming. So I like Ohio because it reminds me of that. It’s hard to get comfortable, but I’ve managed to get comfortable. I still travel all the time, but it’s still nice to have 65 acres to just chill out. And the idea is it’ll keep you balanced.
5. They Have an Estimated Net Worth of $22 Million
Dave Chappelle and his wife have an estimated net worth of $22 million.
The comedian grew up in Washington, DC, and attended the Duke Ellington School of the Arts before moving to NYC and pursuing a career in comedy. In 1993, he appeared in Mel Brooks’ film Robin Hood: Men in Tights, and in 2004, Michael Gondry directed Dave Chappelle’s Block Party, which was a documentary about a rap concert hosted by Chappelle.