Matthew Abram Groening is the creative mind behind The Simpsons, Futurama, and Disenchantment. Born February 15, 1954, in Portland, Oregon, this 71-year-old animator turned underground comics into a television empire. His estimated net worth of $600 million reflects nearly five decades of reshaping animated comedy.
Matt Groening didn’t start at the top. He washed dishes, worked in sewage treatment plants, and drew comics on a wobbly kitchen table. Today, his work has produced over 800 episodes and changed how audiences view prime-time animation.
Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
| Full Name | Matthew Abram Groening |
| Date of Birth | February 15, 1954 |
| Age | 71 years (as of 2025) |
| Height | 5’9″ (1.75 m) |
| Birthplace | Portland, Oregon, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Cartoonist, Writer, Producer, Animator |
| Famous For | The Simpsons, Futurama, Disenchantment |
| Net Worth | Estimated $600 million |
| Current Wife | Agustina Picasso (m. 2011) |
| Previous Wife | Deborah Caplan (m. 1986–1999) |
| Children | 11 children |
| Notable Awards | 14 Primetime Emmy Awards, Reuben Award, British Comedy Award |
Early Life
Matt Groening grew up as the middle of five children in Portland, Oregon. His father, Homer Philip Groening, worked as a filmmaker, advertiser, and cartoonist. His mother, Margaret Ruth Groening (née Wiggum), was a teacher of Norwegian American descent.
The family names became famous decades later. His parents Homer and Margaret Ruth, plus younger sisters Lisa and Maggie, all lent their names to The Simpsons main characters. His older brother Mark Groening later became the actual inspiration for Bart Simpson, not Matt himself.
Matt Groening attended Lincoln High School and graduated in 1972. He then enrolled at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, which he described as “a hippie college, with no grades or required classes, that drew every weirdo in the Northwest.” He served as editor of the campus newspaper and earned a Bachelor of Arts in journalism in 1977.
Life in Hell
Matt Groening moved to Los Angeles in 1977 at age 23 with dreams of becoming a writer. He took survival jobs including busing tables, washing dishes at a nursing home, and clerking at the Hollywood Licorice Pizza record store. He even worked landscaping in a sewage treatment plant to pay bills.
He began chronicling his struggles in a self-published comic book called “Life in Hell”. The strip featured distinctive rabbit characters dealing with work, relationships, and urban frustration. His first professional sale came in 1978 when Wet magazine published his strip “Forbidden Words.”
In April 1980, James Vowell at the Los Angeles Reader gave Groening a regular spot for his cartoons. The dark humor resonated with readers across alternative newspapers. At its peak, Life in Hell appeared in 250 weekly newspapers before Groening ended the strip on June 16, 2012.
The Simpsons Revolution
The turning point came in 1985 when producer James L. Brooks contacted Matt Groening about creating animated shorts. Polly Platt had shown Brooks copies of Life in Hell. Brooks wanted animation segments for The Tracey Ullman Show.
Groening feared losing ownership rights to his Life in Hell characters if the show failed. In Brooks’s office lobby, he quickly sketched a dysfunctional family instead. He created Homer, the overweight father; Marge, the slim mother with distinctive blue hair; Bart, the troublemaking oldest child; Lisa, the intelligent middle child; and Maggie, the baby.
The shorts first appeared on April 19, 1987, with Groening storyboarding every episode. He submitted basic sketches expecting animators to refine them. They simply traced over his drawings instead, creating the show’s signature crude style that became iconic.
The half-hour series premiered December 17, 1989, with “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire.” Groening later reflected: “Nobody thought The Simpsons was going to be a big hit. It sneaked up on everybody.” Now in its 36th year with over 800 episodes, the show continues producing new content.
At the Annecy Festival in 2025, Groening revealed the secret to longevity: “We don’t think about being responsible but our main motivation is to surprise ourselves.” He explained that layering different types of humor—from cinema parodies to personal anecdotes—keeps the show fresh according to Deadline. The team maintains hand-drawn animation quality despite digital advances.
Character Design Philosophy
Bart Simpson deserves special attention in Groening’s creative process. The name “Bart” is an anagram of “brat,” though Groening claimed it was too obvious to name a character after himself. In a 1995 interview, he revealed that his older brother Mark “is the actual inspiration for Bart.”
The yellow skin was a deliberate choice “to attract and deter channel surfers.” Groening wanted an unusual color that would make people stop flipping channels. Bart’s hair was standardized to exactly nine spikes, all the same size, after early shorts showed inconsistent designs.
Marge’s beehive hairstyle drew inspiration from The Bride of Frankenstein and Margaret Groening’s 1960s hairdo. Lisa’s distinctive starfish hair came from Groening admitting: “I couldn’t be bothered to even think about girls’ hair styles.” Many Springfield character names came directly from Portland street names—Flanders, Lovejoy, Powell, Quimby, and Kearney.
Futurama and Beyond
After years researching science fiction, Matt Groening collaborated with Simpsons writer David X. Cohen in 1997 to develop Futurama. The animated series explored life in the year 3000 with the same satirical edge. Groening described getting the show on air as “by far the worst experience of [his] grown-up life.”
Futurama premiered March 28, 1999, and ran four years on Fox before cancellation. Strong DVD sales and Adult Swim ratings brought it back to life. Comedy Central revived it from 2008-2013, and Hulu picked it up again in 2023 for new episodes.
In 2016, Groening began developing Disenchantment for Netflix, describing it as “taking the genre of fantasy and fairy tales and seeing how far I can go with it.” The show ran from August 17, 2018, to September 1, 2023. Groening has won 14 Primetime Emmy Awards total—12 for The Simpsons and 2 for Futurama.
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Voice Acting Controversy
The 2018 documentary “The Problem With Apu” sparked intense debate about The Simpsons’ portrayal of ethnic minority characters. White voice actors had voiced non-white characters for decades. Groening initially defended the approach, stating: “Times change, but I actually didn’t have a problem with the way we were doing it.”
The show addressed criticism through Lisa Simpson, who looked at the camera saying: “Something that started decades ago and was applauded and inoffensive is now politically incorrect. What can you do?” Fans and critics found this response dismissive. The Simpsons eventually reversed course and began recasting non-white roles with appropriate voice actors.
Groening later acknowledged the need for change across the industry. He stated: “I absolutely agree with that. And we’re trying to make it better. Bigotry and racism are still an incredible problem and it’s good to finally go for more equality and representation” according to BBC News. The show now prioritizes authentic representation in casting decisions.
Personal Life
Matt Groening married Deborah Caplan in 1986 and had two sons together. Homer Groening (who goes by Will) was born in 1991, and Abe Groening followed in 1993. Both sons occasionally appeared portrayed as rabbits in Life in Hell strips.
The couple divorced in 1999 after 13 years of marriage. In 2011, he married Argentine artist Agustina Picasso after a four-year relationship. Groening became stepfather to Picasso’s daughter Camila Costantini.
The couple has since had eight children together: Nathaniel Philip (2013), twins Luna Margaret and India Mia (2015), twins Sol Matthew and Venus Ruth (2018), Nirvana (2020), Satori (2022), and Shivani (2024). This brings Groening’s total to 11 children at age 71, making him one of the busiest fathers in the entertainment industry.
Political Views and Activities
Matt Groening has made campaign contributions exclusively to Democratic Party candidates throughout his career. He donated to presidential campaigns for Al Gore (2000) and John Kerry (2004). Senate contributions went to Barbara Boxer, Dianne Feinstein, Ted Kennedy, Hillary Clinton, and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
In a 1999 Wired interview, Groening said his first act as president would be “campaign finance reform.” He called modern campaign funding “a real detriment to democracy.” His first cousin, Laurie Monnes Anderson, served in the Oregon State Senate representing eastern Multnomah County.
Groening has expressed “great disdain” for former President Richard Nixon. He enjoyed making Nixon the butt of jokes in both The Simpsons and Futurama. His political views have remained consistent with progressive Democratic positions throughout his public career.
Awards and Recognition
Matt Groening received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on February 14, 2012—his 58th birthday. The star sits at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard. In 2002, he won the National Cartoonist Society Reuben Award for Life in Hell, and in 2004, received a British Comedy Award for “outstanding contribution to comedy.”
The Simpsons also earned Peabody Awards in 1997 and 2020. The Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame inducted Groening in 2016, and he received the Winsor McCay Award at the 2011 Annie Awards. In October 2008, The London Telegraph named Groening the third greatest living genius.
A panel from Creators Synectics compiled the list of top 100 living geniuses. Total across all awards: 98 wins from 227 nominations throughout his career. His influence on animation storytelling and comedic timing continues to shape modern television.
Cultural Impact and Legacy
Matt Groening’s influence extends far beyond television ratings and awards. He proved that prime-time animation could tackle sophisticated social commentary while remaining entertaining. The Simpsons paved the way for shows like Family Guy, South Park, and Bob’s Burgers.
Simpsons memes have become a global phenomenon, with fans finding episodes that seemingly “predict” future events. At Annecy in 2025, when questioned about predictions including a President Trump episode years before reality, Groening joked: “All the conspiracy theories are true.” He compared fan art and meme culture to seeing his early comic strips in gutters—both made him feel part of the cultural landscape.
Groening’s brother-in-law Craig Bartlett created Hey Arnold!, Dinosaur Train, and Ready Jet Go!. This family connection shows Groening’s influence on the next generation of animators. His advice to young animators at Annecy became emotional: “Whatever you’re working on, finish it. The world is full of half-finished pieces of animation, so finish it and get it out there.”
Matt Groening Net Worth
According to Celebrity Net Worth Matt Groening’s estimated net worth stands at $600 million as of 2025. His wealth comes primarily from The Simpsons syndication rights and merchandising deals. The show generates billions in revenue through licensing, theme park attractions, and product sales worldwide.
Groening founded Bongo Comics in 1993 with Steve Vance, Cindy Vance, and Bill Morrison. The company published comics based on The Simpsons and Futurama before closing. He also formed Zongo Comics, an imprint for mature readers that published work by Mary Fleener and Gary Panter.
His multiple streaming deals with Netflix and Hulu for Disenchantment and Futurama revivals add substantial income. The Simpsons Movie (2007) grossed over $527 million worldwide. Despite being past retirement age, Groening continues developing new projects and earning from his extensive catalog.
Conclusion
Matt Groening transformed from an underground cartoonist into one of television’s most influential creators. His journey from drawing Life in Hell comics at the Los Angeles Reader to creating three groundbreaking animated series spans nearly five decades. At 71, he continues working on new episodes from home, sitting in the same chair he’s used since the pandemic began.
His legacy lives through The Simpsons’ 800+ episodes, the continued revival of Futurama, and generations of animators he’s inspired. Groening’s philosophy remains consistent: surprise yourself first, layer the humor, and never condescend to audiences. His refusal to compromise on hand-drawn quality and commitment to sophisticated comedy wrapped in accessible entertainment created a body of work that will influence creators for generations.
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FAQs About Matt Groening
How old is Matt Groening?
Matt Groening is 71 years old, born February 15, 1954.
What is Matt Groening’s net worth?
According to Celebrity Net Worth his estimated net worth is $600 million from The Simpsons syndication and merchandising.
How tall is Matt Groening?
Matt Groening stands 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 meters) tall.
Who is Matt Groening’s wife?
He is married to Argentine artist Agustina Picasso since 2011.
How many children does Matt Groening have?
Matt Groening has 11 children total across two marriages.
Did Matt Groening create The Simpsons alone?
He created the characters in James L. Brooks’s office lobby and co-developed the show with Brooks and Sam Simon.
Why are The Simpsons yellow?
To attract channel surfers with an unusual, eye-catching color.
Is Futurama coming back?
Yes, Hulu revived Futurama in 2023 with new episodes.
Where did Springfield’s name come from?
Springfield is a generic American town name, while many character names came from Portland streets.
What awards has Matt Groening won?
14 Primetime Emmy Awards, Reuben Award, British Comedy Award, and a Hollywood Walk of Fame star.
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