The cast of “Friends” may have wrapped the show more than 20 years ago, but the checks haven’t stopped rolling in.
Reruns and Royalties
Each of the six main stars — Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, the late Matthew Perry, and David Schwimmer — reportedly earned about $20 million per year from syndication and streaming royalties as long as a decade after the show’s final season, according to USA Today.
Their ongoing payday stemmed from a seemingly savvy deal made in 2000, when the actors negotiated a share of the show’s syndication profits. That decision paid off in a big way, with “Friends” continuing to generate massive revenue through global reruns and streaming platforms.
The show’s enduring appeal has made it one of the most valuable pieces of TV content in history, and the cast’s annual earnings are a testament to its lasting popularity — and to the power of a well-timed contract negotiation..
The cast includes Aniston as Rachel Green, Cox as Monica Geller, Kudrow as Phoebe Buffay, LeBlanc as Joey Tribbianni, Schwimmer as Ross Geller, and the late Perry as Chandler Bing.
Perry had passed away at 54 on Oct. 28, 2023, following a ketamine incident at his home hot tub in Pacific Palisades, Calif.
While $20 million per actor may seem like a generous payout for a series that ended in 2004, it represents only a fraction of the value “Friends” generates for Warner Bros.
The company earns about $1 billion each year from global rerun licensing, DVD sales, and streaming rights—including its presence on Warner Bros. Discovery’s HBO Max platform, People Magazine reported.
Friends originally aired from 1994 to 2004, spanning 10 seasons and 236 episodes, with a reunion special released on HBO Max in 2021.
During its original broadcast, each episode averaged between 20 million and 30 million viewers, with some peak episodes drawing over 50 million viewers in the U.S. alone, Business Insider reported.
During the early seasons of “Friends,” cast salaries ranged between $22,500 and $40,000 per episode, with Aniston and Schwimmer earning more due to the spotlight on Ross and Rachel’s relationship.
But by season 3, the six actors united to negotiate equal pay, securing $75,000 per episode each.
Their earnings steadily climbed — from $85,000 in Season 4 to $100,000 in season 5, and $125,000 in season 6, The New York Times reported.
The real payday came in seasons 7 and 8, when they each earned $750,000 per episode.
For the final two seasons, the cast made $1 million per episode, being one of the most lucrative ensemble deals in TV history.
Each star reportedly made $22 million for the final season, season 10.