Friends is an iconic sitcom, the NBC series aired from 1994 to 2004, revolving around the lives of six friends in their 20’s living in New York. Although it finished 20 years ago, the show still airs globally. Friends earns $1 billion annually and the cast earns 2% of this figure. The Friends cast each earn $20 million per year.
In the first season, the cast were paid $22,500 per episode. This jumped to $1 million per episode in the last two seasons. Each actor made a whopping $22 million in the 10th season.
Wealthiest Cast Members on Friends:
1. Jennifer Aniston – $320 Million
Arguably the most famous on the list, Jennifer Aniston portrayed Rachel Green. Reportedly, Aniston was paid more than other cast members as her relationship with Ross was a hit in the early seasons.
Aniston started her career in off-Broadway productions. After Friends, she appeared in over 40 hit films, including Bruce Almighty, Horrible Bosses, Marley and Me and Along Came Polly.
Jennifer became one of the most sought-after actresses in Hollywood for comedic roles. Because of this, she took a break from television. Aniston returned in 2019 for The Morning Show on AppleTV+. This helped her net worth reach $320 million.
2. Courteney Cox – $150 Million
Courteney Cox played Monica Geller, a chef noted for her cleanliness and obsessive-compulsive personality. Monica was considered the “mother hen” of the group.
Outside of Friends, Cox gained fame as Gale Weathers in the Scream franchise, which started in 1996. After her breakthrough roles, Cox worked on several shows, like Modern Family, Talhotblond, and Cougar Town, as a performer and director.
Courteney also profited from Coquette Productions, a production firm she co-founded with her ex-husband. All of these endeavors give her an estimated net worth of $150 million.
3. Matthew Perry – $120 Million
Matthew Perry’s character was the sarcastic Chandler Bing. While filming Friends, Matthew was open about his battle against drug and alcohol addiction.
In 1992, Perry featured in an episode of Dream On where he first met Friends creators David Crane and Marta Kauffman. This link helped him secure Chandler’s role.
Perry passed away at 54 years old on 28 October 2023. Matthew was worth $120 million at the time of his death. His parents will inherit his earnings and estate as he has no spouse or children.
4. David Schwimmer – $120 Million
Ross Geller was played by none other than David Schwimmer. His most recognizable traits are his nerdy demeanor and awkward sense of humor, which make him a hopeless romantic.
David got his first regular role as the liberal child of a conservative television personality in the Fox sitcom Monty. After auditioning for Ross, Schwimmer initially turned down the role. Thankfully, he later changed his mind.
After Friends, he lent his voice to Melman, the giraffe in Madagascar. He also helped create theater plays with the production firm Lookingglass. Schwimmer’s net worth is around $120 million.
5. Lisa Kudrow – $90 Million
Lisa Kudrow portrayed the bohemian guitarist Phoebe Buffay. Phoebe always spoke her mind, making her one of the most influential fictional female figures on television.
As a student at the improv and sketch comedy school The Groundlings, Lisa started her career as a comic. This led to her starring in several sitcoms in the 1980s and 1990s.
After her successful stint with Friends, Kudrow appeared in movies like Bad Neighbors and Easy A, and TV shows, like BoJack Horseman and Scandal. Kudrow’s wealth is valued at $90 million.
6. Matt LeBlanc – $85 Million
Matt LeBlanc had one of the most memorable characters in Friends, whose reactions became meme material online. He played Joey Tribbiani, the dimwitted but kind hottie.
LeBlanc started his career appearing in commercials and music videos. LeBlanc only had $11 in his bank account before landing the role. Like other cast members on the show, his life turned around after Friends became a worldwide hit.
LeBlanc was given a spinoff series titled Joey after the series ended and it ran for two seasons. In 2016, Matt joined BBC’s Top Gear but left after three years. Although Matt now focuses on small-screen appearances, he still has a $85 million fortune.
