Lisa Kudrow reveals surprising 'Friends' earnings 20 years later

Lisa Kudrow recently shared that she and her fellow "Friends" actors each earn $20 million annually in residuals, decades after the show concluded. She spoke about this during an interview with the Times of London.

Reflecting on "Friends"

Kudrow, known for her role as Phoebe Buffay from 1994 to 2004, watched "Friends" again after the passing of co-star Matthew Perry in 2023 at age 54. She expressed a newfound appreciation for the show and called it a work of genius.

While Kudrow acknowledged doing okay as Phoebe, she praised Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox for their roles and highlighted David Schwimmer and Matt LeBlanc's performances. In addition, she noted that Matthew Perry stood out among them all.

Behind-the-Scenes Tensions

Kudrow revealed that despite the show's success, there were behind-the-scenes conflicts between the cast and writers. The cast initially earned $22,500 per episode but escalated to $1 million by the final seasons.

The atmosphere could be tense at times, especially when performing before a live audience. Kudrow also addressed inappropriate comments about female cast members by some writers, which led to a sexual harassment lawsuit in 2004 that was ultimately dismissed.

Lasting Impact

Despite these challenges, Kudrow maintains a positive view of "Friends," acknowledging its enduring quality over two decades later. She emphasized that many contemporaneous shows featuring well-known comedians did not achieve the same comedic success as "Friends."