The cast of Friends made varying amounts of money per episode throughout the show’s run, with the most significant changes happening in the later seasons. Here’s a breakdown of their earnings:
1. Seasons 1–3: In the early seasons, the main cast members—Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, and David Schwimmer—earned around $22,500 per episode.
2. Seasons 4–5: By the fourth season, the cast’s salary was significantly raised to about $75,000 per episode.
3. Seasons 6–7: In the later seasons, the main cast members saw another salary increase, earning around $100,000 per episode.
4. Seasons 8–10: For the final three seasons of Friends, the cast’s salaries were raised again. They earned $1 million per episode, making them some of the highest-paid actors on television at the time.
As a result of their success and popularity, the six main cast members each negotiated collectively to receive the same pay during the later seasons, despite individual differences in their roles.
