Lisa Kudrow has shared some surprising financial details about the ongoing earnings of the Friends cast. The actress, who played Phoebe Buffay throughout the show’s run from 1994 to 2004, revealed in an interview with the Times of London that she and her co-stars earn a staggering $27 million AUD ($20 million USD) annually from residual payments.
Fans were captivated by this revelation, but not everyone in the cast is pleased with the public disclosure. According to insider sources, some members of the Friends cast were taken aback by Kudrow’s openness about their earnings. An anonymous source told Rob Shuter for his Naughty But Nice Substack that the cast had always kept their financial arrangements private.
“Nobody talks about the money. That has always been the unspoken rule,” the source said. “They’ve always been disciplined about it. You never hear Jennifer talking about residuals. You never hear Courteney talking about syndication checks. There’s a reason for that.”
The insiders suggest that keeping this information confidential was a strategic decision, both for public perception and personal safety. They claim that Kudrow’s comments have put the entire cast in the spotlight.
“Lisa just put a target on all of their backs,” the source claimed. “Once people hear that number, everything changes — security, expectations, lawsuits, pressure, even who starts asking for money.”
Kudrow recently opened up about her emotional experience rewatching Friends after the passing of her co-star Matthew Perry. She spoke candidly to Capital FM, sharing how watching the show again brought her comfort during a difficult time.
“After Matthew passed away, there were marathons [on TV] and that was really comforting watching the show, also just because it makes me laugh, and there he was,” she said. “He was so funny, I mean, the funniest. Sorry everybody else, but just truly.”
The iconic sitcom is available for streaming on HBO Max, allowing fans to revisit the beloved series whenever they choose.
