The Friends cast made history over two decades ago when they negotiated their million-dollar paycheck.

FRIENDS star Matthew Perry stole hearts across the globe for his role as the charming and sarcastic Chandler Bing in the 90’s sitcom.

He tragically passed away at the age of 54 on Saturday, October 28, 2023.

1

Matthew Perry played Chandler Bing in the 90s sitcom FriendsCredit: Getty

What was Matthew Perry’s net worth in 2023?

Matthew Perry not only starred in the iconic Friends series, but he also made appearances in film and TV favourites throughout his career.

He starred in movies like The Ron Clark Story, Fools Rush In, The Whole Nine Yards, and 17 Again.

As of October, the actor had an estimated net worth of $120million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

His giant fortune was thanks to his career not only in acting but also for his work as an executive producer and screenwriter.

How much was Matthew Perry paid for Friends?

The TV icon played the well-recognized character, Chandler Bing, in the 90s Friends sitcom, which aired for over ten years.

In 2002, Perry and his five co-stars made history by striking the first-ever $1million per-episode pay deal, according to US Weekly.

The cast negotiated together and threatened to quit the show if they were not paid the same.

At the time, it was the largest-ever paycheck for a 30-minute-long TV show.

In the early days of Friends, according to MarketPlace, Perry, Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Courtney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer were reportedly paid $22,500 per episode.

But by the third season, the group was reportedly making $100,000 per episode.

Perry is reported to have earned at least $90million from his decade on Friends.

But his payout from Friends didn’t stop when the series ended.

In 2004 when the show came to an end, the clever negotiation skills of the cast meant they have each made significant profits in the years since thanks to syndication payments.

While Warner Bros earns about $1billion a year from reruns of the show, USA Today reported in 2015, the six cast members were pocketing around 2 per cent of that – an annual income of about $20million.

How does his net worth compare to other Friends’ costars?

Although Perry’s net worth is reportedly a staggering $120million, some of his Friends’ costars have overtaken this figure.

His friend in the sitcom Rachel Green, played by Jennifer Aniston, has a huge net worth of $320million, according to Cosmopolitan.

And it’s unsurprising, considering she’s been a household name for the past two and a half decades.

Aniston has been in 70 movies and has also directed and produced her own.

David Schwimmer played Ross Geller on Friends and the love interest of Rachel Green.

His estimated net worth sits at a whopping $134million.

Schwimmer’s career extended far beyond Friends and into the broader realms of TV and film.

He voiced the character Melman in the successful animated film series Madagascar.

And he has also ventured into producing and directing various projects including the critically acclaimed miniseries Band of Brothers.

Ross Geller’s sister in Friends, Monica Geller, played by Courtney Cox, is now estimated to have a net worth of around $189million.

She starred in all 236 of the show’s episodes over 10 seasons between 1994 and 2004.

Outside of Friends, both before and after, she has enjoyed a successful film and television career.

Prior to Friends she notably starred in the 1994 Jim Carrey movie Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and 19 episodes of Family Ties in the late 1980s.

After Friends, she starred in the series Dirt which lasted 20 episodes, and Cougar Town, which aired 102 episodes.

She’s also best known for starring in the “Scream” franchise, having made appearances in six installments to date.

In 2023, Courteney Cox received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Matt LeBlanc, who played heartthrob Joey Tribbiani in Friends, has an estimated net worth of of around $126million.

The actor’s first on-screen appearance was in a Heinz Tomato Ketchup advert but his portrayal of Joey earned him a significant source of income, and his character ended up receiving a spin-off series titled Joey.

LeBlanc also entered the world of automobile culture by becoming a host of Top Gear.

Finally, Phoebe Buffay, played by Lisa Kudrow has an estimated net worth of roughly $110million, according to Business Insider.

She has earned accolades for her work in The Comeback and voice-acted in BoJack Horseman, a popular cartoon series.

She also starred in the cult comedy film Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion and is currently working alongside Mary McCormack as an executive producer on 25 Words or Less, the game show.