Lisa Kudrow: Friends Cast Earns $20M Yearly in Residuals

Lisa Kudrow disclosed that she and her "Friends" co-stars continue to earn about $20 million each annually in residuals from the sitcom, more than two decades after its 2004 finale. The 62-year-old actress shared the figure during a recent interview with The Times of London, attributing the substantial payments to the show's enduring popularity in syndication and streaming.

Kudrow, who portrayed Phoebe Buffay across the show's 10 seasons on NBC from 1994 to 2004, joked that the high residuals might stem from her character's appeal. "Because Phoebe Buffay was so great?" she said. The series premiered to immediate success, drawing an estimated 25 million weekly viewers at its peak, and its finale attracted over 52 million.

The cast's lucrative backend deal originated from their unified negotiations during production. Starting at $22,500 per episode in season one, they secured $1 million each for the final two seasons and later earned at least $2.5 million apiece for the 2021 reunion special. These agreements granted them a share of syndication revenue, fueling ongoing income as "Friends" remains a staple on platforms like Netflix and HBO Max.

Kudrow offered fresh reflections on the...