Matthew Perry, 'Friends' cast earned millions from show's residuals each year
Matthew Perry played the role of Chandler Bing on 'Friends' from 1994-2004
As "Friends" fans mourn the loss of Matthew Perry, a glimpse at how much the actor made in residuals from the hit show is a testament to the sitcom's popularity even nearly 20 years after it ended.
"Friends" ran for 10 seasons, from 1994 to 2004, and while each cast member was paid $1 million per episode in the last few years of airing, they continued to make millions of dollars annually off their parts after it went off the air.
The cast of "Friends," from left, Matthew Perry as Chandler Bing, Jennifer Aniston as Rachel Green, David Schwimmer as Ross Geller, Courteney Cox as Monica Geller, Matt Le Blanc as Joey Tribbiani, and Lisa Kudrow as Phoebe Buffay, circa 1995. (NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Perry and co-stars Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Courteney Cox, Matt Le Blanc and Lisa Kudrow were each earning $20 million annually in syndication income from Warner Bros. for their past roles on "Friends" as of 2018, and that number was reportedly even higher after the show's reruns were picked up by Netflix, according to Marketplace.
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| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WBD | WARNER BROS. DISCOVERY INC. | 9.95 | +0.45 | +4.74% |
| NFLX | NETFLIX INC. | 883.85 | +12.53 | +1.44% |
The six actors had a deal that paid them each 2% of syndication income from "Friends," when Warner Bros. was pulling in $1 billion annually from streaming the show, the outlet reported.
Matthew Perry arrives at CBS, CW and Showtime Summer TCA Party at Pacific Design Center on Aug. 10, 2015, in West Hollywood, California. (Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)
Perry, who played the part of Chandler Bing in the popular series, died unexpectedly over the weekend at the age of 54. Law enforcement sources said Perry was found dead in a hot tub at a house in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles on Saturday. The authorities stated he appeared to have died due to drowning.
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In the actor's memoir, "Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing," he discussed his decades-long battle with drinking and drugs before getting clean in recent years.
Matthew Perry attends the GQ Men of the Year Party on Nov. 17, 2022, in West Hollywood, California. (Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for GQ / Getty Images)
Perry revealed he spent an enormous sum over the years in his battle against substance abuse.
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"I’ve probably spent $9 million or something trying to get sober," the actor told The New York Times.
FOX News' Elizabeth Stanton and Tracy Wright contributed to this report.