The One Where &#8216;Friends’&#8217; Co-Creator Found Ross and Rachel’s $1 Million Salaries Absolutely ‘Ridiculous’

The One Where &#8216;Friends’&#8217; Co-Creator Found Ross and Rachel’s $1 Million Salaries Absolutely ‘Ridiculous’ - Netflix Junkie

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Riva Khan is an entertainment reporter at NetflixJunkie. Given her love for the language and writing, she has honed her narrative skills from a young age. She loves her latest tea in Hollywood and keeps an eye on the news. This is what drives her as a writer. Having written numerous articles for publications like Times of India and Indian Express, her expertise is in reporting news with objectivity and a bit of fun. In her spare time, you will find her with a few paintbrushes and a canvas, attempting to pour her emotions and thoughts into the strokes of paint. When not painting, she will likely be revisiting some of her favorites like Stranger Things, Money Heist, and Squid Game in series or re-reading Khaled Hosseni's A Thousand Splendid Suns or Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist.

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Riva Khan

The One Where &#8216;Friends’&#8217; Co-Creator Found Ross and Rachel’s $1 Million Salaries Absolutely ‘Ridiculous’ - netflix-junkie

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Recall that memorable Friends episode where the salary scales in Central Perk tilted like a seesaw, causing a bit of a ripple among the gang? Rachel, Joey, and Phoebe found themselves on the short end of the paycheck stick compared to the cushier earnings of Monica, Ross, and Chandler. In the debut season, the entire squad rode the same financial wave, each earning an equal share of the sitcom spoils.
But as the second season raced in, Ross and Rachel heated up like a hot pot on the stove, skyrocketing their salaries to a staggering $1 million per episode. Yet, co-creator Marta Kauffman unraveled an entirely different perspective on this million-dollar payday saga.
<h2>Ross and Rachel&#8217;s million-dollar heatwave in Friends</h2>
In a no-holds-barred moment at the Television Critics Association press tour, Marta Kauffman, the creative mind behind Friends, dropped a truth bomb about the cast&#8217;s jaw-dropping $1 million per episode paychecks in the final seasons. Kauffman, steering the ship for Netflix&#8217;s Grace and Frankie back in 2015, did not sugarcoat it. <a href="https://www.thewrap.com/friends-co-creator-marta-kauffman-calls-stars-1-million-per-episode-payday-ridiculous/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">As per TheWrap</a>, Kauffman labeled the million-dollar salaries as &#8220;kinda ridiculous&#8221;. She pulled no punches, questioning the practicality of such inflated figures, suggesting, &#8220;Not everybody is going to get a million dollars an episode. So I think actually what we&#8217;re all doing [now] is more reasonable and makes more sense.&#8221;
<figure id="attachment_124650" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-124650" style="width: 2106px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-124650 size-full lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" data-src="https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/imago0100034535h.jpg" alt="Jennifer Aniston David Schwimmer" width="2106" height="1494" data-sizes="auto" data-srcset="https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/imago0100034535h.jpg 2106w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/imago0100034535h-300x213.jpg 300w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/imago0100034535h-1024x726.jpg 1024w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/imago0100034535h-768x545.jpg 768w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/imago0100034535h-1536x1090.jpg 1536w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/imago0100034535h-2048x1453.jpg 2048w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/imago0100034535h-370x262.jpg 370w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/imago0100034535h-800x568.jpg 800w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/imago0100034535h-185x131.jpg 185w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/imago0100034535h-740x525.jpg 740w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/imago0100034535h-20x14.jpg 20w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/imago0100034535h-400x284.jpg 400w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/imago0100034535h-1600x1135.jpg 1600w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/imago0100034535h-68x48.jpg 68w" sizes="(max-width: 2106px) 100vw, 2106px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-124650" class="wp-caption-text">Credits: Imago</figcaption></figure>
Kauffman, navigating the streaming world with shorter seasons, attributed this sanity check to the Netflix model. With a twinkle in her eye, she emphasized the perks of not having to dance to the tune of traditional network ratings. This shielded against actors leveraging a show&#8217;s popularity for a king&#8217;s ransom. Acknowledging potential future negotiations, Kauffman hinted at a pragmatic approach, leaving the door open for deals that make sense down the line.
ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.netflixjunkie.com/hollywood-news-did-you-know-the-friends-cast-still-makes-millions-just-off-the-royalties-decades-after-the-shows-iconic-run/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Did You Know the ‘Friends’ Cast Still Makes Millions Just off the Royalties Decades After the Show’s Iconic Run?</a>
While Kauffman may deem it &#8220;ridiculous,&#8221; the stars themselves, Aniston and Schwimmer, took measures to ensure that this hefty paycheck would not jeopardize the camaraderie on the set of Friends.
<h2>The negotiation that saved the friendship boat</h2>
<a href="https://www.netflixjunkie.com/tag/jennifer-aniston/">Jennifer Aniston</a> once reminisced about a critical juncture that could have torn the cast apart. As the beloved sitcom unfolded over ten seasons, Aniston, alongside her co-stars, navigated through more than just witty banter and coffee shop rendezvous. The camaraderie faced a storm during the creation of Friends Season 3 when salary discrepancies threatened to cast a shadow over their tight bonds.
<figure id="attachment_131115" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-131115" style="width: 3736px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-131115 size-full lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" data-src="https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-1176643244.jpg" alt="Back When Friends Guest Star Spilled Surprising Regrets About Joining the Iconic Cast" width="3736" height="2472" data-sizes="auto" data-srcset="https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-1176643244.jpg 3736w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-1176643244-300x199.jpg 300w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-1176643244-1024x678.jpg 1024w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-1176643244-768x508.jpg 768w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-1176643244-1536x1016.jpg 1536w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-1176643244-2048x1355.jpg 2048w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-1176643244-370x245.jpg 370w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-1176643244-800x529.jpg 800w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-1176643244-20x13.jpg 20w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-1176643244-185x122.jpg 185w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-1176643244-740x490.jpg 740w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-1176643244-400x265.jpg 400w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-1176643244-1600x1059.jpg 1600w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-1176643244-73x48.jpg 73w" sizes="(max-width: 3736px) 100vw, 3736px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-131115" class="wp-caption-text">NEW YORK, NEW YORK &#8211; MAY 1995: The Rembrandts performs the official music video for the Friends theme song I&#8217;ll be there for you with the cast at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage)</figcaption></figure>
Aniston, recognizing the potential tempest, along with Schwimmer, took the reins, <a href="https://www.netflixjunkie.com/hollywood-news-how-jennifer-aniston-and-david-schwimmer-gave-up-one-million-per-episode-to-support-their-friends-castmates/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">leading negotiations like a seasoned captain ensuring fair pay for all leads.</a> With determination, they averted the financial storm that could have sunk their friendships. The cast&#8217;s savvy negotiation not only safeguarded their unity but set sail for a triumphant voyage through seven more seasons, witnessing pay increments that soared like a shooting star until the series finale.
ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.netflixjunkie.com/hollywood-news-did-the-jobs-of-the-six-friends-align-with-the-extravagant-living-standards-of-ninety-manhattan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Did the Jobs of the Six ‘Friends’ Align With the Extravagant Living Standards Of 90s Manhattan?</a>
Do you also think that such a pay was ridiculous? Let us know in the comments below.

Did the Jobs of the Six ‘Friends’ Align With the Extravagant Living Standards
Of 90s Manhattan?

Did You Know the ‘Friends’ Cast Still Makes Millions Just off the Royalties
Decades After the Show’s Iconic Run?

UNDATED PHOTO: Actors Jennifer Aniston (L) and David Schwimmer are shown in a scene from the NBC series &#8220;Friends&#8221;. The series received 11 Emmy nominations, including outstanding comedy series, by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences July 18, 2002 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Warner Bros. Television/Getty Images)

Friends Gets 11 Emmy Nominations

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Friends co-creator, Marta Kauffman expressed disbelief over Ross and Rachel's jaw-dropping $1 million salaries per episode.

The One Where 'Friends’' Co-Creator Found Ross and Rachel’s $1 Million Salaries Absolutely ‘Ridiculous’ - Netflix Junkie

Riva Khan is a Hollywood News writer at Netflix Junkie with 500+ articles under her belt. She is an in-house Sydney Sweeney expert, with her coverage largely consisting of the actress’s Madame Web and Anyone But You updates or her private life. Having written numerous articles for premier news publications, her expertise is in reporting news with objectivity and a bit of fun. In her spare time, you will find her with a few paintbrushes and a canvas, attempting to pour her emotions and thoughts into the strokes of paint.

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Friends co-creator, Marta Kauffman expressed disbelief over Ross and Rachel&#039;s jaw-dropping $1 million salaries per episode.

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The One Where &#039;Friends’&#039; Co-Creator Found Ross and Rachel’s $1 Million Salaries Absolutely ‘Ridiculous’

https://www.netflixjunkie.com/hollywood-news-the-one-where-friends-co-creator-found-ross-and-rachel-one-million-salaries-absolutely-ridiculous/

The One Where ‘Friends’’ Co-Creator Found Ross and Rachel’s $1 Million Salaries Absolutely ‘Ridiculous’

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