The recent and untimely death of Matthew Perry at the age of 54 has rekindled interest in his Friends co-stars, even years after the show’s conclusion in 2004. One remarkable incident from his memoir, “Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing,” has resurfaced, shedding light on the inspiring actions of his friend and fellow cast member, David Schwimmer.
As reported by The Guardian, the incident highlighted in Matthew Perry’s book underscores David Schwimmer’s selfless decision to champion equal pay among all the cast members, even when he had the opportunity to secure a significantly higher salary.
In the book, Matthew Perry revealed that during the first season of Friends, all the cast members earned a respectable $22,000 per episode. However, this arrangement shifted in the second season when David Schwimmer and Jennifer Aniston began earning more due to their growing popularity on the show.
As the third season approached, Warner Bros. hinted at offering even higher compensation to David and Jennifer because of the enormous popularity of the Ross/Rachel love storyline. It was at this juncture that David Schwimmer took a principled stance, proposing that everyone should receive the same amount, even if it meant a pay cut for himself.
Matthew Perry shared, “David had certainly been in a position to go for the most money, and he didn’t.” He admitted that he liked to think he would have made the same choice but couldn’t be entirely certain.
Matthew Perry also acknowledged that David Schwimmer’s compassionate decision had a profound impact on the cast, fostering a sense of mutual care among them. By the eighth season of the show, the cast members were each making a substantial million dollars for every episode, and this remarkable shift toward equal pay was credited to David Schwimmer’s earlier initiative to negotiate collectively and establish a precedent of fairness.
In the wake of Matthew Perry’s passing, David Schwimmer’s remarkable act serves as a poignant reminder of the enduring bonds and solidarity that the Friends cast shared, both on and off the screen.
