Matthew PerryThe death of put renewed emphasis on the dynamics of his former teammates – and an anecdote about David Schwimmer resurfaces… touching on his one-for-all spirit.
THE Guardian I dug up this sweet story from Perry memory from last year – “Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing” – in which the late actor talks about how money started changing on the set of “Friends” during filming in the ’90s.
In his book, MP says all the stars were making around $22,000 per episode for Season 1 – but by Season 2, Dave and Jennifer Aniston had started to earn a little more… due to their popularity on the show due to the whole Ross/Rachel romance thing.
When Season 3 rolled around, WB wanted to give them even more money – as they were now fan favorites – but Schwimmer put his foot down on behalf of his castmates. Apparently, Dave floated the idea of them collectively bargaining together…so everyone could make the same amount of money, even if it meant a pay cut for him and Jen.
Matt says that’s exactly what ultimately happened, writing… “David was certainly in a position to go for the most money, and he didn’t. I’d like to think I would have done the same thing, but as an eager 25 year old, I’m not sure I would have done it.”
He adds: “But his decision allowed us to take care of each other through what turned out to be a myriad of stressful networking negotiations, and that gave us enormous power… We were kind enough to David and his business sense. sense, to thank for what we were offered. I owe you about $30 million, David.
As early as season 8, MP revealed that each of the “Friends” cast members made around $1 million per episode…and he credits Schwimmer with setting that precedent early on. Apparently, they continued to negotiate salaries as a group over the years.
This story, which technically came out last year, is making the rounds right now…and shows how close “Friends” really was on set – adding to the devastation of Perry’s sudden loss. TMZ broke the story…he was found dead last weekend at his home in Los Angeles.
As we reported…the cast attended a small private funeral for Perry Friday, near the Hollywood Hills, as did Perry’s family and loved ones, including his parents.
Schwimmer, Aniston, Courtney Cox, Matt LeBlanc And Lisa Kudrow all issued a joint statement regarding Perry’s passing…saying the tragedy was “unfathomable” and that they always treated him as a group. Since then, they have kept a relatively low profile.
Fans of Perry and “Friends” in general are still in shock… and for good reason. His death was shocking and remains a mystery at this point. An investigation is currently underway.