Friends is one of the most popular sitcoms of all time, which aired from 1994 to 2004. The show centers around a group of six friends living in New York City. It starred Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, and David Schwimmer. While all six actors found success through the show, some went on to have more successful careers after the show ended than others.
Examining the Post-Friends Careers of the Main Cast
In order to determine which Friends actor has had the least successful career after the show, we need to examine what each cast member has done professionally since the show ended in 2004.
Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Aniston played the role of Rachel Green on Friends. Since the show ended, Aniston has had a very successful career as an actress, producer, and businesswoman. Some of her most notable acting roles include:
- The Break-Up (2006)
- Marley & Me (2008)
- Just Go With It (2011)
- Horrible Bosses (2011)
- We’re the Millers (2013)
- Cake (2014) – earned a Golden Globe nomination
- Office Christmas Party (2016)
- Dumplin’ (2018)
- Murder Mystery (2019)
- The Morning Show (2019–present) – earned Screen Actors Guild Award
In addition to acting, Aniston co-founded the production company Echo Films in 2008. She has served as executive producer on several films and TV series. Aniston also launched her own haircare brand LolaVie in 2021.
With continued acting success, production credits, and business ventures, Jennifer Aniston has clearly had a very successful career after Friends.
Courteney Cox
Courteney Cox portrayed Monica Geller on Friends. Some of her major projects after Friends include:
- The Longest Yard (2005)
- Zoom (2006)
- The Tripper (2006)
- Scream 4 (2011)
- Mothers and Daughters (2016)
- Misfits & Monsters (2018–present) – web television series, executive producer
- 9 Months with Courteney Cox (2019) – Facebook Watch series, executive producer
- Shining Vale (2022–present)
Cox also reprised her role as news reporter Gale Weathers in the Scream horror movie franchise. She was an executive producer on the later Scream installments. Additionally, Cox produced and starred in the TV series Cougar Town from 2009-2015. She earned Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice Television Award nominations for her role in Cougar Town.
While Courteney Cox has had steady acting roles, production work, and award nominations since Friends ended, she has not achieved the same level of mainstream success as some of her co-stars.
Lisa Kudrow
Lisa Kudrow portrayed the eccentric Phoebe Buffay on Friends. Some highlights of her post-Friends career include:
- Happy Endings (2005)
- P.S. I Love You (2007)
- Hotel for Dogs (2009)
- Easy A (2010)
- Neighbors (2014)
- The Girl on the Train (2016)
- Table 19 (2017)
- The Boss Baby: Family Business (2021) – voice acting
- Space Force (2020–present)
Kudrow has had a steady film career with roles in comedies and dramas. She also created, wrote, produced, and starred in the improvised comedy series Web Therapy from 2008-2014. The role earned her a Primetime Emmy nomination. Additionally, Kudrow serves as executive producer on the popular genealogy documentary series Who Do You Think You Are?. She has also produced several independent films.
While Lisa Kudrow has clearly found consistent work post-Friends, she has not reached superstar A-list status like some of her former co-stars.
Matt LeBlanc
Matt LeBlanc played the role of Joey Tribbiani on Friends. His major projects after the show ended are:
- Joey (2004–2006) – Friends spinoff series
- Episodes (2011–2017) – played a fictionalized version of himself, earned Golden Globe for Best Actor
- Top Gear (2016–2019) – BBC series about cars
- Man with a Plan (2016–2020) – CBS sitcom, lead role
LeBlanc has starred as a lead or major character in two network sitcoms, Episodes and Man with a Plan, after Friends ended. He also took over hosting duties on the popular car series Top Gear. While he has found steady work, LeBlanc has not appeared in many major films or broken out beyond sitcom television acting.
Matthew Perry
Matthew Perry portrayed the sarcastic and unlucky in love Chandler Bing on Friends. His projects following the end of the show include:
- The Whole Ten Yards (2004)
- Birds of America (2008)
- 17 Again (2009)
- Mr. Sunshine (2011) – lead role in ABC sitcom
- Go On (2012–2013) – lead role in NBC sitcom
- The Odd Couple (2015–2017) – lead role in CBS sitcom
- The Good Wife (2010–2016) – recurring role
- The Kennedys: After Camelot (2017) – played Ted Kennedy
- Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019)
Matthew Perry has continued acting in both television and films since Friends ended. He has often been cast in similar comedic roles to his Chandler Bing character. While he has been working regularly, most of his own sitcoms as the lead were cancelled after 1-2 seasons. He has had more success in ensemble casts.
David Schwimmer
David Schwimmer portrayed Ross Geller, the nerdy paleontologist, on all 10 seasons of Friends. His most noteworthy projects after the show are:
- Madagascar franchise – voice of Melman the giraffe in animated films
- Little Britain USA (2008) – sketch comedy series
- Web Therapy (2011-2014) – recurring role
- The People v. O. J. Simpson (2016) – played Robert Kardashian
- Will & Grace (2017-2020) – recurring role
- American Crime Story (2021) – played a lawyer
- Intelligence (2020-present) – British sitcom, lead role
Schwimmer has worked consistently in theater, television, and film since Friends ended. He has taken on diverse roles in dramas and comedies. While regularly employed as an actor, Schwimmer’s post-Friends projects have not seen the same level of mainstream success as some of his former co-stars.
Analyzing Overall Success and Impact
Now that we have looked at the main projects and roles each Friends actor has had post-show, we can analyze their overall success and impact.
In terms of name recognition and maintaining A-list celebrity status, Jennifer Aniston is clearly the most successful. Her films consistently attract major audiences and media attention. She is frequently highlighted in magazines and celebrity news. Aniston’s net worth is estimated to be $300 million.
Lisa Kudrow and Courteney Cox have achieved moderate success since Friends ended. They have found regular television and film work in both comedic and dramatic roles. While they have faithful fans, their star power does not reach the stratosphere levels of Aniston’s fame.
Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, and David Schwimmer have remained regularly working television actors. They continue getting lead and supporting roles on network, cable, and streaming shows. However, they largely stay within the sitcom genre. Their attempts at creating or starring in new hit shows have been met with more limited success.
The Least Successful: Matthew Perry
Based on an analysis of major roles and projects, level of fame, awards recognition, and estimated net worth, Matthew Perry appears to be the least successful former Friends cast member when looking at post-show careers.
While Perry has worked regularly since Friends ended, his own starring sitcom vehicles have quickly been cancelled. Go On and Mr. Sunshine each only lasted one season, while The Odd Couple made it two seasons. He often gravitates toward similar comedic, sarcastic roles to his iconic Chandler Bing portrayal. Yet he has struggled to create that magic again as a lead actor.
In an ensemble or recurring role, Perry’s talents shine through. His guest stints on The Good Wife and The Kennedys garnered positive reviews. However, he has not been able to achieve solo success as a sitcom star or leading man.
In terms of awards recognition, Perry lacks major nominations for his work post-Friends. He was nominated for an Emmy for his role on The West Wing in 2002, while still on Friends. Since then, his roles have not garnered much awards attention.
Perry’s net worth sits around $120 million, high but noticeably lower than former co-stars Jennifer Aniston and even Matt LeBlanc. Matthew Perry has reportedly struggled with addiction issues, which may have impacted his career. He has candidly discussed his health struggles and stints in rehab.
While not devoid of roles or work, Perry falls short of his former co-stars in terms of creating new successful starring vehicles, maintaining elite fame, and earning awards recognition. His continued typecasting also limits the types of projects he takes on. Therefore, when looking at the post-Friends trajectories of the main six actors, Matthew Perry stands out as having the least successful career and least professional impact.
Conclusion
Determining the least successful Friends cast member comes down to analyzing their projects, fame, awards recognition, and financial gain since the hit show ended in 2004. The data points to Matthew Perry as the least successful of the six stars during this period. While he has worked regularly, his own shows quickly got cancelled. He remains heavily typecast in the Chandler Bing mold. Perry’s roles have not achieved critical acclaim or awards. His net worth notably lags behind former co-stars Jennifer Aniston and Matt LeBlanc. Perry’s career has certainly not struggled completely since Friends. However, in comparison to his fellow stars, he has seen the least amount of new success and professional impact outside of the Friends phenomenon.