Lisa Kudrow is best known for her starring role in Friends, and that role, plus several other notable performances, has contributed to a significant net worth for the actor. Kudrow only began acting after she graduated from college, with her first role coming in America 3000 with an uncredited performance. Slowly, she worked her way up through bigger and bigger parts, including a brief stint on Frasier that ended with Kudrow being fired. Finally, in 1994, Kudrow earned the role of Phoebe Buffay on Friends, and her career took off from there.

Unlike some other successful sitcom actors, Kudrow managed an impressive movie and TV career post her popular TV show, and she still remains a prominent figure in the industry. With roles in Booksmart, Time Bandits, and more, Kudrow has proven her exceptional range but never lost the essential qualities that made her such a great Phoebe. Kudrow married advertising executive Michel Stern in 1995 and the pair had a son, Julian, in 1999, a pregnancy that was written into Friends. Kudrow has done well for herself and earned a net worth far higher than even many popular actors.

Lisa Kudrow's Net Worth

Kudrow Is Worth Around $130 Million

According to CelebrityNetWorth, Lisa Kudrow has a net worth of $130 million. While Kudrow no doubt has made a good amount of money from her over 80 performances in movies and TV, it's Friends that earned her the lion's share of her net worth. In season one, she earned $22,500/episode and in season two, Kudrow earned around $20,000-$40,000/episode.

The cast of Friends famously decided to negotiate collectively for their salaries after season two, which led to them being paid $75,000/episode in season three, $85,000 in season four, $100,000 in season five, $125,000 in season six, $750,000 in seasons seven and eight, and $1 million in seasons nine and ten (via EW). The cast then renegotiated for syndication royalties in 2000 (via NYT). Some sources like CelebrityNetWorth suggest that the main cast of Friends earns $10-$20 million/year each on royalties.

Lisa Kudrow's Age & Height

Kudrow Is A Leo

Lisa Kudrow is 5' 8" according to most sources, including IMDb. She was born on July 30, 1963, making her 61 in the fall of 2024. That also makes her a Leo in the zodiac. Leos are fire signs that are vivacious, ionate, and theatrical, all words that can be used to describe professional actors, particularly those like Kudrow who seem comfortable playing outgoing and energetic characters (via Allure). Leos' interests often revolve around creative pursuits and self-expression. Kudrow exemplifies this well, still acting despite having little financial incentive to do so.

Lisa Kudrow Originally Wanted To Be A Biological Researcher

Kudrow Spoke About Her Journey At The 2010 Vassar Commencement

Surprisingly, Lisa Kudrow's life could have taken a completely different direction. Kudrow went to Vassar College and earned a B.A. in biology, and wanted to become a scientific researcher like her father and specialize in headaches. She worked for her father for 8 years and even co-authored a scientific paper with him (via SageJournals). She spoke about her unique collegiate journey during Vassar's 2010 commencement (via NPR). She said in her speech,

"I had a job lined up with my father who was a headache specialist — yes, I said 'headache.' He's retired now, but he was a world-renowned headache specialist who mostly did research. I immediately started to work with him on a study concerning hemispheric dominance and headache types. I won't go into the details, but I could! The important thing was that I was on my way to getting published, then onto a graduate program at whichever very impressive university accepted me. Six months after graduation I dumped that plan and decided to become an actress. Then I was cast on the show Friends and now I'm here, any questions?"

A consummate actor who has never stopped working, Lisa Kudrow has not let a significant net worth keep her complacent.