Maggie Wheeler's Friends Royalties May Be Insane Thanks To Multiple Appearances As Janice

October 02, 2024

Highlights

Minor actors on Friends, like Maggie Wheeler, can earn high royalties.
The character Janice, played by Maggie Wheeler, is beloved for her unique and memorable personality..
Wheeler has fondness for her Friends co-star Matthew Perry.

There's no denying that the main cast members of Friends are some of the richest stars in Hollywood. But while Jennifer Aniston and her co-stars became wealthy and famous by the time the sitcom ended in 2004, other minor stars became just as recognizable.

Maggie Wheeler is one of the most beloved actresses from Friends thanks to her memorable and hilarious portrayal of Chander Bing's on-and-off again love interest Janice Hosenstein. From Janice's famous and super loud laugh to her ability to make Chandler incredibly nervous in any situation, she's a special character. As it turns out, Maggie Wheeler likely earns a ton of money because of her time as Janice on Friends.

How Much Does Friends Star Maggie Wheeler Earn In Royalties?

While of course, the six main characters are the most beloved in Friends, the smaller characters are also what make the sitcom so unique. Everyone from romantic partners to family members to co-workers provides countless comedic moments and, sometimes, dramatic tension that pushes Rachel Greene, Chandler Bing, Phoebe Buffay, Ross Geller, Monica Geller, and Joey Tribbiani to make changes in their lives.

According to Graziadaily.co.uk, minor actors on Friends earn high royalties.

The late actor James Michael Tyler, who played Rachel's Central Perk boss Gunther, said in an interview with Bang Showbiz that royalties were "a supplement into my income." He explained that he wasn't paid millions of dollars and didn't share the exact amount, but it sounds like royalties from 147 episodes of Friends allowed him to live a nice lifestyle.

'Friends': Behind-The-Scenes Facts About Maggie Wheeler's Character, Janice

The character played by Maggie Wheeler was known for her irritable, nasally high-pitched voice and her trademark catchphrase, “Oh my god!”

According to Graza.co.uk, minor actors might earn $1,000 in royalties per Friends episode annually. Jane Sibbett could receive $15,000 in royalties annually after playing Carol, who Ross was once married to, in 15 episodes of Friends.

The publication thinks that Maggie Wheeler might be paid $19,000 in annual royalties. She played Janice in all ten seasons of Friends and starred in 19 episodes. That is definitely a nice amount of money to make each year.

These amounts are based on comments that Vincent Ventresca, aka Monica's love interest Fun Bobby, made about being paid $2,000 annually in royalties. He said that he receives that amount for two episodes of Friends.

According to Grazia.co.uk, the six actors who played the six friends are paid $20 million annually. While the actors who starred in just a few episodes aren't earning that much, they have still done very well.

Janice is introduced in season 1 as Chandler's girlfriend who is desperate to break up with. The only problem? He isn't sure what to say... or how to approach the situation. There's also the fact that Janice cries whenever he attempts to say that the relationship has run its course.

Janice and Chandler date again in seasons 3 and 4. While Chandler never thinks that she is his soulmate, she does have a vibrant personality that draws him in, time and time again. Even though things don't work out, it's clear that they care about each other. Unfortunately, though, Janice always seems more interested in Chandler than he is in her.

What Maggie Wheeler Has Been Up To Since 'Friends'

Fans really want to know what happened to Maggie Wheeler, AKA Janice, after 'Friends.'

It's amazing and impressive to think that the actress could earn so much money in royalties after starring in 19 episodes of the sitcom. As Ventresca said, the other actors are definitely earning a lot more than that since they each starred in every single episode.

While playing Janice in Friends is definitely Maggie Wheeler's best-known role, she has starred in a lot of other sitcoms. She played Ellen's friend Anita Warrell in seven episodes of the sitcom Ellen in the '90s. She also played Linda Gruenfelder, a pal of Debra and Ray Barone's, in eleven episodes of Everybody Loves Raymond. It's possible that she earns royalties from Raymond as well.

What Did Maggie Wheeler Say About Playing Janice In Friends?

In a 2015 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Maggie Wheeler shared what she thinks of Janice. It sounds like she really likes Janice and appreciates the special place that she has in the sitcom. It was smart to include a character like Janice who is loud and proud of who she is.

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Wheeler said of Janice on Friends:

“The writers created this fabulously weird character that you love to hate. This crazy girl who is not particularly self-aware who still gets to be at the party. This interloper, this outsider managed to find her way into this little community of friends, and I think that was a vehicle for a lot of viewers who were sitting around in front of their televisions going, ‘Well, how do I hang out with those people?'”

It also sounds like Wheeler is very fond of her Friends co-star Matthew Perry. After he released his memoir "Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing," she explained in an interview with Page Six that she was "proud" that he had been so vulnerable. She said, "I think it’s very brave that he’s written a book and he’s out talking about it, he’s really helping a lot of people.”

Maggie Wheeler also has an opinion about whether Chandler and Janice could have been happy together in the long run. While many fans would say that Monica was the only person for him, not everyone thinks that's true. After all, there must be a reason why Chandler gets back together with Janice a few times throughout the sitcom...

According to People, Jax posted on TikTok in November 2021 and said, "So no one talks about the one mistake on Friends. The best couple on the show never made it to the end. Chandler [Bing] and Monica [Geller] went together well, but I think Chandler should have ended up with someone else."

Wheeler appeared in the video and said, "Oh my GAWD" before singing "Chandler, I'll wait for you when you and Monica get divorced. I will wait for you, you know you always loved me more. You love me, Chandler Bing!"

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