We’ll be there for you…with everything you didn’t know about the cast of Friends!
Even if it’s not your day, your week, your month, or even your year, we hope these 10 Friends facts will bring a smile to your face!
Joey & Monica Almost Dated
Hold onto your sandwiches because you’re not going to believe this one! Originally, Joey and Monica were written to be the key love connection of the show. Their relationship was supposed to be more important than Ross and Rachel’s decade-long will they won’t they trope. However, after Courtney Cox and Matt LeBlanc were cast, it was decided that their characters wouldn’t end up together. We can’t imagine a world in which Monica doesn’t propose to Chandler, and we wouldn’t want it any other way!
Jennifer Aniston Was The Last To Be Casted
Actually, there was a chance that Aniston almost wasn’t on the hit series at all. At the time, Aniston was already locked into the CBS sitcom Muddling Through. After the producers of Friends auditioned Aniston, they decided she was the one for Rachel Greene and shot the pilot and 3 episodes with her anyways. The risk paid off big time as Muddling Through fell through and the era of Friends launched.
The Cast Members Were Genuinely Friends Off-Screen
On NBC’s special, Must See TV: An All-Star Tribute to James Burrows back in 2016, the cast expressed how much they truly did care for one another. The actors reminisced on their many special behind-the-scenes moments while filming.
“We experienced friendship, family, heartbreak, babies, everything together,” Aniston said. The cast would even watch the shows together at each other’s houses. While filming, the girls of the group ate lunch together every single day for ten years! Their daily meal consisted of a “Jennifer Salad,” Aniston’s iconic salad recipe which she shared with her gals.
The Series Finale Had Incredible Ratings
The last episode of the series marked the end of an era for viewers all over the globe. Over 52.5 million people tuned into the last episode of Friends, which at the time held the record for having the fourth largest viewership for the final episode of a TV show. This record-breaking number was an important moment in Friends’ history.
Lisa Kudrow Was Pregnant In Real Life During The Show
The reason the storyline of Phoebe carrying her brothers’ triplets occurred was thanks to Kudrow being pregnant in real life. A large portion of the fourth season of the sitcom centered around Phoebe carrying triplets. Knowing that Kudrow’s life was parallel to her character’s experience makes the plotline that much more enjoyable!
Matthew Perry Was The Only Member Who Wrote For The Show
Perry’s character, Chandler, is known for his quick-witted sarcastic responses, and Perry had a hand in creating the fabulous lines himself. Perry was the only actor curious about the writing process as he had a knack for writing himself. During breaks, Perry would pitch jokes and ideas for his character and the others’ to the rest of the writing staff. We all know that Perry’s character is awkward and often uneasy around women. The reason it’s written this way is because Perry mentioned to the writers that he himself had trouble with talking to women.
The Importance of Caesar’s Palace
Long before Ross and Rachel got drunkenly married at the Las Vegas Caesars Palace or before Joey worked there, the cast members and beloved director James Burrows dined at Caesars Palace. They traveled to the spot before the show even aired. The group celebrated the fact that they were unrecognizable to the public. They knew that after that moment when Friends hit TV screens, they would no longer be able to walk through crowds as they did before.
How The Cast Really Felt About Marcel The Monkey
Although in the show, Ross loved Marcel the monkey, David Schwimmer had issues with his furry friend in real life. Matt LeBlanc said he enjoyed having the monkey on set, but Schwimmer was often disappointed when he had to do a scene with Marcel. Being the monkey that he is, one time Marcel swung through the set and into the ceiling, eventually disappearing. The cast was baffled!
Lisa Kudrow Would Apologize To The Audience
We know how hilarious Phoebe Buffay is, and so did Lisa Kudrow. During scenes where Phoebe’s line was particularly funny, Kudrow would break character and actually turn towards the live audience to apologize to them. In an interview together, Aniston said that Kudrow would tell the punchline and laugh, then immediately tell the audience she was sorry, but it was just such a funny line!
Gunther Was a Barista In Real Life
James Michael Tyler, who played Gunther on Friends, was known for his iconic role as the manager of Central Perk. Many of the gang’s scenes were shot inside Central Perk, featuring Gunther in the background and later with his own lines. However, what many people don’t know is that Tyler was working as a barista in a coffee shop in Hollywood before his time on Friends.
Now that you have a bit more knowledge about the stars of Friends, you can pull up HBO Max to stream the adored show once again!
