17 Quirky Facts About the Show "Friends" Celebrating Its 30th Anniversary

In 2024, it’s been 30 years since the iconic TV show "Friends" first aired and 20 years since the sitcom ended. To mark this milestone, we’ve compiled a list of lesser-known behind-the-scenes facts about the beloved show, along with a fan theory about the characters.

In 2024, it’s been 30 years since the iconic TV show "Friends" first aired and 20 years since the sitcom ended. To mark this milestone, we’ve compiled a list of lesser-known behind-the-scenes facts about the beloved show, along with a fan theory about the characters.

David Schwimmer Actually Fell in Love with Jennifer Aniston During Filming

This happened during the first season. At one point, Jennifer reciprocated David’s feelings, but since both were in relationships, they never crossed the line. They channeled all their passion into Ross and Rachel’s relationship. However, they did indulge their feelings a bit: whenever there were breaks in filming, they would sit on the couch together and simply cuddle. Sometimes they even fell asleep there, as Jennifer admitted.

Matt LeBlanc Had Only $11 Left When He Got the Role

Like his character Joey Tribbiani, Matt LeBlanc was initially an unsuccessful actor: three previous shows he was in had failed. He had to audition for Joey six times before he was cast. By then, he had only $11 left. The first thing Matt bought with his paycheck was a hot meal that Joey would have approved of.

Courteney Cox Was Just as Neat and Orderly Off-Screen

Courteney Cox kept her dressing room spotless and would even clean up other actors’ dressing rooms if they were messy. She couldn’t resist helping people get rid of lint or fluff on their clothes. “Oh God, I’m just like Monica. It’s even scary,” the actress admitted.

The Couch in Central Perk Was Always Reserved for Friends

It turns out that the couch was actually reserved, so the friends always found it available. Except for the times when Ross and Chandler had to compete for the couch because it was taken by a couple of hooligans.

Lisa Kudrow Based Phoebe’s Hippie Image on... Jennifer Aniston

Jennifer Aniston is interested in spiritual practices and even participates in some rituals. Observing her colleague, Lisa Kudrow created the quirky character of Phoebe.

Matthew Perry Insisted That His Character Remain Faithful to Monica

There was a planned scene where Monica and Chandler would fight in Las Vegas, and Chandler would then call a cleaning lady to his hotel room and cheat on Monica with her. This plotline was not only written but also rehearsed. However, Matthew Perry refused to film the scene, stating that his character should not behave that way towards Monica, and that viewers wouldn’t forgive him.

Joey Could Have Been Less Dumb

The writers didn’t initially see Joey as dumb until Matt LeBlanc pointed it out. During his audition, the actor unexpectedly revealed the comedic potential of his character, who was originally meant to be paired with Monica.

David Schwimmer Hated Marcel

Ross’s capuchin monkey Marcel was played by two monkeys, one of which was a female named Katie. David Schwimmer admitted he hated monkeys and didn’t enjoy working with them. It turned out that trainers wouldn’t let the crew interact with the animals outside of filming to avoid making them too relaxed. Thus, Schwimmer found working with them uncomfortable.

Matt LeBlanc and Lisa Kudrow Wanted to Add Their Own Plotline

The actors proposed a plot where Phoebe and Joey were secretly dating and hiding together in closets. However, this idea was not approved, so Phoebe and Joey remained just friends.

According to the Network President, Working with Jean-Claude Van Damme Was Probably Harder Than Working with a Monkey

The actor arrived late for the shoot and immediately went to his trailer. When asked if he had any questions, he arrogantly replied, “No! First, I memorize my lines. Then you need to set the right mood for me.” During the scenes with Jennifer Aniston, he kissed her so passionately that she had to complain to one of the directors. The director made a remark, but as soon as Courteney Cox appeared on set, Jean-Claude started kissing her with the same passion.

Julia Roberts Only Agreed to Appear in the Show with the Unforgettable Matthew Perry

Julia Roberts agreed to appear in an episode only if Matthew Perry explained quantum physics to her. The next day, Matthew sent her an article on the topic. They began exchanging faxes and by the time of the shoot, they were a couple. However, their relationship didn’t last long, as Matthew thought Julia was too beautiful for him and decided to break up.

Julia Roberts, Despite Being Experienced, Was Extremely Nervous During Filming

According to the director, he was worried that Julia might break his fingers from squeezing his hand so tightly before her scene. The filming was done in front of a live audience, which was unfamiliar to the actress.

Paul Rudd Was Almost Fired from the Show Because of Jennifer Aniston’s Segway

During the filming of season 9, Jennifer Aniston, who had a leg injury at the time, brought a Segway to the set. Matt LeBlanc asked to ride it, and when Paul Rudd, cast as Mike Hannigan, saw how easily Matt managed it, he asked Jennifer if he could try. Paul didn’t handle it well and accidentally ran over Jennifer’s injured leg. The actress let out an involuntary groan, and immediately all eyes were on her and her unwitting assailant. By season 9, Jennifer was a star without whom the show couldn’t continue, while Paul was relatively unknown. His fate on the show was hanging by a thread, but Jennifer showed kindness and said she was okay.

John Favreau Could Have Played Chandler

This actor and director also auditioned for the role of Chandler Bing, but fortunately, the role went to Matthew Perry. John Favreau ended up playing one of Monica’s boyfriends, millionaire Pete Becker.

Lisa Kudrow Was Afraid of the Duck

In the show, Monica and Rachel wanted to get rid of Joey and Chandler’s duck and chick, even risking losing their beloved apartment. But for Lisa Kudrow, the duck was a real problem. The actress was terrified of the bird but had to pretend to be happy about it.

Phoebe’s Smelly Cat Was Originally... a Dog

One of the show’s writers had a dog in childhood that smelled like rotten cheese, and was nicknamed Gouda. This dog inspired the creation of the song about the smelly cat: they changed the animal to a cat simply because it was funnier. As Lisa Kudrow revealed, the lyrics were written by the writers, and Phoebe herself, with the help of Chrissie Hynde, composed the melody for “Smelly Cat.” In season 2, episode 6, Phoebe teaches her to play “Smelly Cat.”

Brook Shields’ Stalker Scene Caused a Scandal with Her Boyfriend

In the episode where Brook Shields’ character, Erika, has dinner with Joey, thinking he’s his character Dr. Drake Ramoray, Shields was dating tennis star Andre Agassi at the time. When Agassi saw the scene where Erika licks Joey’s fingers, he got so angry that he started smashing his championship trophies. However, he wasn’t bothered by the kiss between Brook and Matt LeBlanc.

Bonus: There’s a Fan Theory That Chandler and Monica Were Destined for Each Other, Just Like Ross and Rachel

Fans noticed that the logos on Ross and Rachel’s clothes in one episode of season 3 matched, as did the logos on Chandler and Monica’s clothes. They considered this not just a cute coincidence, but a sign that the characters were meant to end up together.

In addition to Julia Roberts and Jean-Claude Van Damme, many other celebrities appeared on “Friends.”