Jennifer Aniston Kept Some Important Rachel Green Mementos From The Friends Set

When a show as iconic as "Friends," ends, it not only makes its way into the hearts of the viewers, but also the cast. Even though the six stars haven't been able to get together much due to location differences and scheduling conflicts, Jennifer Aniston still had to take several moments to gather herself throughout the 2021 reunion because of the outpouring of emotions. As she told The Hollywood Reporter, she got emotional after seeing the replicated sets because it had been so long since she had seen them. 

Aniston sadly recalled how her younger self believed that her life would be perfect after "Friends," but found that things actually got worse. Nevertheless, the show was indeed life-changing for Aniston, so it's natural she would want to remember it with a souvenir. Speaking to People, also in 2021, Aniston shared her beloved and perhaps unexpected memento: "I went into [Courteney Cox's] line of clothes and I pulled out a dress that Monica wore." Aniston added, "I still have it and wear [it] to this day and it fits. It's floral with black lace, tiny little flowers, a V-neck, and little ruffle cap sleeves." 

She even wore the dress again the following year, posting a photo of Cox wearing it on the show on her Instagram Story and writing, "Does the dress look familiar? Still got it! @courteneycoxofficial @friends" (via Harper's Bazaar). However, that's not the only thing she stole from the set.

When Jennifer Aniston appeared on "The Graham Norton Show," she revealed that she also took a neon coffee cup sign from the walls of Central Perk, the iconic coffee shop from "Friends." She joked that she was grateful the crew offered it to her because it would've been difficult to pry it from the walls herself. And while "Friends" underwent several changes over the years, two things remained consistent: The all-star cast and the neon sign that stayed put for 10 seasons. 

But after working on the show for so long, Aniston wasn't the only one who wanted a memento. In the People interview, the entire cast got together to share what they stole from the set. Lisa Kudrow started by explaining that they weren't technically allowed to take anything home, but after their fun times on the show, they couldn't help themselves. David Schwimmer decided to steal a "Professor Geller" placard from his character's office. Kudrow took home Phoebe's rings and the security badges from the set.

She added that Matthew Perry gifted her the adorable cookie clock jar from Monica's kitchen. While Kudrow confirmed that Perry got the green light to take the jar he believes he stole it. The actor said the jar served as a reminder of the moment when Kudrow thought it was a real clock. Matt LeBlanc, meanwhile, stole an "I Love Friends" license plate and attached it to David Schwimmer's car. It took him a week to notice.

Playing a character as iconic as Rachel Green has its ups and downs. On the one hand, it made Jennifer Aniston a household name, but on the other, it gave her some complicated feelings about Rachel because it became increasingly difficult for her to break away from the typecasting. Aniston told The Hollywood Reporter that after she left "Friends," it seemed like playing Rachel would be the peak of her career because people refused to recognize her as anyone different. 

She recalled some of her anxious thoughts from the time: "Oh God, I don't know if I can do this. Maybe they're right. Maybe everybody else is seeing something I'm not seeing, which is you are only that girl in the New York apartment with the purple walls." Aniston noted that ever since then, she's been striving to take on roles that prove her talents go beyond the girl-next-door. The TV icon also admitted that typecasting made her believe she should stay solely in comedy. 

Fortunately, over the years and with a lot of hard work, she's broken these stereotypes by taking on roles in heartbreaking films like "Marley & Me" and "Cake," among many others. Aniston has done so well after "Friends" that many consider her the only one out of the star cast to break the "Friends curse" and have a career that goes beyond the show. But while her career thrived, the end of "Friends" marked a new chapter in Aniston's personal life, and it wasn't all perfect.