Is The Friends Cast Really Friends In Real Life?
It's hard to say how "Friends" became the hit it's known as today. The sitcom formula seems so similar: just a group of people, close in age, navigating life. Something about this cast was different, however. The show sparked a phenomenon as fans feverishly debated which character they had the most in common with, which character they would date, and of course, if Emily should have married Ross after he said the wrong name at the altar.
The chemistry between David Schwimmer, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matthew Perry, Lisa Kudrow, and Matt LeBlanc is undeniable. Over the years, many have wondered how that chemistry translated in real life. Are the "Friends" gang really friends?
It appears so, although those friendships have also seen ebbs and flows throughout the years. For example, Aniston invited the entire cast to her 1998 Malibu wedding to Brad Pitt. When she tied the knot again in 2015, just the ladies made the guest list of the intimate 70-person affair (per Vanity Fair).
The ladies seem to share a really tight bond
The ladies of "Friends" seem to have stayed close over the years. In 2018, Courteney Cox revealed that she, Lisa Kudrow, and Jennifer Aniston talk over group text. "Lisa, Jennifer and I all have a text chain, but to me it's too much pressure. I'm not into the group text chain. I really don't like it!" she admitted to Us Weekly. "And then you have something funny to say and you say it but then you send the text and they don't get it."
The ladies have also caused a stir on social media by posing together for pictures, usually on Cox's Instagram. They seem to get together for dinners quite often.
If anything, Cox and Aniston may be ever so slightly closer. Cox served as Aniston's maid of honor in her 2015 wedding (via Closer Weekly). Aniston is also the godmother of Cox's daughter, Coco Arquette (per Hello! Magazine).
Courteney and Matt have supported Matthew through the ups and downs
Matthew Perry has been lucky to count his "Friends" co-stars among the people who have been there for him through his battles with addiction and recovery. His on-screen wife, Courteney Cox, has always been a close counterpart. She's reportedly been there for him to support his sobriety both in real life and around the "Friends" reunion. The two live close to each other in Malibu, so Cox has always been happy to do what she can to help (per News.com.au).
Matt LeBlanc, Perry's on-screen roommate, has also been supportive. The two don't get to see each other as much as they like, but when they do it's like no time has passed at all. "I saw him yesterday. I love that guy! I can, not see him for five years and then get in a room together and still have that shorthand with each other," he told Hello Magazine in 2016. "It's amazing, really. Ten years in a building with no windows and the doors locked, we got to know each other pretty well."
If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
They also bump into each other quite a bit
During the reunion, Matthew Perry noted that the stars not only maintain friendships, but run into each other quite a bit. It had the potential to derail a night in all the best ways. "The best way that I could describe it is, after the show was over, at a party or any kind of social gathering, if one of us bumped into each other, that was it," Perry shared (via Entertainment Tonight). "That was the end of the night. You just sat with that person all night long."
"It was an incredible time," Cox agreed. "Everything came together. We became best friends, the chemistry, the whole thing. It was life-changing and it forever will be — not just for us but for people who watch it. That's just such a great feeling to carry forever. I'm so grateful, and I love you guys so much."