Actors of the series "Friends" then and now

Probably no one needs to explain what the television series Friends is. This project belongs to the category of cults. With its help, foreigners learn spoken English, and Americans still copy the clothing style and behavior that distinguished the actors of the series Friends. Meanwhile, more than 10 years have passed since the closure of the project. What is the fate of the performers of the six main roles?

The series "Friends"

The pilot episode of the sitcom was released on September 22, 1994, and since then, over the course of 10 years, every fall, the audience has had a new meeting with their favorite characters: Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Ross, Chandler and Joey.

In addition to the six main characters, in Friends attracted an interesting plot with love triangles and the participation in such episodes of such stars as Julia Roberts, Bruce Willis, Tom Selleck, Reese Witherspoon, Christina Applegate, Denis de Vito, etc.

Some actors of the series "Friends" when he was just starting to appear were not known, but this project made them famous all over the world, making them also rich. So for one episode of the first season, each of the “Golden Six” received $ 20,000, and starting from the eighth, they were paid 1,000,000 for the series.

After the sitcom was closed, the six of these actors were able to focus on solo careers.

David schwimmer

This artist played the touching Ross Geller, who was unlucky with his spouses.

Before participating in the project, David managed to establish himself as an excellent actor, starring in the films "Crossing the Bridge" and "Twenty Bucks." He was not only the very first to be approved for the main role in Friends without any additional trials, but he was also created a character specifically for his character. So, since David was a Jew, his Ross was made so.

Over the years of work in the television series, Schwimmer simultaneously starred in other films. The most famous of them are “Make-believe Kiss,” “Apt Pupil,” and “Six Days, Seven Nights.”

In addition to acting talent, David was a gifted director. So he shot some episodes of Friends and Joey.

After the completion of Friends, Schwimmer continued to star, however, in secondary roles (“Full Bummer”, “Nothing But The Truth”). He also became the director of two tapes: Trust and Run fatboy, run.

Some mistakenly believe that David was less successful than other actors in the series Friends. Now he is not acting as actively as during the zenith of his fame, but he continues to be appreciated and invited to play interesting characters, more often than the same Matt LeBlanc.

As for his relationship with Friends partners, the actor is friends with Matthew Perry. In addition, Schwimmer participated as a guest star in sitcoms, in which the main roles are played by Matt LeBlanc ("Episodes") and Lisa Kudrow ("Internet therapy").

Actors in the series Friends: Jennifer Aniston

The sweetheart of the hero of David Schwimmer was the selfish beauty Rachel Green. She was played by Jennifer Aniston.

Like other actors in the series "Friends" (except Schwimmer), the actress did not immediately receive the role. At first, she had to go through several stages of listening before being approved. It is noteworthy that initially Aniston auditioned for the role of Monica.

Before Friends, Jennifer was not very famous. Having starred in the television series "Head of Herman" and "Quantum Leap", she believed that she could not see success in the acting field, so she thought about leaving the profession. That's just the success of “Friends” helped her to become a world-class star, as well as to win an Emmy and Golden Globe.

In parallel with participation in the television series, the actress starred in such films as “Portrait of Perfection”, “Good Girl”, “And here is Polly” and “Bruce Almighty”.

Rumor has it that becoming famous, Jennifer decided to leave the "Friends", becoming the initiator of the closure of the project.

It is worth noting that it was Aniston who managed to make the most brilliant career in the cinema. So, since 2004, the actress has been actively acting in melodramas and comedies: “Rumors are circulating,” “To promise is not to marry,” “Bounty hunter,” “Pretend to be my wife,” “We are the Millers,” and others. Despite the audience love and skill, Jennifer gradually turned into a star of category B films, which did not prevent her from remaining in demand in the profession.

In recent years, Aniston has become famous not so much for her roles as for the number of gossip that surrounds her person. This was facilitated by the fact that her former husband, Brad Pitt, left her for the more famous actress Angelina Jolie. After this scandalous divorce, many watched Jennifer's novels with more attention than her professional successes.

Like Schwimmer, Aniston tried herself as a director. She took pictures: Room 10 and Five.

Jennifer is still friends with Courtney Cox and even became her godmother. In addition, she starred in the television series "Dirt" and "City of Predators", in which the main role is played by her friend Courtney.

Courtney Cox

The performer of the role of Monica, Courtney Cox, who was fixated on the purity of the former bbw, had already managed to play before her Friends in several serious films (Cocoon: Return, Mr. Fate). In addition, she became famous as a model by playing in the Tampax ad. Arriving at the Friends test, Courtney offered the role of Rachel, but she was interested in the character of Monica, which she later played.

Together with the arrival of popularity as an actress of Friends, Courtney began to be invited to play in big-budget films. So she played the main roles in the films "Ace Ventura", "All or Nothing", "Bedtime Stories" and the series of horror films "Scream".

It is known that some actors in the series Friends were forced to make sacrifices in order to participate in it (for example, Matt LeBlanc dyed his hair). For Courtney Cox - her victim was her health. Over the 10 years of filming, the actress's catastrophic vision deteriorated, but her character could not wear glasses, and the lenses would be highlighted during the filming. Because of this, in some scenes, she practically did not see her partners. Also, while working on Friends, the actress had miscarriages several times.

During the filming in Friends, the actress managed to marry David Arquette, which is why she changed her name to Cox-Arquette. In the last episodes of season 10 of the series, attentive viewers noticed that the actress was in position, and a couple of months after the closure of Friends, Courtney became a mother. Unfortunately, a few years later the Cox-Arquette alliance fell apart.

After the closure of Friends, the actress became less in demand in the cinema, but on TV she was still invited to appear. She played the main roles in the sitcoms “Dirt” and “City of Predators”, and was also a guest star in “Clinic”, “Internet Therapy”, “To the Start!” and Drunk History.

Like Aniston and Schwimmer, Cox tried herself as a director. She shot the film Tall Hot Blonde.

Matthew Perry

This artist was the most successful among all male actors of the project. Prior to Friends, he starred in television a lot, including Beverly Hills, 90210, but the role of the sarcastic Chandler Bing was a breakthrough.

During filming in Friends, Perry also appeared on the television series The John Larrockett Show, Clinic, Caroline in the City, Saturday Night Live, and even voiced himself in The Simpsons.

Since 1997, Matthew Perry has been starring in comedies: "Hurry up - make people laugh," "Tango Three", "Nine Yards" and "Fraudsters."

Unfortunately, having become famous, he began to abuse alcohol and drugs, which pretty much affected his appearance. Thanks to the care of David Schwimmer, Perry was able to cope with addictions, but after the closure of "Friends" he was no longer invited to star in the movie. His greatest achievements were his appearance in Pope 17 Again and Helpless.

But on television, Matthew Perry continued to be actively invited. He starred in the television series Mr. Sunshine, Go To Go! and "Sweet Couple." In addition, Perry participated in other popular television shows: “The Right Wife”, “The City of Predators”, “Internet Therapy”, etc.

In addition to David Schwimmer, he is friends with Courtney Cox. After the divorce of the latter, there were rumors that these actors of the series "Friends" are meeting. Then and now this information did not find confirmation, although Courtney and Matthew did not deny it.

Lisa Kudrow

The record holder for the number of nominations for the Emmy for the role of Phoebe Buffe became Lisa Kudrow. Before “Friends”, she was practically nobody, although she starred in many films. The actress got into the project due to the fact that she had previously played the twin sister Phoebe - Ursula in the sitcom “Crazy about You”.

During the filming of Friends, Lisa was invited to play a movie. Her most famous paintings are from 1994-2004. - “Romy and Michelle at the alumni meeting”, “Analyze this” and “Analyze that.”

After closing Friends, Kudrow retrained as a voice actress. Famous projects that she voiced - "The Simpsons", "Hercules", "Tips Bulka."

The actress also participated in the creation and played the main roles in the sitcoms “Return” and “Internet therapy”.

Matt LeBlanc

This artist was actually a copy of his character. Like his hero Joey, Matt LeBlanc is a handsome Italian-born American who has long been interrupted by small roles in cheap TV shows and commercials.

In parallel with filming in Friends, Matt played in small film projects, painfully similar to those in which Joey starred. His main achievement during this period was his role in the dilogy Charlie's Angels.

After the closing of the "Friends", LeBlanc was invited to play in the continuation of the project - the sitcom "Joey". Unfortunately, this television series lasted only 2 seasons.

After this failure, the actor sat unemployed for several years, sometimes acting as a guest star in Lisa Kudrow's “Internet Therapy”. However, in 2011, the creator of Friends, David Crane, invited him to play himself in his new sitcom Episodes. This project became popular, and lasted 5 seasons, bringing LeBlanc the Golden Globe.

The series "Friends": actors and supporting roles

In addition to the six artists listed above, there were other famous artists in the project. Among them is Paul Rudd (Phoebe's husband, Mike Hannigan), who recently played the role of Ant-Man in several films of the Marvel Cinema Universe.

The actors (photo below) Elliott Gould (Ross and Monica’s father), Tom Selleck (Monica’s lover Richard Burke), Giovanni Ribisi (Phoebe’s brother), Jane Sibbett (ex-lesbian wife Ross), Aisha Tyler also decorated the series “Friends” with their play (Joey's ex-girlfriend, and after Ross) and others.

Despite the fact that the Friends project has long been closed, many of its fans leave no hope that the sequel will be removed. So far this has not happened. Meanwhile, the actors of the series "Friends" now (photo above) continue to be loved among the audience, although many years have passed.