Marta Kauffman and David Crane’s idea was simple – they just wanted to make a comedy series about six good friends trying to get by in life. “Friends” debuted on television in 1994. The format was such a hit that it aired for the next 10 years, with the cast earning as much as $1 million per episode at one point. The series turned out to be long-lived. It flourished again in 2015 when Netflix began showing it. It was watched not only by the sentimental first viewers who remembered Rachel and the company from television. In 2019, the series “Friends” was declared the most popular program for young people in Great Britain.
Stars who guest starred in “Friends”. You might have forgotten about it
they were such a phenomenon that its actors became the most popular stars of their time. It’s no wonder that the first-league Hollywood eaters willingly took part in the production – viewers fondly remember those few episodes when, for example, Bruce Willis guest starred in the series. He played the boyfriend of a student who dated Ross, and his character also dated Rachel. What’s more, the two younger sisters of this heroine were played fantastically by Christina Applegate (famous, among others, thanks to the role of Kelly Bundy) and Reese Witherspoon. Plus, Tom Selleck played Monica’s serious boyfriend.
Let’s not forget that the stars of another promising series appeared in one of the episodes at the very beginning of the broadcast of “Friends”. In the episode where Rachel has to go to the doctor and she doesn’t have health insurance, she and Monica switch identities. In the hospital, they meet two young handsome doctors – these were played by George Clooney and Noah Wyle, i.e. doctors Ross and Carter from the hit “ER”.
One of the early episodes also featured Julia Roberts, who was the undisputed queen of romantic comedies in the 90s. She played Chandler’s ex-girlfriend who takes revenge on him years later. In a similar character, Brad Pitt appeared on the set of “Friends” – the then-husband of his character hated Rachel, because she teased him in high school, and he founded a club of enemies of the popular cheerleader.
For many viewers, one of the most memorable guest appearances is that of Danny DeVito, who played an unhappy stripper. The series also featured Sting’s wife – Trudie Styler, Isabella Rossellini (as herself), Alec Baldwin and Hank Azaria (both were Phoebe’s boyfriends), Paul Rudd (Phoebe’s later husband), Brooke Shields, Kathleen Turner (she played Chandler’s transgender father), Hugh Laurie, Helen Hunt, Jean Claude Van Damme (as himself, Monica and Rachel argue over which of them should go on a date with him), Charlie Sheen (a sailor and Phoebe’s boyfriend), Anna Faris, Winona Ryder (Rachel’s old friend years), Billy Crystal, Robin Williams or Susan Sarandon.
This is still not the end of the list, “Friends” also starred such popular American actors and actresses as: Jennifer Coolidge (as an annoying old friend), Sean Penn, Selma Blair, John Stamos, Ben Stiller, known as Charlotte from “Sex in big city” Kristin Davis, Dakota Fanning, Gary Oldman, Greg Kinnear, Jeff Goldblum, Denise Richards, David Arquette (then future husband of Courtney Cox – played the stalker of Phoebe’s twin sister), Morgan Fairchild (Chandler’s mother), Jay Leno (journalist played himself), Oscar-winning Jim Rash, Jon Favreau (the director of “Iron Man” played Monica’s boyfriend – millionaire Pete) and Ellen Pompeo.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
