Top 10 Behind-the-Scenes Secrets About Friends
Bet you didn't know that behind the scenes of the popular TV show, “Friends” there were a bit of drama! Did you know that Chandler's awkwardness was real? Chandler has always been portrayed as being both sarcastic and incredibly awkward. It turns out though, that the role probably wasn't too difficult for Matthew Perry because the show creators based much of Chandler's character on Perry's real-life personality. Did you know that Jennifer Aniston was almost replaced as Rachel? She says she was actually asked to stand apart from the others in cast photos, in case they ended up having to use another actress. “Muddling Through” was indeed cancelled however, and the rest is herstory.
#10: Courteney Cox Had Real-Life Fertility Issues
While for the most part, “Friends” focuses on lighthearted plot lines, this is one notable exception. One of the most heartbreaking stories in the later seasons is Monica and Chandler’s struggle conceiving a child. If you felt like Courtney Cox’s performance seemed authentic . . .that’s because it was. Courtney and her then-husband, David Arquette, also experienced fertility and pregnancy problems, suffering several miscarriages. They tried in-vitro, as well as other methods, to improve their odds of carrying a baby to term. They, thankfully, had a happy ending just like Monica and Chandler, welcoming their daughter Coco in 2004.
#9: Jennifer Aniston Didn’t Invite Her Male Co-Stars to Her Wedding
Considering the focus that has always been put on Jennifer Aniston’s relationship status since her split from Brad Pitt, the world was surprised when Aniston and her partner at the time Justin Theroux managed to pull off a top-secret wedding in 2015 without the press getting wind of it. Soon after, it was revealed that her “Friends” costar Courteney Cox was in attendance, and acted as Jen’s maid of honor. Lisa Kudrow was there too . . . but it seems like the guys’ invites got lost in the mail. Matthew Perry and Matt LeBlanc have both spoken about the fact that they weren’t invited to the intimate ceremony, but have assured fans that there’s no bad blood.
#8: Jennifer Aniston Hated ‘The Rachel'
Top 10 Funniest Jennifer Aniston Bloopers on Friends
… You probably remember requesting that your hairdresser recreate this famed shaggy, layered look, but Jen would gladly never see it again. Despite the style becoming what was arguably the most iconic haircut of the ‘90s, Jennifer Aniston does not harbour any fond thoughts about her character’s emblematic ‘do. She’s even even stated that she found it not just ugly, but the ugliest haircut she’d ever laid eyes on. Ouch! Admittedly, the cut didn’t exactly age well and probably hasn’t been spotted in the wild much in the last decade or so, outside of reruns of “Friends”.
#7: Courteney Cox Was Never Nominated for an Emmy
In a snub that makes little sense to any fan of the show, Courteney Cox somehow never received an Emmy nod, despite all of her costars receiving the honor at one time or another. The show as a whole took home many awards over its decade-long run, but Cox was never recognized by the TV Academy for her role as Monica. Considering all the friends shared relatively equal screen time over the years, Cox was prominently left off the list of contenders. All three of the male leads received nominations but never actually won in their categories, while both Jennifer Aniston and Lisa Kudrow actually took home statuettes.
#6: Jennifer Aniston’s Ex-Fiancé Was On The Show
Brad Pitt certainly isn’t the only person Jennifer Aniston was romantically linked to, or, indeed, had an extended relationship with, who appeared on “Friends”. In the mid-’90s, throughout the filming of the first seasons of the show, Jen was dating fellow actor Tate Donovan . . . who you might also recognize for playing Marissa’s dad on “The OC”. During their breakup however, Donovan was hired to play Rachel’s love interest for the show’s fourth season. We can only imagine how awkward it was working together after that! But hey, that’s what being a pro is all about.
#5: Matt LeBlanc Really Needed the Job
Top 10 Hilarious Matt LeBlanc Friends Bloopers
It’s a running joke throughout the early seasons of the show that Joey is perpetually broke because of his career as a struggling actor. In an instance of art imitating life, this situation pretty closely replicated the one that Matt LeBlanc found himself in before being hired on “Friends.” He has claimed that he only had around 10 bucks to his name when he was auditioning, because his last few acting jobs had fallen through. Considering how unbelievably successful and lucrative the show clearly became, he most probably looks back at this period of his life and laughs at the discrepancy.
#4: Chandler’s Awkwardness Was Real
Top 10 Times Chandler was a Savage on Friends
Could he be any more awkward? From the beginning of the show, the six characters’ personalities are pretty clearly lined out. Chandler has always been portrayed as being both sarcastic and incredibly awkward. It turns out though, that the role probably wasn’t too difficult for Matthew Perry because the show creators based much of Chandler’s character on Perry’s real-life personality. While Perry may not have been overly flattered by this assessment of his interpersonal traits, his affect and demeanour did go on to make him one of the show’s most beloved and relatable figures.
#3: Jennifer Aniston Was Almost Replaced as Rachel
Before she landed her career-making role on “Friends”, Jennifer Aniston had been cast in another CBS sitcom. It was called “Muddling Through” and Aniston played the daughter of a woman who had just gotten out of prison for shooting her husband. Because of her commitment to that show, Aniston couldn’t fully sign on for “Friends,” though it seemed likely that the other show would be cancelled. The “Friends” producers were even auditioning other people for her role. She says she was actually asked to stand apart from the others in cast photos, in case they ended up having to use another actress. “Muddling Through” was indeed cancelled however, and the rest is herstory.
#2: Matthew Perry Doesn’t Remember Almost Half of his Time on the Show
Chandler is considered by many to be the funniest character on “Friends,” but under the surface, the actor who played him was experiencing a dark period in his life during the years of filming. In a revealing interview, Perry shockingly said that he actually doesn’t remember doing several seasons of the show because of the substance abuse that had taken over his life. He guessed that seasons three through six were all a blur. He has long been open about his struggles with drugs and alcohol but this revelation will never cease to surprise us. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. The Cast Hated the Joey/Rachel Relationship Monica and Joey Were Intended to Be the Central Couple
#1: The Six Leads Banded Together for Equal Pay
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If you watched “Friends” during its original run, there was much chatter about the cast’s salary disputes. When they were first hired, all six actors were paid the same amount per episode: $22,500. In season two Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer were given raises, which brought them to 40 thousand per episode. One season later however, the leads decided, as a group, to do all their salary negotiations together, to ensure equal pay for all. We understand this is well-known, but we can't stress enough how important their efforts were at the time, because by the final season, they were each making a whopping $1 million per episode!
