It became a massive cultural phenomenon, instantly making its six members incredibly famous in the 1990s.
Thirty years after its debut, the popular TV show Friends is being re-examined. Recent stories about conflicts behind the scenes and personal hardships faced by some of the actors are changing how viewers see the series.
Friends, the popular TV show featuring Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, Matthew Perry, and Matt LeBlanc, centered around the everyday lives, relationships, and adventures of six close friends.
Although the actors seemed like close friends on television, their relationships weren’t always as warm behind the scenes.
I was really surprised to hear Lisa Kudrow, who I absolutely loved as Phoebe on Friends, say in a recent interview that she felt like nobody really noticed her during the show’s most popular years. It’s just so hard to believe, considering how iconic her character was!
Yet that is just the start of the feuds and tragedies to beset the the show…
Lisa says ‘nobody cared about her’
Lisa has suggested she was treated as an afterthought compared to the rest of her Friends co-stars.
The actress felt that Jennifer, Courteney, Matt, and the late Matthew Perry, along with David Schwimmer, became much more popular than she was during their time on the show.
Kudrow shared with the Independent that she felt overlooked. She explained that some people at her talent agency simply labeled her ‘the sixth Friend,’ implying she wasn’t as important as the main cast.
After Friends became incredibly popular starting in its second season, many of Kudrow’s fellow cast members began landing prominent roles in movies. However, Kudrow felt she wasn’t getting the same opportunities.
Honestly, it felt like no one really saw a future for me, or even imagined what I could do with a career. It was just… everyone seemed to think I was lucky to even be on the show, and that was it. There wasn’t any thought given to what came next, or what I could actually achieve.
Although she once felt undervalued, Kudrow has achieved lasting success beyond her role on Friends, notably with her HBO series, The Comeback, which has been brought back twice.
Fisher Stevens admits to being an ‘a**hole’ to the cast
The show’s guest stars caused some disruption, and Fisher later apologized for his rude behavior towards the cast and crew.
During an appearance on PeopleTV’s Couch Surfing, the actor who famously played Phoebe’s boyfriend on the show explained why he felt compelled to apologize.
He explained that he hadn’t heard of the show Friends because it had just started and he wasn’t much of a TV watcher back then.
He admitted he wasn’t very nice, explaining he was upset about some last-minute changes to the script.
Are you saying I need to memorize new lines that are actually worse than the original ones you wrote?
He continued, saying, “I’m really sorry, everyone. I apologize for being awful to you all. I was out of line and I admit I was wrong.”
Matthew’s tragic death
Matthew died in October 2023 at the age of 54, and a toxicology report showed he had recently used ketamine.
I’ve always believed in being open about difficult topics, and this man was incredibly brave in sharing his personal battles. He didn’t shy away from talking about his struggles with prescription painkillers and alcohol – he was very honest about his addiction, right up until the end. It really highlighted the importance of seeking help and breaking the stigma around these issues.
His struggle with substance abuse began at 24, when he was cast on Friends.
According to Today, the late Friends funny guy went into rehab more than 15 times.
Looking back, it seemed like I had a perfect life – we were constantly out and about, always visible. But as I told Today in 2013, that wasn’t the reality. I was secretly struggling with alcoholism, and it was a very isolating experience.
Despite not recalling three seasons of the show, the actor insisted he never used drugs or alcohol while working on it.
He clarified, ‘I never used drugs at work. What happened was I was terribly hungover, and eventually it became obvious to everyone.’
Courteney’s fertility issues
The actress Courteney Cox, who played Monica Geller on the show Friends, has spoken about her personal struggles with becoming a mother, revealing a challenging path to motherhood similar to her character’s storyline. She shared her experiences in 2019.
She shared that she experienced seven miscarriages before the birth of her daughter, Coco, with her former husband, David Arquette.
She felt the situation, while regrettable, wasn’t something to shy away from discussing, explaining that these things sometimes happen.
Doctors later found out the actress had a rare genetic mutation called MTHFR, which caused her body to reject a pregnancy.
After two cycles of IVF, she gave birth aged 39.
Jennifer’s wedding invitation snub
Jennifer’s surprise nuptials to second husband Justin Theroux made headlines for lots of reasons.
But one of those was the fact that half the cast of Friends were missing from the guest list.
It was revealed that co-stars Matt, Matthew, and David did not make the cut.
Matt told People that he would have been present if she had wanted him to. Ultimately, he said he just wants her to be happy.
He also revealed he ‘missed’ her first wedding to Brad Pitt due to his work schedule.
‘It was a surprise to me, as well,’ said Matthew. ‘I wasn’t invited. So what can you do?’
David’s struggle with stardom
David has shared before that becoming famous overnight when Friends became a hit in 1994 wasn’t as great as people might think.
He told The Hollywood Reporter that it crushed his personal life.
He described the experience as deeply unsettling, explaining it damaged his relationships and took years for him to recover and feel comfortable again.
I was taught as an actor to really pay attention to the world around me and the people in it. I used to actively watch others when I was out and about, keeping my head up and fully engaged.
Being famous had the opposite effect of what I expected – it made me want to disappear and avoid attention.
Jean-Claude Van Damme’s clash with Jennifer and Courteney
Jean-Claude played a famous actor on the second season of the show.
There were rumors of disagreements between Van Damme and the film’s producers, and reports that he was often late and didn’t always seem ready to work when he arrived on set.
According to an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, sitcom director Michael Lembeck revealed that a kiss between the actor and both Jennifer and Courtney was filmed but ultimately cut from the show.
Michael remembered saying they shot the man and Jennifer first. Then, the woman walked over to him and asked if he would do her a favor: to ask the man not to put his tongue in her mouth while kissing her.
‘I tell him everything is great but it’s a tight shot so maybe let’s not do that.’
However, the next day, Jean-Claude reportedly ignored the request and did it again.
Michael continued: ‘Then we’re shooting a scene later with Courteney.
Courtney walked up to me and asked, “Lem, could you please tell him to stop putting his tongue in my mouth?” I was shocked. I had to ask him again, but more forcefully this time.
Matt’s mental health struggles
Matt struggled with the immense fame which came from the sitcom.
In an interview with the Mirror, the actor known for playing Joey Tribbiani on the show explained that its massive popularity led to exhaustion and made it difficult for him to even leave his home.
‘It was a very dark time,’ he said, ‘I almost had a nervous breakdown.’
In 2006, he stepped away to his ranch in California and prioritized raising his daughter, Marina.
When Marina was just 11 months old, doctors diagnosed her with cortical dysplasia, a condition that impacts brain development, bones, and movement.
He reportedly spent his years out of the limelight almost entirely with her.
He told the Mirror that being with her has been the most wonderful experience of his life, and that their close connection means everything to him.
Marina reportedly ‘outgrew’ the condition by the time she was 11 years old.
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2026-04-07 03:09