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The cast of Friends finally got together for HBO Max’s much-delayed reunion special, and they revealed some surprising secrets about the beloved sitcom.
Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer gathered at the apartment and coffee shop sets to reminisce, were interviewed in front of the theme song’s fountain by James Corden, and were surprised by special appearances from celebrity fans and former guest stars.
Here are the 5 top revelations from the nearly 2-hour special:
Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer Had Crushes on Each Other
During the interview portion of the special, James Corden asked if there were ever any offscreen romances among the cast. “The first season, I had a major crush on Jen,” Schwimmer revealed. “At some point we were both crushing hard on each other, but it was like two ships passing because one of us was always in a relationship, so we never crossed that boundary.” (LeBlanc hilariously whispered "Bulls--t!") Aniston added, "I remember saying one time to David, 'It’s going to be such a bummer if the first time you and I actually kiss is going to be on national television.' Sure enough, the first time we kissed was in that coffee shop. We just channeled all of our adoration and love for each other into Ross and Rachel."
This is the history lesson I didn’t know I needed. 🥺
Catch the entire story on Friends: The Reunion, streaming now on HBO Max. #FriendsReunion pic.twitter.com/E8iZh9LVbI
— HBO Max (@hbomax) May 27, 2021
Matt LeBlanc Was Prone to Accidents
Matt LeBlanc said that the night before his audition, he got drunk with friends and it ended badly. “I got up [to go to the bathroom] too fast, I kind of blacked out, as you do, and fell face-first into the toilet. A huge chunk of meat came off my nose.” He told the truth about why he had a bloody nose at the audition, and he landed the part. LeBlanc also revealed that he dislocated his shoulder while jumping over the chair that he and Matthew Perry's character were fighting over in "The One Where No One's Ready," and his sling had to be written into future episodes.
David Schwimmer Was Not a Fan of Marcel
On the show, Schwimmer’s character had a monkey named Marcel, much to the actor’s chagrin. He talked about hating the fact that the monkey (who’s real name was Katie) used to eat live grubs between takes, and then rub her hands all over his hair. “I’d have monkey grubby hands all over. It was just time for Marcel to f*ck off.” Cox also had unpleasant memories, saying “The monkey scared me.”
This Marcel slander is unacceptable. #FriendsReunion pic.twitter.com/DeRI4c3qeM
— Ringer Dish (@RingerDish) May 27, 2021
Everyone Agrees They Were on a Break
One of the biggest arguments on the show (and in pop culture at the time) was whether Ross and Rachel were on a break when Ross hooked up with Chloe (Angela Featherstone). Corden asked the cast to declare once and for all if the characters were on a break, and all six actors agreed – although some of them more reluctantly than others.
Celebrities Still Love the Show
Whether it was Justin Bieber dressing up in Ross' Spudnick costume, Lady Gaga singing “Smelly Cat”, Cara Delevigne pretending to be the Holiday Armadillo, or BTS declaring their love for the show, there was no shortage of celebrity cameos in the reunion special. But perhaps the most random was a video cameo by Game of Thrones’ Kit Harington, who said he’d fit in best with the Gellars because he’s neurotic and wears tight pants.
The Friends: The Reunion special is currently streaming on Crave in Canada.