NBC’s hit sitcom and one of the most favorite shows FRIENDS was first aired in 1994, starring Matthew Perry as Chandler, Courteney Cox as Monica, Jennifer Aniston as Rachel, David Schwimmer as Ross, Matt LeBlanc as Joey, and Lisa Kudrow as Phoebe. It has been over one and a half-decade since the show ended, yet the fans of the show keep on increasing.
However, it turns out there are a lot of secrets about the show which fans didn’t know about. From Courtney Cox being offered the part of Rachel to Ellen DeGeneres turning down the role of Phoebe, there are many more secrets to unfold. So, here is the list of 7 shocking secrets revealed about the TV show FRIENDS. Let’s check it out:
The One Where Rachel Moves In With Gunther
Creators put that idea in the box where Rachel moving in with the unfortunate Gunther. In an interview with Metro, James Michael Tyler aka Gunther said, “They were going to have Rachel move in with Gunther. I remember reading the first draft of that script and thinking, ‘Oh man, they’re never going to make this work.” He further added, “It just didn’t read, even to me. I was not ungrateful that it didn’t work. Through no fault of Jennifer or myself or the writing, it just felt contrived…”
It felt like Jennifer was also not a fan of that storyline. James said, “I remember looking at Jen too and we didn’t think it was right. Whatever it was for, we didn’t need that story-line.” According to James, everything else happened organically. He said, “And everything else that happened in the series… was quite organic. Nothing was contrived – let’s put these two people together for no reason. Everything happened naturally and I think it’s for that reason it’s still loved to this day.”
The One Where FREINDS Wasn’t Called FRIENDS
The original title of the show wasn’t FRIENDS. However, it is now considered the most iconic title. Before settling on the title “F.R.I.E.N.D.S”, the producers were also considering another name for the show. Some of them were, “Six of One”, “Friends Like Us”, “Across the hall”, “Once upon a time in the west village” and “Insomnia Café”. Luckily the producers stopped at FRIENDS.
The One Where Jennifer Aniston Nearly Left
From start to finish, Jennifer played Rachel Green in the series. She became one of the most popular characters among the rest of the gang in the series. But what fans don’t know is that she nearly walked away from it all.
Before Jennifer landed the role in FRIENDS, she had filmed six episodes of the CBS sitcom “Muddling Through”. She knew that “Muddling Through” becomes a success, she would have to leave FRIENDS. However, the station released TV movies at the exact same time the CBS show aired, due to which “Muddling Through”‘s ratings fell and the show was let go. And, Jennifer continued on as Rachel.
The One Where Monica And Joey Became The Couple Goals
The moment Monica and Chandler peeked their heads out of the duvet during “The One With Ross’s Wedding”, we were all shipped. However, it turns out Joey and Monica were supposed to be the main couple.
In an interview with NBC, co-creator Marta Kauffman said, “Initially we thought the big love interest was Joey-Monica. This is before we wrote the script when we were just pitching the series.”
The One Were Bruce Willis Works For Free
As the father of Ross’s girlfriend Elizabeth, Bruce Willis makes a guest appearance on the show. We came to know that he lost a bet with Chandler actor Matthew Perry. And as a result, he appeared on the show as a guest.
As per CBR.com, Bruce and Matthew agreed that Willis would appear on FRIENDS for free if the “Die Hard” film opened at no. 1. In an interview with Wired Bruce said, “I was on FRIENDS because I lost a bet to Matthew Perry.”
The One Where Monica Becomes Rachel
Courteney Cox aka Monica was supposed to play Rachel in the show. She was originally brought in to audition for the role of Rachel, but she thought she would be more appropriate for Monica. Today, Courteney Cox is fondly remembered as Monica and Jennifer Aniston is associated with her on-screen name, Rachel.
During an interview on the “Today” show, Courteney said, “For some reason, I thought I related more to Monica, which maybe it’s because I do…” She further added, “I’m very similar to her… I’m not as clean as Monica, but I am neat.” Later, the role of Rachel went to Jennifer Aniston who became a fans favorite.
The one where Ellen DeGeneres nearly played Phoebe
Reportedly, the role of Phoebe Buffay was offered to Ellen DeGeneres from the famous “The Ellen Show”. According to Refinery, she turned down the role. Phoebe was originally supposed to be goth as per the revelation of the publication. However, Lisa Kudrow appeared in the show later as Phoebe Buffay.
So, how many of these you actually knew? Please let us know in the comment section. Also, if we missed some fact, do let us know.
