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Seven months after the engagement, Matthew Perry and his fiancée Molly Hurwitz calling it quits. The 51-year-old Friends alum popped the question in front of 29-year-old Molly seven months ago and now they are going separate ways. According to the latest report in People, literary manager Molly and Matthew Perry decided to end the relationship recently. However, neither of them disclosed the reason behind their split.

Since 2018, the actor, who played Chandler Bing in FRIENDS has been dating the literary manager, and the couple got engaged last November. They were snapped out several times by the paparazzi. After the engagement, the actor even shared a couple of snaps featuring Molly on his Instagram. Matthew had called Molly the “greatest woman” on his engagement to Molly. At that time, Mattew spoke to the People and said, “I decided to get engaged.” He further continued, “Luckily, I happened to be dating the greatest woman on the face of the planet at this time.”

However, things did not work out between them and Matthew revealed in a statement that he and Molly have now parted ways. He confirmed his split from Molly to People Magazine. He said, “Sometimes things just don’t work out and this is one of them. I wish Molly the best.” Molly has not yet addressed the split and she also keeps her Instagram account private.

Recommended Read: Courteney Cox Dating Matt LeBlanc And More FRIENDS Cast Rumors

When the duo was dating, to promote his line of FRIENDS merchandise, the actor had even taken assistance from Molly. They keep sharing photos wearing FRIENDS t-shirt and tagging each other in each post. Matthew shared a photo back in December of Molly donning a FRIENDS tee and captioned it, “You don’t have to pose this way while wearing the shirt, but please feel free.”

 

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A post shared by Matthew Perry (@mattyperry4)

Speculations Behind The Split

The sad news of Perry and Hurwitz’s split comes after the much-awaited FRIENDS reunion. At the reunion, Perry got back together with his former co-stars, especially Courteney Cox from the hit NBC sitcom, FRIENDS. David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow, Jennifer Aniston, and Courteney Cox all appeared in the special which was streamed on HBO Max. It was filmed in Burbank, California on the beloved sitcom’s original soundstage. Though it was only the second time since the show’s finale 17 years prior that the core six stars had been back together and they all picked right up where they left off.

Ahead of the special’s premiere, LeBlanc told the People, “It’s funny when we do get together, it’s like no time has passed. We pick up right where we left off.” Perry agreed with LeBlanc and said that what still exists between them all is “magic.” Well, we are not sure that if the magic was between all of them or just between Perry and Cox.

Even though Perry and Hurwitz had a great relationship, the rumor mill alleges that Cox always made Perry happy. That is why a part of his heart was unavailable for Hurwitz. Gossip hounds claim that the FRIENDS star, Matthew Perry is still in love with his co-star, Courteney Cox, and never truly got over her. And calling the engagement off just after the FRIENDS reunion special, made the fans suspicious even more.

The Confession By Matthew Perry

The on-screen chemistry between Perry and Cox as Chandler and Monica touched our hearts. They were perhaps the steadiest couple in FRIENDS. They welcomed twins from a surrogate before getting into the life of suburbs. And, it left us wondering, if they are also in a relationship off-screen. The fans could not keep their calm when fiction tipped over into reality. Reportedly, Matthew Perry said that since the show ended in 2004, he has deep feelings for his FRIENDS co-star, Courteney Cox.

Whenever Cox needed a friend or someone for emotional support, Perry was always there for her. In 2015, she separated with Johnny McDaid briefly. At that time, she looked upon Matthew for emotional support and that bonding had finally become something more. Reportedly, a source told Perez Hilton, “It’s no surprise that Matthew was one of the first people Courteney called after Johnny left her. They have leaned on each other before. There isn’t any pressure to put a label on it just yet, but they are excited to see where this might go.”

However, after FRIENDS ended, Matthew got admitted into rehab for his alcoholism and addiction. By 2010, Matthew recovered and returned from rehab. But Courteney was going through a split with her husband, David. Matthew stood with her like a rock during her tough days of separation. They kept meeting on lunches, events, and parties. Later, Matthew and Courteney caught up on a lunch date and Courteney also shared it with her fans by posting a photo with the caption, “Guess who I had lunch with today…I KNOW!! Could I BE any happier? #realfriends”

 

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A post shared by Courteney Cox (@courteneycoxofficial)

While the fans were waiting for Courteney and Matthew to be together, Matthew announced his engagement to Molly Hurwitz, a literary manager. in 2018. However, reportedly, a source said regarding Matthew and Courteney to US Weekly, “Matthew’s always been in love with her. Any girl he’s tried to date looked similar to Courteney. Matthew has never fully been able to get over her.”

Well, we all wanted to see Matthew and Courteney together. They would have made such a great couple. But, in the end, their happiness matters the most, even if it’s with different people. Meanwhile, it seems as if Perry is working through his grief about whatever happened between him and Hurwitz and starting to appreciate the single life once more. However, the fans are going crazy after hearing about the news of Perry and Hurwitz’s separation. Some of them are grieving about his situation and some of them are hoping that this might be the cue of Perry and Cox’s reunion.

Most fans hold similar views and that’s the reason that when the news of Matthew’s split popped up, fans couldn’t keep calm and expressed their suspicion on Matthew and Courteney coming back together. Feel free to join the fans in the comments section of the post mentioned above. You might find some interesting facts in there, go explore!

Read more: 10 Cast Members Who Shared Their Experience In FRIENDS

It is hard to believe that the iconic show FRIENDS wrapped 16 years ago. However, the classic sitcom has barely left our screens. And, now the reunion made things much more exciting for us. Even though the main cast i.e. Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc, and Matthew Perry stole the show for ten years, the featured child actors played their part too throughout the series. But, have you ever wondered where are they now? We didn’t see them at the reunion but we would have really loved to see them.

Scroll down to find out what the child actors like Emma, Ben, and more are doing today. Let’s take a look:

1. Ben Geller

The first baby on FRIENDS was Ben who was Ross, and his ex-wife Carol’s son. Throughout the show, the part of Ben was played by four different actors. When Ben was born, it was played by Michael Gunderson. Later, the twin toddlers John Christopher Allen and Charles Thomas Allen took up the show. Finally, Cole Sprouse, perhaps the most notable actor played an older Ben.

Cole Sprouse first appeared on the FRIENDS show in season 1, episode 23, “The One With The Birth”. Initially, Ben’s character got some focus on the show but eventually, it faded away. Ben would pop up a few times each season which led to season seven’s “The One with the Holiday Armadillo.” However, after FRIENDS, Cole went on to have a successful acting career. He is going to star along with his twin Dylan in a Netflix show, Riverdale. And you might already know him very well from The Suite Life of Zack and Cody.

2. Emma Geller Green

Emma was the daughter of Ross and Rachel in FRIENDS. The part of Emma was played by more than one actor, similar to her character’s half-brother. The first set of twins to play her were Alexandra and Athina Conley, and Elizabeth and Genevieve Davidson. However, twins Noelle and Cali played toddler Emma in the later seasons.

Emma was a fixture in the last two seasons of the show. She’s the first and only kid to actually become a regular character appearing in 23 episodes of the show. A number of plots even revolved around her in the last two seasons. She said her first word “gleba”, celebrated her first birthday, and also discovered her first favorite song “Baby Got Back”. Moreover, it is weird that Emma never met her half-brother Ben. However, Emma is nearly 18 now and continued to act in the thriller Us in 2019.

3. Phoebe’s Triplets – Leslie, Chandler (Baby Girl), And Frank Jr Jr

Phoebe’s brother Frank Junior and his wife Alice asked her to carry their baby as a surrogate. Little did they know that they are going to have triplets. The babies that played Leslie, Chandler (Baby Girl), And Frank Jr Jr were uncredited. However, the triplets appeared as toddlers by season six when Phoebe, Chandler, and Monica tried their hand at babysitting. The part of the toddlers in the show was played by quadruplets Paul, Justin, Cole, Alexis Cimoch.

The triplets appeared again in season ten with Allisyn Ashley Arm playing Leslie, Sierra Marcoux as Chandler, and Dante Pastula playing Frank Jr Jr. While Allisyn is now 24 and went on to star in the children’s TV show Sonny with a Chance, Dante Pastula is 22 and went on to star in The Polar Express. There is nothing found about Sierra Marcoux who played Chandler, the baby girl.

4. Jack And Erica Bing

Do you remember the iconic moment when Chandler and Monica found out that Erica, their surrogate was having twins? It was one of the most emotional moments and it still is. The actors who were playing twins Erica and Jack Bing were not credited in the show. But, they would be around 16 years old today.

In the show, Jack and Erica only spent one night in their parent’s rent-controlled apartment. Later, they moved to upstate. Now, they must be in middle school and far away from Central Perk. We wonder that how often Jack and Erica see their cousins.

5. Mackenzie

True FRIENDS fans will know that in season 10, Dakota Fanning appeared in the show as Mackenzie. She was the little girl living in the house that Chandler and Monica were going to buy. She gave some insightful advice to Joey and eventually comes round to the idea of her home sold. Her cameo was small but played a significant part in the show.

Dakota has since gone on to enjoy success in acting. She appeared in films such as War of the Worlds alongside Tom Cruise. She appeared recently in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood alongside Brad Pitt and Leonardo Di Caprio.

6. Lelani Mayolanofavich

Emily Osment appeared as Lelani Mayolanofavich, a trick-or-treater in season seven. She may have had a small role but her character has a scene with Rachel. After appearing in FRIENDS, she went on to continue acting. She appeared alongside Miley Cyrus in Disney Channel’s hit show Hannah Montana as her BFF.

7. Owen

Daryl Sabara appeared on FREINDS as Owen. He was the kid who awkwardly found out he was adopted. Thanks to Chandler! Before Daryl Sabara appeared on FRIENDS, he was already a star of the big screen by appearing in Spy Kids. Nowadays, he is also known as singer Meghan Trainor’s husband.

8. Sarah

In season three, Mae Whitman appears as Sarah in “The One Where Rachel Quits”. She plays a Brown Bird whose legs get broken because of Ross. Then ultimately, Ross goes on to sell cookies for her. Mae went on to enjoy success after appearing in FRIENDS. She did shows like NBC’s Good Girls and Arrested Development. She’s also appeared in films such as The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

9. Charla Nichols

In season three, Kyla Pratt appeared as Brown Bird Charla Nichols. She gets into a spat with Ross for breaking Sarah’s leg, her fellow Brown Bird. Kyla went on to star in many TV shows since FRIENDS such as The Proud Family, One On One, and the Dr. Dolittle films against Eddie Murphy.

Read more: Success Of FRIENDS Cast After The Show Ended

The cast of FRIENDS reunited for the first time ever after 17 years and an unfathomable legacy, for HBO Max’s “FRIENDS: The Reunion”.

From 1994 to 2004, FRIENDS ran on NBC and while there has been no official cast reunion, the show never left the forefront of pop culture. Through Netflix, DVD box sets, and TV reruns, new audiences discovered the world of Monica, Rachel, Phoebe, Ross, Joey, and Chandler. As highlighted by James Corden in the reunion special, it has been watched over 100 billion times globally on all platforms.

Lisa Kudrow, Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Matthew Perry, and Matt LeBlanc reunited on their iconic soundstage to look back and enjoy each other’s company like it’s 1999. The reunion special was directed by Ben Winston which features FRIENDS guest stars, dozens of celebrity cameos, and delighted fans in the audience to watch their favorite friends unite.

Now that FRIENDS reunion is out in the world, it actually proves that it is one in a million shows that are loved by fans globally. It’s an interview show, it’s a clip show, and it’s a celebrity talking heads show as well. As you can say from the trailer that the format of the show was quite muddled up, some of the parts worked better than the others. Perhaps, the best way to approach this is to see what fans loved and hated about the show. Let’s get started:

1. Loved: Including The Creators Of The Show

When any movie or show does well among the audience, the actors are the ones who get all the credit. But when it comes to FRIENDS, true fans will also know the creators of the show, Marta Kauffman, David Crane, and Kevin Bright. And it was great to see that the FRIENDS reunion got them as well. They shared the stories from the time when the show wasn’t even started filming.

They spoke about the casting process where Ross’s character was written with David Schwimmer’s voice in mind. Phoebe came from a show titled “Mad About You”. While talking, they also revealed that Rachel’s character was the hardest and the last one to be cast. Hearing these stories from the creators and actors themselves made it a moment.

2. Hated: The Guests

There is a lot of things to unpack here and most of them are dismal. Did you know that David Beckham sees himself as a Monica? Did you know that he is not the only one, Kit Harington also feels that he belongs to Geller Family? And also that Mr. Heckles was going to cameo while suffering the indignation that the entire main cast of FRIENDS had forgotten the name of his iconic character? Did you want to see Gunther appear on Zoom wearing a Central hat and saying nothing of interest at all? Did you ever imagine that Elliott Gould and Christina Pickles would be relegated to a seat in the audience for crying out loud? Did you want to see BTS members just saying “We love Friends” in unison? Or Malala being “100% Joey with a hint of Phoebe” as described by her best friend, while giving a hint that she doesn’t actually like FRIENDS very much? Or several fans who overstate their enjoyment of the show? Obviously, you didn’t, but it was there anyway.

And, one of the most disappointing things was that some of the real guests were missing such as Paul Rudd. God knows what happened between him and the cast of FRIENDS.

3. Loved: The FRIENDS Set Was As It Should Be

As true FRIENDS fans, we always wanted to know what the set really looked like. The cast and creators have often spoken about it and said that how Monica’s room was a different set altogether. However, seeing the whole set, the entrance, the floors, the dressing rooms, gave goosebumps to the fans. From the moment when David Schwimmer walks into the set, it was like…OH, MY, GOD…

4. Hated: The James Corden Interview

Since the FRIENDS reunion is made in 2021, it is known that James Corden will show himself in there one way or another. What we didn’t know that he was going to be so prominent. Although Corden was outnumbered six to one, he still managed to out-talk everyone else on stage and that too without really saying anything. This was more an extended platitude contest and less an interview, when he asked, “Who had the loudest laugh?”

5. Loved: Table Readings Were The Best Part

There was nothing so amazing than seeing these six brilliant actors read out the lines of some of the most iconic moments of the series. Ever since the trailer came out, Lisa Kudrow going “My eyes, my eyes” got us all hooked. But, every table reading on the reunion felt like they are about to go shoot it NOW. While reading the scene where Ross and Rachel kiss for the first time, the cast members also revealed that how they had a crush on each other when the show started. Unfortunately, the duo never pursued it and transferred all love they felt in their characters.

6. Hated: The Bloopers

This is the segment where we start getting into fillers. In the FRIENDS reunion, there was a bit where the cast of Friends watched some bloopers of the show. Well, 90% of them were already watched on DVD extras and YouTube. Although it was quite exciting to see the cast eventually Gogglebox themselves, there was little insight to them.

7. Loved: Smelly Cat By Phoebe Buffay Ft. Lady Gaga

There is no FRIENDS reunion if there is no “Smelly Cat”. Just like more than 17 years before, Phoebe sat down on the couch and filled magic in the air by playing her original song “Smelly Cat” with her off-tune guitar. And there comes Lady Gaga, who presents a new version with her guitar where the choir joins in too. Lady Gaga even thanked Lisa Kudrow for being different and Kudrow thanks Lady Gaga for carrying it on in the real world. But the best part is when at the end of the song Lisa said, “Still think it’s better when it’s just me”.

8. Hated: The Fashion Show

This segment was the most unnecessary add-on until Matt LeBlanc came in wearing Chandler’s all clothes. In the FRIENDS fashion show, Justin Bieber dressed up as a big potato. He has no connection to Friends and tangible or otherwise. He took up his time on the show by dressing up as a big potato, pulling a funny face, and talking up and down for a bit. This was a kind of death of entertainment in the FRIENDS reunion.

9. Loved: The Jennifer Aniston And David Schwimmer Crush

The long recap of things everybody already knew where getting boring. And at the time when things were about to go downhill, the revelation that David Schwimmer and Jennifer Aniston crushed over each other came a breath of fresh air. It felt like actual news for which we all were waiting. From their reminiscences to their behind-the-scenes footage where they are flirting with each other were unbearably sweet. After seeing that footage, they seemed actually mad about each other. The storyline of Ross and Rachel in the show was quite appealing and it inspired a wealth of imitators too. However, it is wonderful to know that it was rooted in something true.

The FRIENDS reunion is finally out, and fans are soaking in the good old days of the hit sitcom from all across the globe. The reunion saw the six best friends Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Jennifer Aniston, Matthew Perry, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer come together after 17 long years and reminisce all great things about the show. However, David and Jennifer’s revelation that they both crushed hard on each other might be one of the biggest highlights of the show.

During an interview with “The Late Night” show host James Corden, the six cast members gathered on a very Central Perk-Esque couch and discussed the show’s amazing impact on pop culture and American television. But, when James Corden asked the cast if they have feelings for each other IRL, stars Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer have revealed that they had a thing for each other in real life during the early episodes of the show.

“so we just channeled all our love and adoration for each other through Ross and Rachel.” – Jennifer Aniston, 2021

JENVID. THE ONE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN. #FriendsReunion pic.twitter.com/9J3bJ6kT83

— shane (@shanianiston) May 27, 2021

Schwimmer said, “The first season, we, I had a major crush on Jen.” And Jennifer instantly says, “It was reciprocated.” Schwimmer further continued, “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. And we never crossed that boundary.” He admitted, “You know, we respected that, but we both…” At this point, Schwimmer was interrupted by Matt LeBlanc who said “bulls***”. The cast and the crowd erupt into laughter as Aniston protests, “No, no! No. No, no.”

She protested, “Honestly. And 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.'” She further continued, “Sure enough, the first time we kissed was in that coffee shop. But we just channeled all of our adoration and love for each other into Ross and Rachel.”

Our beloved characters, Ross and Rachel didn’t date during the first season. However, eventually, they both got together in 1996, season 2 episode “The One Where Ross Finds Out.” Then James said something that we are still thinking, “Is this blowing anyone else’s mind?” Moreover, the pair did a table read of their first kiss scene, following the crush revelation, interspersed with footage from the episode.

As Matt had hinted, David later admitted, he and Jennifer shared some intimate moments while shooting for the show. He recalled, “I thought back on the very first year or two, you know, when we had breaks from rehearsal, like, there were moments where we would cuddle on the couch.” “Or we would spoon and fall asleep on the couch” Jennifer continued by sharing. David also wondered, “how did not everyone know we were crushing on each other?”

Here, Perry jumps in and says, “We Knew! We Knew!” And Cox adds, “We knew for sure.” According to his fellow friends, their low-key and secret love wasn’t so secretive after all. David told his castmates, “Great, thanks. It was a situation that we couldn’t, we couldn’t do anything about it.” Because they both were never single at the same time to take it any further.

Reportedly, until 1994, Jennifer was dating Daniel McDonald and then Tate Donovan from about 1995 to 1998. However, the Emmy winner married another FRIENDS guest star, Brad Pitt from 2000 to 2005. And after that, from 2015 to 2017, she was married to Justin Theroux. On the other hand, David tied the knot with artist Zoe Buckman in 2010 and split in 2017. He was reportedly linked to singer Natalie Imbruglia while filming FRIENDS from 1996 to 1997.

Well, Courteney seems to think it worked out for the best. She believed that it was best that Ross and Rachel’s romance remained on-screen. She mused, “How great though, ultimately. Cause if you had and it didn’t work out, it would have not probably been as great.”

But what if it did????

As per the article of Republic World, Jennifer and David were even living under one roof for quite some time. They were afraid to reveal their relationship publically because they thought that it might hamper their on-screen chemistry. Unfortunately, the duo soon went down a rocky road and decided to split. But, none of the cast members have ever confirmed or denied these reports.

However, David and Jennifer’s candid confession about their love for each other sent their fans into a frenzy. Considering both of them are single, fans took to social media to tweet frantically about how they could still start dating. As a result, “#Jenvid” gathered some steam on Twitter. Check out some of the crazy fans reactions after hearing the news:

David and Jen admitted that they had a crush on each other on camera😭😭#FriendsReunion #Jenvid

— 𝑱𝒆𝒏𝒗𝒊𝒅 𝒊𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍♡ (@pyaarhaigham) May 27, 2021

#FriendsReunion SPOILER❗️

This scene hits so different now 🥺 #Jenvid pic.twitter.com/cNmfqzCdzu

— tati ☽ writing a thesis (@jenhiddleston) May 27, 2021

The Roschel scenes are never gonna be the same again with THIS BRAND NEW INFORMATION 😭❤ #Jenvid #FriendsReunion

— ✨ (@BarunFanSays) May 27, 2021

Are you kidding?
It’s like the door of the past opened, if you look, when LeBlanc said “Bullshit”
Jen and David were scared haha✨💛.#jenvid #FriendsReunion #FriendsTheReunion #JenniferAniston #DavidSchwimmer pic.twitter.com/52aLx29qrX

— Best of David Schwimmer. (@Schwimniston) May 27, 2021

Here’s to a love that was. ❤
One that was “channelled into Ross and Rachel”
Only you two know how much you felt for each other; if if the timing is right now, I hope that you two find your way back to each other (PLEASE) ❤ #davidschwimmer #jenniferaniston #FriendsReunion pic.twitter.com/GmmQfYPaki

— ✨ (@BarunFanSays) May 27, 2021

Also, at this point, #jenniferaniston and #davidschwimmer are single as far as I know soooo… 🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️😜😜😜 how perfect would that be if they ended up together in real life. Ugh. The chemistry kills me!!

— Lee🖤 (@Snows8thDwarf) May 27, 2021

JENNIFER ANISTON AND DAVID SCHWIMMER FINALLY CONFESSED THAT THEY HAD FEELINGS FOR EACHOTHER.
THEY WERE CRUSHING HARD ON EACH OTHER.
AND THOSE CLIPS OF THEM TOGETHER .
OMG 😭😭❤️❤️❤️#FriendsReunion #JenniferAniston #davidschwimmer

— TeamWinget♕ (@Khushiii_21_) May 27, 2021

Now David’s single and Jen’s single too!! Please let them get together, I can’t sleep knowing they were crushing on each other !#FriendsTheReunion #Friends #davidschwimmer #JenniferAniston pic.twitter.com/wM1mUqxkUv

— Navadeep Vedantham (@NVedantham) May 27, 2021

It’s unclear if Aniston and Schwimmer wanted their “crush” to become public knowledge for a PR boost or if the cast knew ahead of time that Corden would ask about off-set romance. However, this revelation explains that why over the course of FRIENDS’ 10-year grip on TV, Ross and Rachel became such a sensation. However, Aniston of course went on to marry Brad Pitt and Jennifer, and David’s affection was lost in between.

But after so many years they have revived those memories and there ought to be a reason behind it. Is it possible for them to go ahead and give it a try given the fact that now everyone would be aware of it and there’s no one to object? They both are single now and there’s quite a possibility that it might the best for them. And not just them, even fans would be really excited to see them together. What do you think? Did they make this news public for a reason? Will they try to get together in the near future?

The US sitcom FRIENDS was a window to the American way of life for many Chinese millennials. Teachers use these shows to help students learn English. Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangzhou have FRIENDS-themed Central perk cafes. So, diehard fans of China were excited when the news of the reunion special was announced nearly 20 years after the show was first introduced to them. They were thrilled to know that the core cast would come together again in the FRIENDS reunion. To broadcast the show in China, some of China’s biggest online streaming platforms even bought its rights for Chinese viewers.

But, on Thursday, eagle-eyed viewers complained that some of the much-talked-about scenes were missing in the original 104-minute runtime. The missing scenes featured guest stars such as Lady Gaga, the boyband BTS, and Justin Bieber. These are the people who caused controversy in China. It is believed that the celebrities were censored because of their previous negative headlines. Reportedly, mentions of LGBTQ subjects were censored as well.

In China, censorship is not that rare. However, it is not immediately clear whether the cuts were action taken by streamers as a precautionary measure or a result of orders by regulators. According to fans, while one of the streamers iQiyi had six minutes missing from the original one hour and 44 minutes show, another platform YouKu cut out about four minutes. One wrote on the Weibo social network, “It’s just going to make me want to know more about those cut scenes.”

The hashtag “#Friends” has been viewed more than 1.2bn times on China’s social media platform Weibo and nearly 700,000+ discussion entries have taken place. However, the core point of their discussion has been about enthusiastic fans’ nostalgia for the show. But, some of them shared the missing clips and asked about the reasons for cutting them out. Many Chinese fans were shocked when they came to know that the country’s three major streaming platforms, iQiyi, Tencent Video, and Alibaba’s Youku had entirely edited out appearances by Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, BTS, and other special moments in the reunion.

Here’s the list of guests who attended the FRIENDS Reunion:

How Justin Bieber, lady Gaga, And BTS Angered China?

Last year, a member of the South Korean boy band, BTS made a comment about the Korean War. After that, there were calls to boycott this boy band in China. In a speech, band leader RM had mentioned that over the 1950-53 conflict, South Korea shared the “history of pain” with the US in which the two countries fought together. His statement angered Chinese social media users because Beijing backed the North in the war. In the FRIENDS reunion special episode, the superstars were part of a 13-second clip. They spoke about their love for FRIENDS and RM also said that the show had taught him “the things about life and true friendship.”

In 2016, Lady Gaga met with the Dalai Lama, and since then, American singer-songwriter Lady Gaga is banned from touring in China. She had upset Chinese officials who feel that he is the ultimate figure for Tibetan separatism by showing her support for the Tibetan spiritual leader she went against them too. The cut meant that her appearance in the FRIENDS special would not have been seen on any official Chinese channels where she sings the iconic “Smelly Cat” song with the sitcom’s star Lisa Kudrow.

Chinese audiences also did not see Justin Bieber’s appearance in the reunion special where he was dressed like “Spudnik”, a combination suit of the potato and satellite that FRIENDS character Ross once wore to a Halloween party. Little did we know, the Canadian pop star is banned because of his bad behavior. He is not allowed to perform in front of a Chinese audience. In 2014, he posted a photo of himself visiting the controversial Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo. This angered the Chinese people and resulted in banning. The shrine honors fallen warriors and also pays tribute to the convicted war criminals. It is seen in South Korea and China as a symbol of Japan not being sorry for its empire’s past.

What Else China Has Censored?

LGBTQ references and random references to urine were censored as well from China. For example, the German fan Ricardo described that how the show gave him a sense of belonging was cut. Originally he said, “I was a gay man who wanted to be like Jennifer Aniston, so you can imagine how lonely I was.” Another scene was censored by the Youku platform in which a woman pulls her female partner on camera and said, “Like every Chandler, I found my Monica.”

The streaming platform also censored shots where FRIENDS star Matt LeBlanc’s Joey revealed a picture of Ross that was glued to the front of his underwear. Meanwhile, Tencent and iQiyi both cut out one of the most iconic scenes from the sitcom that was shown at the reunion. It’s the scene where Monica is explaining to the group how Chandler helped her with a jellyfish sting by peeing on her leg.

For Chinese broadcasters, it is not uncommon to censor anything that may be deemed culturally or politically sensitive. For example, in April, in a show of support for China’s Xinjiang cotton campaign, Chinese TV stations blurred out Western brand logos in their programs. In the past, cleavage, tattoos, hip-hop culture have also been censored in China. So, a common situation that probably did not surprise a public accustomed to the censorship imposed by the Chinese Communist Party for several years.

China’s continuous excessive censorship seems like a way to purify the mounting immoral industry within celebrities in the country, fan culture, and online entertainment. Earlier on Weibo, several fan accounts of BTS were banned for using the platform because of undesirable fan behavior. However, because of excessive censorship, many Chinese netizens are now tired. It has resulted in using pirated versions, bypasses, and watching unauthorized and uncensored versions on other platforms.

The FRIENDS sitcom had garnered a big following in China over the years and many have expressed their excitement about the reunion special across various social media platforms. But these censored clippings from the FRIENDS reunion are making Chinese people more eager to watch them as well. So was it right for them to sensor the content? Was it really necessary? Please express your views in the comment section.

From the 1990s sitcom FRIENDS, the well-known cast came in together for a FRIENDS reunion special episode. The most-awaited reunion finally aired on May 27, 2021, on HBO Max featuring the lead cast members Courteney Cox, Matthew Perry, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, and Matt LeBlanc as they revisit the sets of the show around 17 years later. Fans have been demanding a reunion episode and HBO has finally delivered it. Little did we know, it did not come cheap.

The ensemble cast was one of the highest-paid actors during the original run of FRIENDS in the history of the television industry. And now when the cast came back for the reunion special, they are again getting a huge sum of money. Earlier according to a report by Variety, the group of Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Courteney Cox, and Matthew Perry will be receiving a whopping $2.5 million each for the episode in the FRIENDS reunion show.

However, as per the reports from “The Hollywood Reporter”, this sum is even higher. It said that there’s a possibility that they have been paid between $2.5 million to $3 million each for the episode. The cast was earning a then historic $1 million for each episode by the end of the show. During its original run, the cast famously renegotiated their salaries to receive equal pay on the show. And, the current amount is almost triple the amount they were earning while they were a part of the show’s original run. Like earlier, Jennifer Anniston is still one of the highest-paid female actors in the television industry. Reportedly, she got $2 million per episode for the series “Good Morning America”.

The New York Times had reported in 1996, that each member of the cast would get $22,500 per episode. After the success of the show, they even banded together to demand a pay increase. They demanded salary increases to $100,000 each per episode. Also, a percentage of the series’ profits in syndication. Reportedly, in season two, Jennifer and David got salary hikes while others made about half of their amount. However, they were minting $100,000 per episode by season five. Finally, all of them were making $1 million per episode by season 10.

All over the world, the FRIENDS reunion episode aired on May 27, 2021, on HBO Max, except in one country, India. In India, it was premiered on Zee5. If you don’t know, FRIENDS original series was earlier streaming on Netflix. Now, it has been moved to HBO Max. Reportedly, to reclaim the streaming rights of FRIENDS on its own platform, WarnerMedia has paid a massive sum of $85 million per year for five years. The total amount is around $425 million which is paid. However, the Indian audience can still watch the FRIENDS show on Netflix. Without a doubt, FRIENDS is one of the most-watched shows on Netflix.

Before, the reunion show, the FRIENDS cast had shared the much-awaited trailer of the reunion episode. In the trailer, there is a glimpse of Matthew Perry, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc, and Jennifer Aniston in the reunion special. David Schwimmer is seen playing the guessing game at one point in time from the original show with other cast members. Take a look at the FRIENDS reunion trailer again.

We saw the whole reunion on 27th May but there were a few people from the show who didn’t join the reunion. Their presence would have really elevated the show but sadly they were either not invited or couldn’t attend. Here we have listed a few people from the show who deserved to be at the reunion, you can click here to find out the names or watch the video below to know more.

Before the reunion, the cast went on several talk shows as well. In an interview before the reunion, they shared some really great insights about themselves. Here in the video below, we managed to bring in a moment when they discuss all the things that they have stolen from the sets after they ended filming the show.

For more such videos you can refer to this page on Facebook where you will find several videos featuring the FRIENDS Cast. Just click on this red line and Enjoy!

On NBC in 1994, FRIENDS premiered with a perfect pilot episode. It was created by David Crane, Kevin S. Bright, and Marta Kauffman. However, the show still managed an upward trajectory by earning impressive ratings from the outset and became one of the most successful television shows of all time. It ran for 10 seasons globally and was watched by over 50 million people. Moreover, a special event celebrating the sitcom’s legacy was commissioned with the announcement of the HBO Max streaming service.

The show became so popular that it made household names out of its stars and characters. It includes Lisa Kudrow’s Phoebe Buffay, Matt LeBlanc’s Joey Tribbiani, Courteney Cox’s Monica Geller, Matthew Perry’s Chandler Bing, Jennifer Anniston’s Rachel Green, and David Schwimmer’s Ross Geller. The fans from all over the world got entangled with the journey of these six friends. And in the reunion special, reminiscing about the series, the stars shared lots of life stories and secrets about each other and the show that aired for 10 seasons on NBC. It felt like they never left off and no time has been passed.

On February 21, 2020, HBO Max confirmed that a reunion of the original six cast members, i.e., Courteney Cox, Matthew Perry, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, and Matt LeBlanc would help launch its service that May. The special would be unscripted and will take place at the original soundstage of FRIENDS, i.e., Stage 24, on the Warner Bros. Studio in Burbank. Alongside the six cast members, original FRIENDS producers Marta Kauffman, Kevin Bright, and David Crane will co-executive produce the reunion special. Ben Winston will direct the special and executive produce it as well alongside James Longman and Emma Conway.

Well, The FRIENDS reunion is finally out, and fans are soaking in the good old days of the hit sitcom from all across the globe. Although because of the Coronavirus pandemic, it was put on hold by the production. But, now finally it is featured on May 27, 2021, and fans are going crazy.

Enjoy the most-awaited FRIENDS reunion. Please, share your views about it and the huge amount being paid to the cast for the FRIENDS reunion show.