Although it ended quite a long time ago, Friends is still considered one of NBC’s greatest sitcoms and many also consider it one of the best sitcoms of all time, and rightfully so. In recent years, Friends has become one of the most streamed shows online and the show has built a new following among a younger generation of fans.
Throughout its run, the sitcom featured some incredible guest stars, including the late Robin Williams. Among them, too, are actors who are now more famous than when they appeared on the show.
Gabrielle Union
Gabrielle Union appeared as a guest star on Friends in season seven. On the show, she played Kristen Leigh, a woman who encounters Ross and Joey as she moves into a new apartment. She also ends up dating both guys.
Since then, Union has starred in various movies and TV shows and just a few months ago, she also set up an all-Black cast reading of the Friends episode entitled The One Where No One’s Ready. It featured Sterling K. brown, Aisha Hinds, Ryan Bathe, Uzo Aduba, Jeremy Pope, and Kendrick Sampson.
Ellen Pompeo
Pompeo appeared in Friends as Missy Goldberg, who happened to be both Ross and Chandler’s old college crush. Since her guest role, Pompeo went on to become the lead star in ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy.
The medical drama is currently one of the longest-running tv shows of all time and Meredith Grey is ranked as one of the most likable characters on the show. Around the same time as her Friends appearance, Pompeo also starred in the movies Art Heist and Life of the Party.
Anna Faris
Faris memorably guest-starred as Erica, a young expecting mother who decides to let Monica Chandler adopt her babies. Since appearing on the show, Faris had gone on to star in several movies. These include Brokeback Mountain, Just Friends, Smiley Face, Mama’s Boy, Yogi Bear, and Overboard.
Aside from this, the actress also voiced characters for animation films such as Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and The Emoji Movie. She also famously starred in the CBS sitcom Mom, but recently decided to leave the show.
Paget Brewster
Brewster was a rather new face around the time that she guest-starred on Friends as Chandler’s girlfriends, Kathy, and one of the show’s best kept behind-the-scenes secrets has to do with Brewster almost getting fired.
According to the actress, the show’s bosses weren’t happy when the hairstylist dyed her hair red. While speaking with the AV Club, Brewster recalled, “I just sat and waited, like, ‘I lost my best job I’ve ever gotten.’” Since Friends, Brewster had gone on to star in shows like Huff, Community, and Criminal Minds.
Dakota Fanning
Fanning started out as a child actress and one of her earliest gigs include a brief stint on Friends. While appearing on Live with Kelly and Ryan, Fanning had a reunion with Friends’ Matt LeBlanc on the show. The actress recalled, “I was so starstruck meeting everyone in the cast.”
Since then, Fanning has become a certified Hollywood A-lister. Some of her most notable movies include The Motel Life, The Runaways, War of the Worlds, Charlotte’s Web, Night Moves, Coraline, and Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood.
Paul Rudd
Since his guest role on Friends, Rudd has gone on to star in several movies. These include The 40-Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Night at the Museum, Wanderlust, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, All is Bright and the Anchorman movies. As fans already know, Rudd also went on to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) as Scott Lang/Ant-Man.
While speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Marvel boss Kevin Feige revealed, “We honed in on Paul relatively early.” Feige also emphasized that Rudd possesses an “inherent likability you can’t train for.”
Leah Remini
Remini appeared in the Friends episode where Ross’ ex-wife, Carol, gives birth to their son. While in the waiting room, LeBlanc’s Joey lends support to Remini’s character, who is a single woman due to give birth as well.
Interestingly, NBC had considered Remini to play Courteney Cox’s Monica. Since then, Remini rose to fame as one of the main cast members in the hit sitcom Kings of Queens, alongside her good pal, Kevin James.
Jon Favreau
On Friends, Favreau appeared in a recurring role as Monica’s boyfriend, Pete Becker. As fans may recall, Pete was determined to become the Ultimate Fighting Champion, and that ultimately ended his relationship with Monica. As it turns out, though, Favreau was never really satisfied with how they left things.
During a Reddit Ask Me Anything, he explained, “I'm only sorry that that chapter was never closed by the Friends writers because I'll always have to live with the uncertainty of what his fate held.” Favreau has since starred in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) as Happy. He’s also directed several films.
Reese Witherspoon
Long before Witherspoon reached her A-lister status, she appeared on Friends as Rachel’s sister, Jill. It has been years since then, but the actress still recalls the time that was on the show after having a baby.
She told Harper’s Bazaar that Jennifer Aniston was very supportive. “I was really nervous, and she was like, 'Oh, my gosh—don't worry about it!'” Since being on Friends, Witherspoon had gone on to star in movies such as Sweet Home Alabama, the Legally Blonde films, and Walk the Line, which won her an Oscar.
George Clooney
Before he became a movie star, Clooney was a star on the hit medical drama, ER. At some point, he and his co-star, Noah Wyle, appeared on Friends where they also appeared as doctors.
Rachel and Monica meet them after Rachel sprains her ankle and requires treatment. Since then, Clooney has gone on to star in films such as The Descendants, Syriana, The Ides of March, Up in the Air, Michael Clayton, and Good Night, and Good Luck. He has also won two Oscars to date.