If there's a single role that helped put actress Courtney Cox in the limelight, it's surely that of Monica Geller in Friends. Also known as the "mother goose" of the group, Monica is definitely the strongest and most underrated character in the entire series. And though she's often depicted as a bossy control freak, she's also nurturing, sensitive, mature, and compassionate. That's why it's tragic that most fans consider her to be the worst Friends character.
We've gotten to know a lot about Monica over the series' successful 10-season run. And despite all the memorable Monica moments, there are many things that fans still don't know about her. So today, we're answering the top 10 questions fans have about Monica that haven't gotten much air time in the show.
Why does she have a difficult relationship with her mother?
Since her childhood, Monica has had a less-than-pleasant relationship with her parents, especially her mother. More precisely, she's always been depicted growing up in Ross's shadow, who's been favored by their parents.
It was Monica's mother who's always had a special knack for highlighting Monica's flaws and discrediting her as her daughter. Judy avoided answering her daughter's phone calls and on one occasion even exclaimed how she'd be childless if Ross died. Perhaps that explains why Monica's never stopped trying to prove her worth to her parents, and appeasing her mother, who never seemed to have noticed her. We feel you, Monica.
Why did she lose weight?
Believe it or not, the sole reason why Monica decided to lose her extra 255 pounds is because Chandler once called her fat. You see, the two first met on Thanksgiving of 1987 and Monica immediately developed a crush on him. But, her world would be turned upside down when she'd later hear Chandler refer to her as Ross' "fat sister."
Though these words must have hurt like hell, due to her unique personality, this motivated her to become the skinny Monica we know today. Of course, Monica wouldn't be Monica if she hadn't tried to take revenge on Chandler the very next Thanksgiving. Although her plan was to seduce and embarrass Chandler, she ended up accidentally cutting off his toe.
Why did she become a chef?
We've previously mentioned how in "The One With All The Thanksgivings," Chandler was to "thank" for Monica's miraculous weight transformation. But, did you know that he's also to be thanked for her choice of profession?
In the same episode, finding out that Chandler doesn't really eat any of the food at Thanksgivings, Monica decides to cook him up some Mac and Cheese. His reaction? "You should be a chef!" Flattered and in love, Monica took this compliment too seriously and started working as a chef at Iridium after college. Considering the two would eventually end up together, this is so heartwarming.
What's up with her yelling Jar?
In one of the scenes in season eight's "The One With Rachel's Date," we see a glass jar full of money with "Monica's Yelling Jar" written over it. So, if you've ever wondered what the story behind this little detail is, keep reading.
While Monica was working as a head chef at Alessandro's, her colleagues had to put up with her frequently yelling and bossing them around. To try to mitigate this, the employees created this jar that she would have to put a Dollar in every time she'd yell. We can only assume that "Monica's Yelling Jar" was constantly loaded with cash.
How could she afford her apartment?
Almost every member of Friends has at some point shared or lived in that famous huge apartment of Monica's. Considering the city of New York is not famous for its cheap accommodation, we have to wonder how any of them could afford to live in it ...especially Monica with her modest income.
Luckily, the writers of Friends didn't leave us clueless about that particular detail, explaining that Monica took over the apartment from her grandmother illegally. Turns out, Monica only had to pay about $200 a month, given the apartment was subject to rent control - a ridiculously low figure, still.
Who was her first roommate?
It was Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow), of course. Monica met Phoebe after through an ad she posted in search of a roommate. And Phoebe's moving in with Monica marked the beginning of their close friendship.
However, we don't know much about that period of their lives, except for the fact that Phoebe moved from the apartment around 1993 to live with her grandmother in another apartment, later inheriting it from her. The reason for her moving out? Supposedly Monica's obsessive cleaning habits had bothered Phoebe so much she had to move out in order to maintain a good relationship with her.
How many guys did Monica sleep with?
What do Chandler, Richard, Pete, and Young Ethan all have in common? Apparently Monica. But wait, the list of Monica's bed-mates doesn't end there. According to the show, the total number of men Monica has slept with in her dating history is 14.
Still, she's a sex-positive woman whom we see sleeping with Paul "the wine guy" already in the pilot episode of the show. Fun fact: her youngest romantic interest was 17 years old (9 years younger than her), and her oldest 48 (21 older than her) ...in case you were wondering, that is.
Why did she end up with Chandler?
Before "Mondler" was a thing, Friends creators admitted that Monica's soulmate should have been Joey because the two seemed like "the most sexual of the characters." However, the planned chemistry between the two didn't develop on set, so Richard Burke - Monica's first big love - entered the stage.
While many fans were cheering for the two (and some still haven't gotten over their break-up) when the creators of the show paired Monica with Chandler in "The One With Ross's Wedding, Part 2," the studio audience was literally screaming with excitement and happiness and the rest is history.
Why did she name her son after her father?
While Monica and Chandler's adopted daughter Erica was named after her birth mother, the pair chose to name their adopted son Jack. Although in "The One Where Rachel Has a Baby, Part 2" Monica states that she'd like to call her future son Daniel, the little one ended up being named after her father, which opposes Jewish customs.
This proved to be a nice gesture and one which shows Monica's appreciation for her father who's always been the warmer parent to her. After all, Jack Geller was the one who visited her when she moved out, always told her how proud he was of her, and called her his "Little Harmonica."
Why did Monica wear baggy clothes at the end of the show?
If you haven't noticed, towards the end of the Friends finale (season 10), Monica always wears oversized and baggy clothes, jackets, and scarves. In addition, her face always seemed a bit puffy, suggesting she'd put on a few pounds.
The reason for all this, as some might have guessed, was Courtney Cox's pregnancy with her daughter Coco Arquette. This was obviously tough to hide, as Courtney's growing belly was more than visible in a few scenes. A far cry from her character in Friends that had trouble conceiving and had to adopt both twins.