Friends Cast: Where Are They Now? Latest Updates on the Stars
Friends Cast: Where Are They Now? Latest Updates on the Stars.
Fans got their first taste of Central Perk on September 22, 1994. Check out what the 'Friends' cast has been doing since they decided to take a permanent "break" from the series.
Friends has left a lasting mark on its fans.
Debuting 30 years ago on September 22, 1994, this show about six pals navigating life in New York City quickly won over critics and became one of the most beloved TV series ever.
It not only launched the careers of its talented cast—Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, and David Schwimmer—but they’ve also kept their friendship strong in real life since the series wrapped up in May 2004.
Over the years, they’ve had several reunions, with the most notable being HBO's Friends: The Reunion special in 2021, which turned out to be their final get-together as a group before Perry's passing in 2023.
To mark the 30th anniversary of Friends, check out what the cast has been up to since the show concluded.
Courteney Cox as Monica Geller
Courteney Cox's Monica Geller was definitely the most organized friend, and her quirky behavior, along with that super-sweet proposal to Chandler, totally had us in tears for way longer than we’d like to admit.
Since Friends ended, it’s no shock that Cox has continued to thrive in her career. She starred in ABC's Cougar Town from 2009 to 2015, where she also directed several episodes and her first feature film, Just Before I Go, in 2014. In 2022, she made a comeback to TV with the Starz comedy-horror series Shining Vale.
Although she's divorced from David Arquette, the two remain on good terms as they co-parent their daughter Coco. They even teamed up again in 2022 for Scream, the fifth installment of the classic slasher series. (Cox reprised her role as Gale Weathers in Scream VI in 2023.) Since 2013, she’s been dating Johnny McDaid from Snow Patrol.
Matt LeBlanc as Joey Tribbiani
Joey Tribbiani definitely had that ladies' man vibe—okay, maybe more like a major ladies' man—but his charm and that classic line, "How you doin'?" made him super endearing.
After wrapping up Friends, Matt LeBlanc has been on quite the roll, snagging a Golden Globe in 2012 for his part in Showtime's comedy Episodes, which ran from 2011 to 2017. He also starred in the CBS series Man with a Plan, which won a People's Choice Award and aired for four seasons from 2016 to 2020.
Though he's divorced from Melissa McKnight, he’s still a proud dad to his daughter, Marina.
Lisa Kudrow as Phoebe Buffay
Lisa Kudrow's character, Phoebe Buffay, brought a lot of laughs during the show's more serious moments and gave us the iconic '90s jam, "Smelly Cat." Plus, she ended up marrying Mike, and honestly, who wouldn't want to be with Paul Rudd?
After her time on the show, Kudrow kept herself busy with roles in series like The Comeback, Web Therapy, Space Force, and Time Bandits, as well as movies like The Girl on the Train (2016), Long Shot (2019), Like a Boss (2020), and Better Nate Than Ever (2022).
In real life, she's happily married to advertising executive Michel Stern, and they have a son named Julian.
David Scwhimmer as Ross Geller
Ah, Ross Geller. We cheered for David Schwimmer's paleontologist-turned-professor, even if we didn't always see eye to eye with his choices during the show's decade-long run.
Fast forward to 2016, and just moments into The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, viewers completely forgot about his Friends days and got hooked on his role as the late defense attorney Robert Kardashian.
Schwimmer also popped up in the second season of the Will & Grace reboot as Noah, Grace's rival-turned-love interest, from 2018 to 2019. Then, from 2020 to 2023, he took on the role of Jerry Bernstein in the British comedy Intelligence, which was created by his co-star, Nick Mohammed.
In his personal life, he's a dad to a daughter with his ex-wife, British artist Zoë Buckman.
Jennifer Aniston as Rachel Green
Jennifer Aniston brought Rachel Green to life, transforming her from a shopping-obsessed runaway bride in season 1 into a much more complex character. She not only scored a dream job at Ralph Lauren but also, much to everyone's joy, ended up with Ross in the series finale.
Since her Friends days, the Golden Globe winner has made audiences laugh in hit films like Horrible Bosses (2011), We're the Millers (2013), Horrible Bosses 2 (2014), and both Murder Mystery movies (2019, 2023). She’s also shown her dramatic chops in indie films like Cake (2014) and The Yellow Birds (2017).
In 2019, she made a comeback to TV alongside her Friends co-star Reese Witherspoon in Apple TV+'s The Morning Show, earning two Emmy nominations and a Screen Actors Guild Award.
On a personal note, she’s had high-profile marriages to Brad Pitt and Justin Theroux.
Matthew Perry as Chandler Bing
Matthew Perry's Chandler Bing was always ready with a sarcastic quip or a hilarious punchline that had us laughing out loud. He kept the humor alive throughout the series, but he also had those heartwarming moments with Monica that made us go "aww."
During and after his time on Friends, Perry was busy making movies alongside big names like Salma Hayek and Bruce Willis, and later returned to TV with roles in The Good Wife, Go On, and The Odd Couple.
After facing challenges with sobriety, he dedicated himself to helping others struggling with addiction. In 2018, he experienced a serious health scare with a gastrointestinal perforation that left him in bed for three months. He opened up about his journey with fame and substance abuse in his 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.
On October 28, 2023, news broke that Perry was found dead at a home in the Los Angeles area, as reported by TMZ, citing law enforcement sources.
A December 2023 autopsy report revealed that he died from the acute effects of ketamine, with additional factors including drowning, coronary artery disease, and the impact of buprenorphine, a medication for opioid use disorder.
On August 15, 2024, five people, including two doctors and Perry's personal live-in assistant, were arrested in connection with his accidental overdose. Three of them have pleaded guilty, while the other two, Jasveen Sangha and Dr. Salvador Plasencia, have pleaded not guilty.
The cast of Friends has truly gone on to achieve remarkable success both personally and professionally. While the show may have ended in 2004, the legacy of its beloved characters lives on, with each cast member continuing to shine in their respective careers.
Whether it's Courteney Cox's return to TV, Jennifer Aniston's successful film career, or Lisa Kudrow’s creative ventures, each actor has left an indelible mark on the entertainment world. Their enduring friendship and individual growth inspire fans, proving that Friends will always be more than just a show—it’s a lasting bond and a cultural phenomenon.
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