‘Friends’ was so popular that the likes of the Ross and Rachel relationship and Chandler and Monica’s love was on everyone’s lips throughout the original run of the show from 1994 to 2004.
Even though the finale ended more than 15 years ago, it seems many fans still can’t get enough of the sitcom. Sadly, not everything has been so straightforward for the cast of the show since their time on the screens.
The reality? The cast from ‘Friends’ has been through plenty of ups and downs throughout their lives that many of them would rather keep away from fans of the show.
Many people around the world knew Gunther as the seventh friend in the sitcom as he appeared in nearly 150 episodes. Here, we saw him fall in love with Rachel, with Gunther even confessing his feelings for the character in the final episode. Sadly, one thing that people didn’t learn until recently was how actor James Michael Tyler had been living with prostate cancer.
Apparently, James was diagnosed in 2018 but missed an appointment in the global pandemic in 2020, meaning doctors hadn’t realized that the cancer had grown and spread to his bones, meaning he could no longer walk. To top it off, the former ‘Friends’ star didn’t tell the world about his diagnosis until James appeared on the ‘Today Show’ in June 2021.
The actor lost his life on October 24, 2021
The news came as a shock to fans, especially as James Michael Tyler had appeared on the ‘Friends Reunion’ earlier in the year. However, he called in via video rather than turning up in person as he was supposed to. Apparently, the actor had barely told anyone about the diagnosis and didn’t want to bring the mood of the reunion down by sharing anything.
Sadly, James lost his life on October 24, 2021, at his home in Los Angeles. Several people have shared their thoughts with James’ remaining family, including the creators of ‘Friends’ and his former co-stars. Jennifer Aniston posted that the show “would not have been the same without you,” while David Schwimmer thanked James for “playing such a wonderful, unforgettable role in Friends.”
Courteney Cox is rumored to have undergone all kinds of cosmetic procedures
If there’s one thing that’s got many people talking over the years, it’s whether our favorite stars have been under the knife or not since their rise to the top. Cosmetic surgeries have been known to make and break careers over the years – do we even need to talk about Jenniger Grey’s nose transformation? Courteney Cox is another name that’s come under the microscope.
Several fans think the actress has been through a host of procedures as Courteney’s face appears to have changed a little since she first burst onto the scene as Monica Geller. It turns out that it might not have been all rumors, as the actress confessed in 2017 to New Beauty that she always “grew up thinking that appearance was the most important thing.”
The actress later confessed she had gone too far with her procedures
It’s one thing to admit that you’ve been through cosmetic procedures. It’s another to say that you might have gone too far over the years. Sadly, Courteney Cox thinks that might have been the case when it comes to her alterations. The actress continued to confess to New Beauty that it all started with “a little injection here or filler there.”
That was until people allegedly started to notice and began recommending various procedures. Courteney admits that she was looking at a photo of herself one day and didn’t recognize the person looking back. That was enough for the actress to have all of her facial fillers dissolved in an attempt to get her former looks back through more “natural” treatments.
Beverly Garland had been retired for four years when she passed away
If you’re a fan of ‘Friends,’ there’s a good chance you may remember the episode ‘The One With All The Poker.’ This is the one that sees the girls try to take on the boys at their own game and prove they can all enjoy poker nights together. We still wonder what cards Ross had in the final showdown between him and Rachel.
Whatever the case, the girls learned how to play poker thanks to Monica’s aunt, Iris. She says she doesn’t have long to teach them everything they need to know, but we later see Iris must have done a good job as the girls show off their skills. Beverly Garland ultimately lost her life at 82 years old in 2008.
Matthew Perry has spent many years battling various addictions
Chandler Bing has long been hailed as a fan-favorite from ‘Friends,’ and we have actor Matthew Perry to thank for bringing the role to life. Tragically, the character might have been more of an act than many people realized as Matthew struggled with years of addiction while working on the show.
Although he is now sober, it once took a significant toll on Matthew and the rest of the cast. The actor has confessed that he would often turn up to set with no idea where he was or what day it was as he’d been drinking or using narcotics days before his scenes. In 2013, Matthew told People magazine that he “couldn’t stop,” and it quickly became a secret that “everybody knew.”
The actor’s addictions all started after a jet ski accident in 1997
‘Friends’ fans have spent years trying to figure out what caused Matthew Perry to turn to narcotics and drinking. Perhaps it was the fame? Maybe he pushed the celebrity lifestyle a little too far? Amazingly, it was neither of those. It was actually a jet ski accident that saw Matthew turn to prescription medication back in 1997.
In an interview with People magazine, the actor claims that the doctors prescribed him pain medication without much thought. Little did anyone know that Matthew already had a handful of issues with narcotics and drinking in the past, and feeling “better than I ever felt in my life” on the medication quickly saw things spiral out of control. Adding fame to the mix merely complicated things further.
Matthew Perry was checked into rehab plenty of times throughout Friends
The sitcom was at its peak in 1997 when Matthew Perry checked into rehab for the first time. According to People magazine, the actor checked into a center for 28 days to kick his addictions once and for all. Just one year later, Matthew confessed it was “the scariest thing that’s ever happened to me,” and he was ready to put it all behind him.
Sadly, this wasn’t Matthew’s last brush with rehab as the actor checked himself back in a few years later in 2001. ABC News announced that he had “every intention of completing his treatment” and “appreciates everyone’s concerns.” Los Angeles Times later reported that NBC was caught off-guard by the second trip as ‘Friends’ was in the middle of filming.
Stan Kirsch was just 51 years old when he took his own life
It seems that it’s not just the stars of ‘Friends’ who have dealt with plenty of ups and downs throughout their lives. Stan Kirsch was once the talk of the show, as the actor played Ethan. He dated Monica in the show only for them both to later admit they had lied about their ages, with Monica not being in her early 20s and Ethan revealing he was still in high school.
Sadly, that all came to an end on January 11, 2020. The actor was found to have passed away at his Los Angeles home, with the coroner later ruling that Stan had taken his own life. Stan was just 51 years old at the time and left behind several memorable roles.
Jennifer Aniston has always been followed by Brangelina and their relationship
Long before the days of Brangelina, Brennifer was the name on everyone’s lips. Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt married at the turn of the century and were wed for five years before they announced they were filing for a divorce. This was not only a huge shock for many fans of the couple, but several also thought there was a lot more to the story.
Brad met Angelina Jolie on the set of the action romance movie ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith’ and many believe the actor was unfaithful to Jen during this time. Even though it took place nearly two decades ago, it seems the Brangelina drama is something that’s followed Jen around ever since. Even now, people still question if Jennifer and Brad will rekindle their romance.
Ron Liebman was only in four episodes of Friends but made a lasting impression
It takes a special kind of actor to leave a lasting impression on an audience in just a few episodes. Amazingly, that’s what Ron Liebman was able to do as he brought Rachel’s dad, Dr. Green, to life on the show. We heard a lot of stories from Rachel about her dad and finally got to see him for ourselves in season two.
While Dr. Green quickly became a character that many ‘Friends’ fans loved to hate, the actor could walk away with the knowledge that he’d done his job well. Throughout his career, Ron appeared in a host of movies, TV shows, and stage shows that even landed him a Tony Award. Tragically, Ron passed away in December 2019 at 82 years old.
It’s reported that Matt LeBlanc blindsided his ex-wife with a divorce
It’s one thing when fans are surprised by a divorce, but it’s another when someone in the relationship doesn’t even see it coming. That was the case for Matt LeBlanc’s ex-wife, Melissa, shortly after the actor wrapped up work on ‘Friends.’ In 2006, sources told People magazine that Melissa was “absolutely blindsided” when she learned that Matt wanted a divorce.
Apparently, she even “hoped for a reconciliation,” but it was too late. It’s reported that Matt had already started dating his co-star Andrea Anders after the pair met on the set of the ‘Friends’ spin-off show, ‘Joey.’ People magazine even went as far as to claim that it was Matt’s new relationship that inspired the divorce. However, the actor never confirmed the rumors.
A brain tumor caused Jack Ong to lose his life at 76 years old
Jack Ong was one of the many actors to play one of Ross’ co-workers at the museum. At one point, Joey lands a job as a tour guide, only to learn that the blue and white coats don’t sit together at lunch. Joey eventually airs his worries to Ross as they have been friends for years, and the pair lead a revolution in the cafeteria.
Suddenly, people start to stand up and share their secrets with the room as they break down the divide. Jack was acting for over two decades when he appeared on ‘Friends,’ including plenty of guest roles in various other shows. Although he stepped away from acting before his passing, many couldn’t believe it when a brain tumor caused Jack to pass in 2017.
Matthew Perry missed the long-awaited Friends reunion in 2016
If there’s one thing that many people have dreamed about for years, it’s a ‘Friends’ reunion show. Thankfully, people got their wish in January 2016 when NBC announced that one was on the way for a one-off special to honor ‘Friends’ director James Burrows. Chairman of the network announced they were hoping to “get all six of them in room at the same time.”
While everyone was excited about the outcome, it wasn’t meant to be as Matthew Perry missed the grand event. Several fans worried the ‘Friends’ cast had fallen out, but things weren’t that sinister. It turned out that Matthew was busy working on a play in London at the time and couldn’t make the reunion due to scheduling conflicts.
Conchata Ferrell played the judge on Friends before she passed away
One of the many storylines we saw come to life on ‘Friends’ – and arguably the most prominent of them all – was the love between Ross and Rachel. They were the original will they-won’t they couple as no one knew if they would end up together. In the end, Rachel got off the plane, and we can only assume the pair finally made things work.
During one arc of the pair’s storyline, they get married while staying in Las Vegas, only for Ross to be forced to file for another divorce. Conchata Ferrell was the one behind the judge who eventually signs the papers and frees the duo from each other. Sadly, the actress lost her life at 77 years old in October 2020 after battling heart issues.
He lost a lot of weight after contracting acute pancreatitis
Health issues have long plagued Matthew Perry. This was no exception during the actor’s first and second trip to rehab as Matthew was checked into the hospital with acute pancreatitis. This is a common condition for people dealing with drink and narcotics addictions, but things took an even bigger turn when Matthew lost 20 pounds pretty quickly from his illness.
It was a noticeable change and one that was about to go even further. Just a few days after he was released from the hospital, Us Weekly reported that Matthew was driving to his dad’s house when he spotted a courier truck in the middle of the street and swerved to avoid an accident. The outcome? The actor crashed into an empty house.
Matt LeBlanc almost suffered a mental breakdown after working on Friends
It’s no secret that some celebrities have struggled to cope with fame after their rapid rise to the top. However, not everyone knows that one ‘Friends’ star had a tough time adapting to his time in the limelight. That’s right; Matt LeBlanc has been open about how his time in the limelight shaped his life after working on the sitcom.
The actor opened up to The Mirror about it all. Here, Matt confessed that becoming Joey Tribiani eventually left him feeling he could “barely leave the house” as he felt completely burned out. The worst part was that Matt added it was a “very dark time” in his life as the overwhelming feelings left him on the verge of having “a nervous breakdown.”
The actor took a step away from the limelight to focus on his family
