'Friends' Cast Then and Now—How Actors Looked in the 90s Compared to Today

Friends: The Reunion is set to mark the first time the cast will return to the show's sets in 17 years.

The sitcom classic, which followed six friends as they navigated life in New York, first aired in 1994 and spanned the entirety of a decade.

Friends catapulted stars Jennifer Aniston (Rachel Green), Courteney Cox (Monica Geller), David Schwimmer (Ross Geller), Lisa Kudrow (Phoebe Buffay), Matthew Perry (Chandler Bing) and Matt LeBlanc (Joey Tribbiani) to fame.

Since the show wrapped in 2004, fans have been eager to see actors reunite on-screen.

The upcoming one-off unscripted episode will see all six cast members revisit the set of the show, explore their respective character apartments and sit down for a nostalgic chat about the experience.

Ahead of the reunion, let's take a stroll down memory lane and look at the cast from when the show first started compared to today.

Jennifer Aniston as Rachel Green on Friends
Friends star Jennifer Aniston in 2020
Drag slider
to compare photos
comparison arrow
Friends star Jennifer Aniston in the 90s vs now. (Warner Bros. Television/Getty Images)

Jennifer Aniston (Rachel Green)

Aniston, who is arguably the most recognizable name from the cast, started out on the show as a fresh-faced 25-year-old.

Now 52, the actress has a prolific acting career under her belt and cemented her place as Hollywood royalty.

Some of her most notable works to date include Bruce Almighty, which she starred in with Jim Carrey, We're The Millers, He's Just Not That Into You and Mother's Day.

Courteney Cox stars as Monica Geller
Friends star Courteney Cox in 2019
Drag slider
to compare photos
comparison arrow
Friends star Courteney Cox in the 90s vs now. (Warner Bros. Television/WireImage)

Courteney Cox (Monica Geller)

Cox was 30 years old when the pilot first aired, having already dabbled in the acting world.

Prior to Friends, the actress also made a memorable appearance in Bruce Springsteen's 1984 music video for "Dancing in the Dark".

The 56-year-old has since starred in a number of projects, including in the popular Scream franchise and 2009 sitcom Cougar Town, which went on for six years.

Lisa Kudrow stars Phoebe Buffay in Friends
Friends star Lisa Kudrow in 2019
Drag slider
to compare photos
comparison arrow
Friends star Lisa Kudrow in the 90s vs now. (Getty Images/FilmMagic)

Lisa Kudrow (Phoebe Buffay)

Kudrow was aged 31 when the show started, making her the oldest cast member of the six.

After the show ended in 2004, she starred in TV show The Comeback and series Web Therapy, which had six seasons.

Kudrow, 57, has not only starred in multiple shows and films, she has also taken on the role of producer and writer for various projects.

Matthew Perry played Chandler Bing on Friends
Matthew Perry played Chandler Bing on Friends
Drag slider
to compare photos
comparison arrow
Friends star Matthew Perry in the 90s vs now. (Warner Bros. Television/Getty Images)

Matthew Perry (Chandler Bing)

Perry was 25 years old when the show arrived on screens, a similar age to his Friends counterpart.

The majority of his most on-screen famous appearances were during the 90s, such as in rom-com Three To Tango, and in the early 2000s with The Whole Nine Yards.

Much like Kudrow, Perry has also made a name for himself by dipping his toe into producing and writing, as well as acting.

Matt LeBlanc as Joey Tribbiani on Friends
Matt LeBlanc played Joey Tribbiani on Friends
Drag slider
to compare photos
comparison arrow
Friends star Matt LeBlanc in the 90s vs now. (Sygma via Getty Images/Getty Images for "Episodes")

Matt LeBlanc (Joey Tribbiani)

LeBlanc kicked off his Friends career aged 27.

After the show finished, he famously took his popular character and starred in spin-off Joey. The show followed the story of his character moving to Los Angeles to peruse an acting career. However, it only lasted two seasons.

The now 53-year-old actor then took a break from the public eye and returned in 2011 for British-American sitcom Episodes, where he played a fictionalized version of himself.

David Schwimmer as Ross Geller on Friends
David Schwimmer played Ross Geller on Friends
Drag slider
to compare photos
comparison arrow
Friends star David Schwimmer in the 90s vs now. (Warner Bros. Television/Getty Images for Sky)

David Schwimmer (Ross Geller)

Schwimmer was 27-years-old when he started out on the show.

He has since seen success on and off the camera. In 2016, he played Robert Kardashian in The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story. The role won him a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor.

He also landed a reoccurring role in Will & Grace in 2018 and in 2020 starred in sitcom Intelligence.

Friends: The Reunion will air on HBO Max on May 27.

Friends first aired on screens in 1994
Cast members of NBC's comedy series "Friends." Pictured (l to r): David Schwimmer as Ross Geller, Courteney Cox as Monica Geller, Jennifer Aniston as Rachel Cook, Matthew Perry as Chandler Bing, Matt LeBlanc as Joey Tribbiani and Lisa Kudrow as Phoebe Buffay. Episode: "The One Where They All Turn Thirthy." Warner Bros. Television

top

Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek magazine delivered to your door
  • Unlimited access to Newsweek.com
  • Ad free Newsweek.com experience
  • iOS and Android app access
  • All newsletters + podcasts
Newsweek cover
  • Unlimited access to Newsweek.com
  • Ad free Newsweek.com experience
  • iOS and Android app access
  • All newsletters + podcasts