One of the most well beloved American television shows of all time, Friends (1994-2004) has given numerous laughs to audiences across the globe. It cultivated a generation of sitcom lovers as well as inspiring a tight-knit sense of community. It is hard to forget the show's abundance of memorable one-liners such as 'could I BE wearing any more clothes?' and 'pi-VOT!'. As we follow the often relatable cast of young 20-somethings through their journey of struggle and survival in New York City, we may find ourselves wondering about the cast and crew themselves and the stories that unfold behind the scenes of the show.
Here, we look at 15 facts about Courteney Cox, who plays the role of mother-hen and cleaning enthusiast Monica Geller, and her time on the show that may surprise you even as self-proclaimed die-hard fans of Friends!
15 She Was Originally Cast As Rachel Green
Can you imagine Courteney Cox in any other role on the show besides Monica? The producers initially cast her in the role of spoiled, inexperienced, 'daddy's girl' Rachel Green, but the actress asked to play Monica instead as she felt the character suited her better and had stronger personality traits.
14 She Had A Secret Candy Cabinet On Set
Nicknamed by the cast and crew as Courteney's Candy Cabinet, a 1996 cover story from Us Weekly revealed Cox's secret stash of junk food, chocolate bars and Butterfingers on set. The story also claims that she was somewhat 'addicted to candy bars'- a seeming parallel to fat Monica's eating habits in high school.
13 Her Character's Main Love Interest Was Supposed To Be Joey
A match that seems unlikely to us now, the first version of the show had mapped out Monica and Joey's characters as the main love interests. This was of course, before the show was cast and the sparkling chemistry between Ross and Rachel became well received and adored by audiences across the world.
12 She Is Older Than Her Onscreen Older Brother
Although he plays her older brother Ross on the show, David Schwimmer is actually two years younger than Cox in real life. This fact seems to reaffirm their abilities as actors in toying with the competitive older brother/younger sister dynamic.
11 She Was The Most Famous Cast Member When The Show Began
As the most experienced actress out of the main cast when the show first started, Cox became known for her motherly nature on set as she advised her co-stars to give each other acting notes, suggestions and tips. This was to make the show even more entertaining, allowing the cast and crew to tell her 'if I could do anything funnier.'
10 She Is Not A Fan Of Coffee
Despite all that time her character spent drinking cup after cup of coffee in the show's main coffee house, Central Perk, Cox herself does not drink coffee and was only pretending to from empty mugs during filming.
9 She Knew Monica And Chandler Were Destined From The Start
Way before their love story was introduced into the show, Cox had stated that if Monica had to hook up with one character from the main cast, it would be Chandler. What an eerily accurate prediction in hindsight!
8 Her Comedic Performance Was Considered Transgressive By Critics
As Friends was generally marketed as a family friendly show, you may be surprised to hear that the Los Angeles Times and other critics at the time thought Cox's performance as Monica was pivotal for the subversion of the stigma that attractive women were incapable of dabbling in comedy. This was mainly due to her dialogue which addressed taboo topics on television such as safe sex, casual sex, and age-disparity in relationships.
7 She Shares Monica's Intense Cleaning Habits
As any fan of Friends would know, Monica has a slight intensity when it comes to cleanliness. Similar to Monica, Cox's own cleanliness became a point of notice as she began to clean up her castmates' dressing rooms on set - something Monica would definitely do without batting an eye!
6 Matthew Perry Walked Right By Courteney Cox The First Time She Put On The Fat Suit
Some of the funniest moments on Friends was in flashback episodes when we got to see the characters' younger selves. When Cox first tried putting on the fat suit that was used to show flashbacks of Monica in high school, Matthew Perry apparently walked right past her without recognising her at all!
