Our 23 Favorite Celebrity Cameos on Friends

By Hana Asbrink
Updated Feb 21, 2016 @ 1:00 pm
Credit: NBC/Getty Images

After premiering more than 20 years ago, Friends still lives on as one of the most trusted, binge-worthy shows we turn to anytime a long weekend looms on the horizon. And with its 10-year, 236-episode run, you can bet the storied sitcom racked up an impressive number of celebrity cameos along the way.

Some guests left an indelible mark (like Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Julia Roberts, and Reese Witherspoon, to name a few) while others may not spring to mind as quickly (and a handful you may have missed entirely the first time around).

We're celebrating the Friends cast coming together once more this Sunday (when they're scheduled to get together for an epic reunion on the All-Star Tribute to James Burrows special) with a walk down memory lane. Dig out your favorite stretchy pants, get your popcorn ready, and revisit Monica, Chandler, and the rest of the gang, along with some of their most memorable famous guests. 

RELATED: Get Ready for the Friends Reunion! See the Stars Then and Now

Click through our gallery to see the best celebrity cameos to grace the Friends set. Catch the Must See TV: An All-Star Tribute to James Burrows special on Sunday, Feb. 21, at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.

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1 of 23

Brad Pitt

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How could we forget Pitt (then married to Jennifer Aniston), who played Will, a co-founder of the "The I Hate Rachel Green Club”? 

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George Clooney and Noah Wyle

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The worlds of mid-‘90s NBC heavy hitters collided when ER stars Clooney and Wyle showed up—in scrubs!—as the cute doctors treating Rachel’s ankle.

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Julia Roberts

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Roberts played Chandler’s former classmate, Susie Moss (aka “Susie Underpants”), whom he humiliated in the fourth grade. Jean-Claude Van Damme also guest starred in the same episode.

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Alec Baldwin

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Baldwin played Parker, Phoebe’s overly enthusiastic, annoying boyfriend.

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Winona Ryder

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Back when the Fendi Baguette reigned supreme as the leading It bag of the early aughts, Winona Ryder made her appearance on the show as Melissa Warburton, Rachel's old college friend she kissed after a wild, sangria-fueled night of partying. Melissa pretended not to remember that encounter—until a kiss from Rachel to prove it happened elicits a long-held love confession.

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Christina Applegate

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Applegate played Amy, one of Rachel’s materialistic sisters, who comes over to spend Thanksgiving with the gang.

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Bruce Willis

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Rachel dated Paul Stevens (Willis), the dad of a student Ross is seeing.

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Anna Faris

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Faris guest starred as the pregnant mother whose twins Monica and Chandler end up adopting.

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Reese Witherspoon

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Rachel’s younger sister Jill (an even more baby-faced Witherspoon!) comes into town and goes on a date with Ross.

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Ben Stiller

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Rachel’s date Tommy (Stiller) CAN’T STOP SCREAMING.

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Brooke Shields

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Joey went on a date with Erika Ford (Shields), a fan who believed he’s actually Dr. Drake Ramoray—and quickly revealed her stalker tendencies. 

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Susan Sarandon

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Joey got a chance to rejoin Days of Our Lives when his comatose character receives the brain of castmate Jessica Lockhart (Sarandon), who he ends up sleeping with off-screen.

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Aisha Tyler

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Tyler played Charlie, a professor who starts off dating Joey before becoming the love interest of fellow paleontologist Ross.

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Tom Selleck

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The famous mustachioed Selleck played Monica’s on-again, off-again boyfriend, Dr. Richard Burke.

15 of 23

Christine Taylor

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Taylor played Bonnie, Ross’s girlfriend, who shaves her head at Rachel’s urging.

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Dakota Fanning

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The former child actress played Mackenzie, the 8-year-old who is moving out of the house Monica and Chandler are buying, offering consolation to a saddened Joey.

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Charlton Heston

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The inimitable actor played himself, sharing his pearls of wisdom with Joey.

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Kristin Davis

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Rachel and Phoebe found the perfect girl for Joey in Erin (Davis), but he doesn’t return her affections.

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Billy Crystal and Robin Williams

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The legendary comics cozied up on the famous Central Perk couch and shared a “private” conversation that had the rest of the friends all ears.

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Sean Penn

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Phoebe gave Ursula’s fiancé Eric (Penn) the truth about her twin sister.

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Helen Hunt

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In another guest cameo by a fellow NBC star, Mad About You’s Hunt played Jamie, a customer of Phoebe’s twin sister Ursula, the always-confused waitress at their usual haunt.

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Jon Favreau

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Favreau played a recurring role as Monica’s boyfriend Pete, a wealthy man with Ultimate Fighting Champion aspirations.

23 of 23

Charlie Sheen

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Chicken pox ruined what otherwise would’ve been a romantic weekend for Phoebe and her old Navy flame, Ryan (Sheen).

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By Hana Asbrink