NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather forecasts

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
    • The Great NZ Road Trip
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
    • Cooking the Books
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • What the Actual
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Entertainment

Things you never knew about Friends

By Bronte Coy
news.com.au·
20 Aug, 2019 03:06 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Friends on-screen and off, the core cast members negotiated as a unit and demanded equal pay. Photo / Getty Images

Friends on-screen and off, the core cast members negotiated as a unit and demanded equal pay. Photo / Getty Images

Friends is about to turn 25.

That's right, it's been a quarter of a century since we first met Monica, Chandler, Rachel, Ross, Phoebe and Joey, hanging out in their go-to coffee spot, Central Perk.

(Actually, the pilot opened with everyone but Rachel sitting around gossiping about Monica's dating life — but she runs in wearing a wedding dress soon after, and the rest is history.)

Courteney Cox was originally cast as Rachel Green and Jennifer Aniston as Monica Geller, but it soon became obvious to those on set that the actresses needed to swap roles. Photo / Getty Images
Courteney Cox was originally cast as Rachel Green and Jennifer Aniston as Monica Geller, but it soon became obvious to those on set that the actresses needed to swap roles. Photo / Getty Images

To celebrate the significant anniversary, here's everything you probably didn't know about Friends:

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

STARTING FROM THE BOTTOM

When the sitcom premiered in 1994, it was the career launch pad for all its young stars — and their salaries reflected that. For the first season, each of the six core cast members received $22,500 per episode — but each year, they negotiated more and more, eventually earning a whopping $1 million.

The best bit? No one rose above the others — instead, they negotiated as a group and demanded equal pay.

That's true Friendship.

CUTTING THE CAST

The show was originally supposed to have just four main characters, with Phoebe Buffay and Chandler Bing relegated to supporting roles. Photo / Getty Images
The show was originally supposed to have just four main characters, with Phoebe Buffay and Chandler Bing relegated to supporting roles. Photo / Getty Images

As mentioned before, all core castmates negotiated for equal pay, knowing their worth as a group of six.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

But Friends was originally supposed to have just four main characters, with Phoebe Buffay and Chandler Bing relegated to supporting roles.

THEME SONG

I'll Be There For You by The Rembrandts is forever etched into Friends history, but the famous theme song wasn't actually first choice for the show's opening credits.

Instead, producers were planning to use REM's Shiny Happy People, but they eventually changed their mind.

After Friends premiered, the theme song shot up to number one on the US music charts.

Discover more

Entertainment

Confirmed: Friends cast set to reunite

13 Jan 07:45 PM
Entertainment

Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston comedy smashes Netflix record

19 Jun 02:23 AM
Entertainment

Friends star Courteney Cox wows with bikini video

23 Jul 08:05 PM
Entertainment

Friends actor David Schwimmer lookalike jailed

15 Aug 08:41 PM

THE OL' SWITCHEROO

It's hard to imagine any of the stars in any other role but their own, but Courteney Cox was originally cast as Rachel Green, and Jennifer Aniston as Monica Geller.

However, from the very first script reading it became incredibly obvious to everyone that the actresses should swap — and thank God they did.

BARGAIN BRUCE

Bruce Willis appeared on the show for free after losing a bet with Matthew Perry. Photo / Getty Images
Bruce Willis appeared on the show for free after losing a bet with Matthew Perry. Photo / Getty Images

Bruce Willis was an in-demand movie star and raking in the big bucks in 2000 when he signed on to feature in three Friends episodes as Ross' girlfriend's dad, Paul.

One would assume he took home an eye-watering pay cheque for his stint on the show, but the Die Hard lead was actually paid nothing.

He and Matthew Perry had reportedly had a friendly bet on the set of their movie The Whole Nine Yards, and when Willis lost, he made good on his promise to guest star on the sitcom for free.

MAKING AN ENTRANCE

Tom Selleck's first appearance on the show caused such a stir among the live studio audience that the scene had to be re-shot after everyone went home. Photo / Getty Images
Tom Selleck's first appearance on the show caused such a stir among the live studio audience that the scene had to be re-shot after everyone went home. Photo / Getty Images

A live audience really adds to the vibe of a show — but it also can cause some problems.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Take, for example, Tom Selleck's guest appearance on the show as Dr Richard Burke, Monica's much-older boyfriend.

The famous actor's first entrance onto set thrilled the audience, who gave him a standing ovation. In fact, they took so long to calm down, producers couldn't use any of the footage and had to reshoot his entrance later when everyone had gone.

ON A BREAK

Rachel's big romantic scene with Ross made up the bulk of the show's finale, but Aniston almost didn't sign on for the last season.

In an interview with former US TV host Matt Lauer back in 2004, the actress explained she wanted to leave the show on a high while people were still laughing — and she wasn't sure "how much Rachel" she had left in her.

Luckily, she changed her mind.

Friends is streaming on TVNZ On Demand.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Entertainment

Entertainment

'Double date': Kiwi rich listers hang out with Hollywood couple

12 May 06:16 PM
Reviews

William Dart: NZTrio's concert captivates with Schubert and Vasks

12 May 05:00 PM
Talanoa

Why 'Tina from Turners' is leaving NZ for life in Samoa

12 May 06:30 AM

Sponsored: How much is too much?

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Entertainment

'Double date': Kiwi rich listers hang out with Hollywood couple

'Double date': Kiwi rich listers hang out with Hollywood couple

12 May 06:16 PM

The celebrity couples caught up at a lavish rooftop New York restaurant.

William Dart: NZTrio's concert captivates with Schubert and Vasks

William Dart: NZTrio's concert captivates with Schubert and Vasks

12 May 05:00 PM
Why 'Tina from Turners' is leaving NZ for life in Samoa

Why 'Tina from Turners' is leaving NZ for life in Samoa

12 May 06:30 AM
What to watch if you're tired of 'toxic' reality TV

What to watch if you're tired of 'toxic' reality TV

12 May 05:34 AM
Sponsored: Cosy up to colour all year
sponsored

Sponsored: Cosy up to colour all year

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP