Friends is an American sitcom that follows the lives of six friends - Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Joey, Chandler and Ross; sharing the same apartment in Manhattan. It ran for 10 seasons from September 22, 1994, to May 6, 2004. The ensemble cast constitutes Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, and David Schwimmer.
Disclaimer: In this exhaustive list, we've covered a considerable number of people who have guest-starred on the show. And, their roles range from family members of the friends group to dates, lovers, exes, spouses, and so on. So in case you haven't watched the entire show, we'll be covering segments from all the seasons that may include spoilers.
60+ Guest Stars appearing on Friends
1. James Michael Tyler
Tyler plays the cult favorite Gunther and is easily the most-appearing guest star on the show. Gunther is Central Perk’s Manager and first appears in Season 1, Episode 2 – The One with the Sonogram at the End.
2. Elliot Gould and Christina Pickles
Gould and Pickles play Judy and Jack – the parents of the Geller siblings, Ross (played by David Schwimmer) and Monica (Courteney Cox). They also make their first appearance in the second episode of the show.
3. Maggie Wheeler
Wheeler plays Janice - Chandler's (played by Matthew Perry) on-and-off girlfriend, with the infamous nasal cackle. She makes her first appearance in Season 1, Episode 5 – The One with the East German Laundry Detergent.
4. Jessica Hecht and Jane Sibbett
Hecht plays Susan and also first appears with Ross's ex-wife Carol, in the show’s second episode. But Anita Barone plays Carol there and is only replaced by Sibbett in later episodes. Simply put, Hecht and Sibbett make their first on-screen appearance in Season 1, Episode 9 – The One Where Underdog Gets Away.
5. Hank Azaria
Hank plays David - a scientist, with whom Phoebe (played by Lisa Kudrow) really hits it off romantically. However, David has to go to Minsk for his research grant and is thus forced to break it up with Phoebe. All this takes place in Season 1, Episode 10 – The One with the Monkey.
6. Morgan Fairchild and Jay Leno
Fairchild plays Chandler's mother - Nora Bing. She is interviewed by Jay Leno himself as the author of her new erotic novel, in Season 1, Episode 11 – The One with Mrs. Bing. Later in the episode, when she visits Chandler and his friends, she and Ross share a kiss.
7. Robert Costanzo, Fisher Stevens, and Brenda Vaccaro
Costanzo and Vaccaro play the parents of Joey Tribbiani (played by Matt LeBlanc) - Joey Tribbiani, Sr. and Gloria Tribbiani, respectively. Stevens plays Phoebe’s psychiatrist boyfriend, Roger. However, after he goes all rude and analytical about Phoebe's friends, she breaks up with him. They all appear in Season 1, Episode 13 – The One with the Boobies.
8. Jon Lovitz
Lovitz plays Steve - Phoebe’s massage client; who’s looking for a head chef for his new restaurant. Phoebe sets Monica an appointment with him in Season 1, Episode 15 – The One with the Stoned Guy. But as you may have guessed it, he arrives there stoned.
9. George Clooney and Noah Wyle
Clooney and Wyle play Doctors - Mitchell and Rosen, respectively, and tend to Rachel's (played by Jennifer Aniston) sprained ankle. They briefly appear in Season 1, Episode 17 – The One with Two Parts, Part 2. Which, in turn also refers to their respective roles - Doug Ross and John Carter, in ER.
10. Lauren Tom
She plays Ross’s girlfriend - Julie, from his week-long stay at China. Tom first appears in Season 1, Episode 24 – The One Where Rachel Finds Out. Later in the show, Ross breaks up with her after knowing that Rachel has feelings for him.
11. Steve Zahn
He plays Duncan, Phoebe’s long-lost apparently gay husband in Season 2, Episode 4 – The One with Phoebe’s Husband. He comes back into Phoebe’s life to ask for a divorce and own up to his realization of actually being straight.
12. Michael McKean
He appears as Mr. Rastatter in Season 2, Episode 8 – The One with the List. He interviews Monica and asks her to use their product - Mockolate (a synthetic substitute for chocolate) and come up with some Thanksgiving recipes.
13. Audra Lindley
The late actress plays Phoebe’s grandmother, in Season 2, Episode 9 – The One with Phoebe’s Dad, when the latter visits her to see her father’s real photo. So far she was under the impression that a random guy posing for photo frames, is her father.
14. June Gable
Gable plays Joey's talent agent - Estelle Leonard, and makes her first appearance in Season 2, Episode 10 – The One with Russ. Although interestingly, Estelle gives Joey the part of Al Pacino's butt double over a call in Season 1, Episode 6 – The One with the Butt.
15. Marlo Thomas
Thomas appears as Rachel’s mother - Sandra Green, for the first time in Season 2, Episode 11 – The One with the Lesbian Wedding.
16. Brooke Shields and Chris Isaak
Shields plays the role of Erika - a fan who helplessly believes Joey is Dr Drake Ramoray. She makes her appearance in Season 2, Episode 12 – The One After the Superbowl, Part 1.
Chris Isaak also guest-features as Rob Donan in the same episode and approaches Phoebe for a musical performance at a children’s library.
17. Julia Roberts and Jean-Claude Van Damme
Julia Roberts plays Chandler’s grown-up grade school classmate, Susie in Season 2, Episode 13 – The One After the Superbowl, Part 2. She convinces Chandler to wear her underwear and hatches a too-good-to-be-true date with Chandler. Eventually, Chandler ends up being locked in the bathroom wearing nothing but Susie's underwear.
In the same episode, Rachel and Monica fight each other for a chance to date Van Damme - who features here, as himself.
18. Tom Selleck
Selleck plays the charming ophthalmologist – Dr. Richard Burke, who’s initially a friend of Monica and Ross’s parents. However, later in the show, Monica and Richard date for some time. Season 2, Episode 15 – The One Where Ross and Rachel... You Know, marks his first appearance. Monica helps him with catering for his house party in the episode.
19. Giovanni Ribisi
Ribisi is introduced as Phoebe’s wacky brother - Frank Jr, in Season 2, Episode 21 – The One with the Bullies. Earlier in the show, he appears as a stranger and accidentally drops a condom in Phoebe's guitar case, while she's busking outside Central Perk. That happens in Season 2, Episode 6 – The One with the Baby on the Bus.
20. Ron Leibman
He plays Rachel’s father – Dr. Leonard Green, and makes his first on-screen appearance in Season 2, Episode 22 – The One with the Two Parties, Part 1.
21. Charlie Sheen
Sheen appears as Phoebe’s date from the Navy - Ryan, in Season 2, Episode 23 – The One with the Chicken Pox.
22. David Arquette
Despite Arquette and Courteney Cox being married during the show, Arquette plays Ursula's lover-turned-stalker, Malcolm in Season 3, Episode 3 – The One with the Jam. As you may have guessed, Malcolm accidentally stalks Phoebe and the two of them date for some time. Phoebe catches him following Ursula again later and breaks up with him.
23. Isabella Rossellini
Ross makes a list of 5 celebrities whom he’d like to sleep with and adds Rossellini’s name to it. On Chandler's suggestion, Ross swaps her name with a more locally-based Winona Ryder. Just after he strikes her off the list, she walks into Central Perk one day in Season 3, Episode 5 – The One with Frank Jr.
24. Mae Whitman
A young Whitman plays a cookie-selling girl scout, Sarah, in Season 3, Episode 10 – The One Where Rachel Quits. Ross accidentally knocks her down the stairs and breaks her leg. In return, Ross sells cookies on her behalf.
25. Steven Eckholdt
Eckholdt plays Mark; who after eavesdropping on Rachel and Monica’s conversation, gets Rachel hired at Bloomingdale's. He first appears in Season 3, Episode 11 – The One Where Chandler Can’t Remember Which Sister. Later in the show, Rachel goes out on a date with him only to get back at Ross.
26. Debra Jo Rupp and Jon Favreau
Jo Rupp first appears in Season 3, Episode 18 – The One with the Hypnosis Tape, as Frank Jr’s former Home Economics teacher-turned-to-fiancée, Alice Knight. They want to get married and have kids despite the huge age difference between the 18-year-old and the lady.
Favreau appears later in the episode, as Monica’s millionaire software genius date - Pete Becker.
27. Dina Meyer
She plays Joey’s co-actor in a play - Kate, and makes her first appearance in Season 3, Episode 19 – The One with the Tiny T-shirt. But the play flops, and Kate has to move back to LA to reprise her role in the show, General Hospital. This puts an end to their blossoming romance.
28. Ben Stiller
In Season 3, Episode 22 – The One with the Screamer, Ben appears as Rachel’s date, Tommy. And as the episode name suggests, he has serious anger outbursts at the slightest inconvenience.
29. Billy Crystal, Robin Williams, and Christine Taylor
Crystal and Williams star as Tim and Tomas in the pre-opening credits segment of Season 3, Episode 24 – The One with the Ultimate Fighting Champion. Their not-so-private conversation reveals Tim to be a gynecologist, having an affair with Tomas’s wife.
Later in the episode, Phoebe sets up her friend Bonnie (played by Taylor), on a date with Ross.
30. Teri Garr
The late actress plays Phoebe's biological mother - Phoebe Abbott, Sr. Phoebe first meets her at Montauk in Season 3, Episode 25 – The One at the Beach.
31. Paget Brewster
She plays Kathy - a theater actress; first appearing on screen in Season 4, Episode 5 – The One with Joey’s New Girlfriend. She initially dates Joey, and then Chandler for some time. However, Chandler breaks up with her later, as he can’t stand her doing intimate scenes on stage with co-actors.
32. Tate Donovan
Donovan appears as Joshua Burgin - a customer at Bloomingdale’s, whom Rachel helps pick his new wardrobe collection in Season 4, Episode 13 – The One with Rachel’s Crush. Later in the show, Rachel develops a liking for him just when in real life, Jennifer Aniston and Tate Donovan are going through their breakup.
33. Helen Baxendale and Charlton Heston
Helen plays Emily - the niece of Rachel’s English boss at Bloomingdale’s, Mr. Waltham. In Season 4, Episode 14 – The One with Joey’s Dirty Day, Rachel is asked by her boss to accompany Emily to an opera. She swaps her responsibility with Ross, to meet Joshua.
Later in the episode, Heston appears as himself at a shooting set and catches Joey showering in his dressing room.
34. Sarah Ferguson, the Dutchess of York
She makes a guest appearance as herself in the Ross-Emily wedding special. In Season 4, Episode 23 – The One with Ross’s Wedding, Part 1, Joey casually stumbles upon her when he’s roaming around the streets of London with a camcorder, asking for directions to Buckingham Palace.
35. Tom Conti, Jennifer Saunders, Hugh Laurie, June Whitfield, and Olivia Williams
In Season 4, Episode 24 – The One with Ross’s Wedding, Part 2, Conti and Saunders play Emily’s parents - Steven and Andrea Waltham. Laurie plays the airplane passenger sitting next to Rachel on her flight to London.
Whitfield plays Emily’s housekeeper and Williams plays Felicity - the one with whom Joey fools around at the wedding.
36. Bob Balaban
He stars as Phoebe’s father - Frank Buffay. Phoebe meets him during her grandmother’s memorial service in Season 5, Episode 13 – The One with Joey’s Bag.
37. Lilyan Chauvin and Kristin Dattilo
In Season 5, Episode 19 – The One Where Ross Can’t Flirt, Chauvin plays Joey’s grandmother - Nonnie; who only understands Italian.
In the same episode, Dattilo plays Caitlin - the pizza delivery girl, whom Ross tries to flirt with.
38. Thomas Lennon
Randall is Joey's supposed 'identical hand twin.' Although Joey thinks people would throw money to see identical hand twins, Lennon (as Randall) works as a croupier in a hotel in Las Vegas. He makes his brief appearance in Season 5, episodes 23 and 24 – The One in Vegas, parts 1 & 2, respectively.
39. Ralph Lauren and Joanna Gleason
Since Rachel works at Ralph Lauren for a large part of the show, it isn’t odd for Lauren to make an appearance as himself. All he does is share an elevator with Rachel and her boss Kim (played by Joanna Gleason) in Season 6, Episode 8 – The One with Ross’s Teeth.
40. Reese Witherspoon
Reese Witherspoon comes parading into the apartment and introduces herself as Rachel’s sister, Jill. This happens in Season 6, Episode 13 – The One with Rachel’s Sister after she’s cut off her allowance by her dad. There’s a spark between Ross and Jill, but Rachel’s intervention breaks that off.
41. Bruce Willis
He initially gives Ross a ‘die hard’ time by intimidating him as Paul Stevens - the father of Elizabeth (not the third, but Ross’s student-turned-girlfriend). He first appears in Season 6 episode 21 – The One Where Ross Meets Elizabeth’s Dad. Rachel dates him for the next two episodes until he starts opening up about his pent-up trauma and turns into a crybaby.
42. Cole Sprouse
A young Sprouse plays Ross and Carol’s son - Ben Geller. He first appears in a hypothetical ‘what if’ situation in Season 6, Episode 15 – The One That Could Have Been, Part 1. As a part of the show’s legitimate timeline of events, he later appears in Season 7, Episode 9 – The One with All the Candy.
43. Eddie Cahill
He plays Rachel’s cute new assistant - Tag Jones, at Ralph Lauren. He’s hired by Rachel in Season 7, Episode 4 – The One with Rachel’s Assistant.
44. Susan Sarandon
Susan Sarandon plays Cecilia Monroe; who in turn plays the soon-to-be-killed character of Jessica Lockhart, on Days of Our Lives. Joey meets her on the set and hits it off romantically with her in Season 7, Episode 15 – The One with Joey’s New Brain. However, Jessica’s character is killed, and her brain is surgically installed in Joey’s comatose character - Dr. Drake Ramoray, through a ‘brain transplant.’ Off-set, Cecilia gets a part in a Mexican film, and their blossoming romance is abruptly put to an end.
45. Denise Richards
She plays Ross and Monica’s cousin Cassie, and stays over at their apartment in Season 7, Episode 19 – The One with Ross and Monica’s Cousin. She unwittingly arouses Chandler, Phoebe, and Ross with her charming hair flip.
46. Winona Ryder
No, she doesn't play herself in accordance with Ross's list. Instead, she plays Rachel’s friend from college - Melissa Warburton; who once got a little knocked out on sangria and made out with Rachel. She catches up with Rachel in Season 7, Episode 20 – The One with Rachel’s Big Kiss and confesses that she still loves her.
47. Kathleen Turner
As bold as it may sound, Turner plays Chandler’s gay and/or transgender dad - Charles Bing. She first appears in Season 7, Episode 22 – The One with Chandler’s Dad, as a drag queen with the stage name of Helena Handbasket. Chandler and Monica visit the performance venue to invite Charles/Helena to their wedding.
48. Gary Oldman
Gary Oldman plays Richard Crosby - who in turn plays Vincent, in a WWI-based film alongside Joey. To mark his acting prowess, he spits while emphasizing his dialogues. He meets Joey on the set in Season 7, Episodes 23 and 24 – The One with Monica and Chandler’s Wedding, Parts 1 & 2 respectively.
49. Bonnie Somerville
She plays Mona - whom Ross meets first at Monica and Chandler’s wedding. She reappears in Season 8, Episode 5 – The One with Rachel’s Date. She and Ross hit it off really well. However, with Rachel being pregnant with Ross’s child and later moving in as his roommate, Ross and Mona had to break up.
50. Sean Penn
He plays Ursula’s fiancé Eric, and first appears in Season 8, Episode 6 – The One with the Halloween Party. Phoebe comes to know how Ursula lied to him about their similarities; and breaks the bad news to him. This brings Eric and Phoebe together. But we know any relationship cannot be sustained, especially if Ursula and Phoebe are involved.
51. Brad Pitt
The first rule is, "You do not talk about the club!" Yet, Pitt (as Will Colburt) in Season 8, Episode 9 - The One with the Rumor, openly talks about the 'I Hate Rachel Green Club.' Owing to their shared hatred, Will and Ross once started a rumor in high school about Rachel having both male and female reproductive parts.
52. Alec Baldwin
Meet Parker! Not Peter. He accidentally bumps into Phoebe at the dry cleaners and immediately asks her out in Season 8, Episode 17 – The One with the Tea Leaves. In the next episode – The One in Massapequa, his little too zesty outlook towards life cuts him off from Phoebe and the gang’s good books.
53. Rena Sofer
She plays the charming cashier at a baby store, and totally hits on Ross in Season 8, Episode 21 – The One with the Cooking Class. Plus, they both have a shared fascination for paleontology. However, Ross puts all of it aside just after one date, when he learns that Rachel isn't comfortable with this.
54. Paul Rudd
Rudd plays this random guy - Mike, whom Joey just finds at Central Perk and sets up on a date with Phoebe. In Season 9, Episode 3 – The One with the Pediatrician, the date turns out to be awkward. But the next day, Mike finds Phoebe at the café and hits it off with a spark. So much so, that they end up getting married later in the show.
55. Freddie Prinze Jr.
He plays the role of a nanny named Sandy, in Season 9, Episode 6 – The One with the Male Nanny. In fact, he’s almost hired by Rachel and Ross to look after Emma. But Ross is a little uncomfortable with having an uber-sensitive guy as the nanny.
56. Christina Applegate
In Phoebe’s words from the episode with Jill, she plays Rachel’s other sister - Amy, “the one that bit her.” In Season 9, Episode 8 – The One with Rachel’s Other Sister, Amy shows up and proves that she’s a bit of a nut job.
57. Selma Blair
In Season 9, Episode 10 – The One with Christmas in Tulsa, she plays Wendy - the only colleague Chandler’s stuck with, at his Tulsa office branch. She makes advances on Chandler, but he rejects them stating that he’s happily married. Eventually, this leads him to quit his job and come back home for the festivities.
58. Jeff Goldblum
He plays the famous director Leonard Hayes, in Season 9, Episode 15 – The One with the Mugging. Joey meets him while auditioning for a role in a Broadway show. Hayes asks him to bring a sense of urgency into the character. Funnily, Joey’s only able to do so by holding in his pee and as a result, lets it all out while standing close to Hayes.
59. Aisha Tyler
She plays Professor Charlie Wheeler - Ross's new paleontologist colleague, in Season 9, Episode 20 – The One with the Soap Opera Party. Ross shows her around a bit yet somehow, she ends up dating Joey. Later in the show, she realizes that she has more in common with Ross. But after dating him for some time, she moves back to her double Nobel Prize laureate ex.
60. John Stamos
He plays Chandler's co-worker Zack, in Season 9, Episode 22 – The One with the Donor. Now, owing to the low motility of Chandler's sperm, he proposes having Zack as the sperm donor for his and Monica's future baby. So, he invites Zack home for dinner and totally makes him uncomfortable with his and Monica's questions concerning his and his family's health.
61. Jennifer Coolidge
She plays the egoistic Amanda Buffamonteezi - who used to be Monica and Phoebe's roommate before Chandler moved into the apartment. She comes back from England with a pretentious accent to meet the two of them in Season 10, Episode 3 – The One with Ross's Tan.
62. Greg Kinnear
He plays Charlie Wheeler's double Nobel Prize laureate ex, Benjamin Hobart in Season 10, Episode 6 – The One with Ross’s Grant. He interviews Ross for a grant but decides to give it to him only if he breaks up with Charlie. Eventually, Charlie and Hobart get back together and Ross and the grant are out of the picture.
63. Anna Faris
She plays Erica - the birth mother of Chandler and Monica's adopted twins. We first see her in Season 10, Episode 9 – The One with the Birth Mother. That's when she invites the couple to an adoption agency in Ohio, to interview them.
64. Danny DeVito and Ellen Pompeo
DeVito plays a middle-aged stripper with an alias of 'Officer Goodbody' in Season 10, Episode 11 – The One Where the Stripper Cries. He's a last-minute addition by Monica and Rachel, for Phoebe's bachelorette party.
In the same episode, Pompeo plays Missy Goldberg - a girl Ross and Chandler both had a thing for, in college. Back then, they made a pact of never asking her out. Cut to the present, Ross meets Missy at a college reunion and approaches her after getting Chandler's consent.
65. Dakota Fanning
A young Fanning plays Mackenzie, the daughter of the family that sells their Westchester County residence to Chandler and Monica. Joey meets her in Season 10, Episode 14 – The One with Princess Consuela, when he visits the new house with Chandler and Monica.
FAQs about Friends Guest Stars
Gunther first speaks in Season 2, Episode 9 – The One with Phoebe's Dad. All he says is "Yeah," while answering Ross's question about having stairs at his place.
The novel's name is Euphoria Unbound.
She played a nurse in Season 1, Episode 23 – The One with the Birth, before being introduced as Estelle Leonard, later in the show.
In Season 2, Episode 6 – The One with the Baby on the Bus, Stephanie (played by Chrissie Hynde; a real-life musician) replaces Phoebe.
Pennie Stanton plays Joey's English-speaking grandma. She makes an appearance in Season 3, Episode 11 – The One Where Chandler Can’t Remember Which Sister.
Ross and Monica have another cousin, named Maureen. She appears very briefly in the wedding rehearsal dinner in Season 7, Episode 23 – The One with Monica and Chandler's Wedding, Part 1.
