The American sitcom Friends was created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman. It aired on NBC from September 22, 1994, to May 6, 2004, lasting for 10 seasons with 236 episodes. The show centers on six Manhattan, New York City-based friends from their 20s to early 30s.
Except for "The One with Ross's Wedding," the fourth season finale, which was shot on location in London in front of a British studio audience, every episode of the American sitcom Friends was shot at Warner Bros. Studios, Burbank, in front of a live studio audience.
The Filming Locations of Friends
Most Friends sequences, particularly those involving the flats, were filmed at Warner Bros. Studios. Friends was filmed in Stage 5 at the Warner Bros. Ranch in California, despite being purportedly about a bunch of friends in Manhattan. London, England, Manhattan, New York, and California served as the real-life filming locations.
The Solow Building, where Chandler Bing worked, the building at 90 Bedford Street (for Monica and Rachel's apartment complex), and Bloomingdales, where Rachel worked, are examples of real NYC locations. Still, the majority are only used for the exterior façade.
Visitors can still see and take pictures at the majority of the Friends filming locations. Fans can also choose to pay for the Friends tour at Warner Bros., which includes playing foosball in Chandler and Joey's apartment, walking through Monica and Rachel's flat, and enjoying a cup of coffee on the iconic couch at Central Perk.
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All Locations in Friends
Warner Bros. Studio in California
The six-story building in New York's West Village, where the exterior of Monica and Rachel's apartment was featured, was constructed in 1900 and has 22 units, all of which are one-bedroom apartments, despite how it was portrayed on television.
Although listing photographs might show exposed brickwork similar to Monica and Rachel's flat, the apartments don't have transom windows or purple walls. The apartments have high ceilings, lots of space, and big windows that let in natural light, according to StreetEasy.
The interiors of Joey and Chandler's (with the sawed-in-half door) and Monica and Rachel's colorful apartments were constructed 2,800 miles away at Warner Bros. Studio, 3400 Warner Blvd. in Burbank. After the series became a legitimate hit by season two, the production relocated permanently to Stage 24, where it remained for the following nine years.
Although the apartment sets were replicated for Friends: The Reunion, they were disassembled and no longer accessible as soon as production concluded in 2004. In recognition of its groundbreaking accomplishment, Stage 24 is still in operation today and is now called the Friends Stage.
Friends Apartment, New York City
The actual structure can be found in Greenwich Village at 90 Bedford Street. It starred in all ten seasons after making its debut in the pilot. Overlooking Greenwich Village is a six-story tan brick structure featuring round-arched windows on the third and sixth floors. It was first constructed in the 1800s.
Chandler’s Office, New York City
Chandler works out of the Solow Building in Midtown Manhattan. This skyscraper, located at 9 West 57th Street, is close to Central Park. Rising 49 floors into the sky, the black-and-white facade dominates the metropolis.
Washington Square Park, New York City
Frequently shown in Friends, Washington Square Park is a classic visual anchor that transports viewers to the center of New York City. The park, which is close to New York University, plays a crucial role in Ross's plot after he begins working there as a professor. Thus, Washington Square Park continues to be a real-world setting that appeals to Friends viewers, providing a glimpse of New York City life where both real-life and made-up adventures take place against its colorful backdrop.
What neighborhood was Friends filmed in?
The majority of the show was intended to take place in Greenwich Village, where all of its primary characters' apartments were located, even though it was filmed in Burbank, California. As a result, it also influenced how one generation perceived life in Greenwich Village.
FAQs about Friends filming locations
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Although the majority of Friends was shot in a Los Angeles studio, all of the city's exterior scenes are actual locations that you can visit.
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Most Friends' sequences, particularly those involving the flats, were filmed at Warner Bros. Studios. London, England, Manhattan, New York, and California served as the real-life filming locations.
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The location of the corner café beneath the building where Monica, Rachel, Chandler, and Joey resided is a genuine one, whereas Central Perk is only set on a soundstage in Los Angeles.
