"Monica Geller Monica E. Geller is a fictional character, one of the six main characters who appears on the American sitcom ""Friends"" (1994–2004). Created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, and portrayed by actress Courteney Cox, Monica appears in each of the show's 236 episodes, from its premiere on September 24, 1994, to its finale on May 6, 2004. A chef known for her cleanliness, competitiveness and obsessive-compulsive nature, Monica is the younger sister of Ross Geller and best friend of Rachel Green, the latter of whom she invites to live with her after Rachel forsakes her own wedding. The"
"Monica Geller, instead. At first the most famous cast member of the new show, Cox joined fellow castmates Jennifer Aniston (Rachel Green), Lisa Kudrow (Phoebe Buffay), Matt LeBlanc (Joey Tribbiani), Matthew Perry (Chandler Bing) and David Schwimmer (Ross Geller) for what became her most famous role, lasting for 10 seasons until 2004. According to the ""Guinness Book of World Records"" (2005), Cox (along with her female costars) became the highest-paid TV actress of all time, with her 1 million-per-episode paycheck for the final two seasons of ""Friends"". Between seasons five and six, Cox married David Arquette, and changed her name"
"Phoebe Buffay Phoebe Buffay-Hannigan is a fictional character, portrayed by Lisa Kudrow, one of the six main characters from the American sitcom ""Friends"", created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman. She appeared in each of the show's 236 episodes, from its premiere on September 24, 1994 to its finale on May 6, 2004. She is a masseuse and musician, notable for her offbeat and sometimes ditzy behavior. She was Monica Geller's roommate before Rachel Green. Phoebe is best friends with Monica and Rachel, along with their neighbors, Chandler Bing and Joey Tribbiani, and also Monica's brother Ross Geller. She plays"
"television comedy series, ""The Edge"" and ""Muddling Through"", and guest-starred in ""Quantum Leap"", ""Herman's Head"", and ""Burke's Law"". Depressed over her four unsuccessful television shows, Aniston approached Warren Littlefield at a Los Angeles gas station asking for reassurance about her career. The head of NBC entertainment encouraged Aniston to continue acting, and a few months later helped cast her for ""Friends"", a sitcom that was set to debut on NBC's 1994–1995 fall lineup. The producers of the show originally wanted Aniston to audition for the role of Monica Geller, but Courteney Cox was considered to be better suited to the"
"an 18 and 19-generation direct descendant of two key players involved in the deposing and likely murder of King Edward II of England in 1327, and also a 27-generation direct descendant of William the Conqueror. Cox is practitioner of Budokan karate. Courteney Cox Courteney Bass Cox (born June 15, 1964) is an American actress, producer, and director. She is best known for her roles as Monica Geller on the NBC sitcom ""Friends"", Gale Weathers in the horror series ""Scream"", and Jules Cobb in the ABC/TBS sitcom ""Cougar Town"", for which she earned her first Golden Globe nomination. Cox also starred"
"and thought she was a better fit for Monica. After reading for Monica instead, she won the role. Nancy McKeon also read for the part. Jennifer Aniston read for the part of Rachel after initially being considered for Monica. Her contract with the CBS TV series ""Muddling Through"" meant that any role with ""Friends"" would be in second position to the series. The CBS show was not scheduled to be broadcast until mid-1994, after NBC's announcement of whether ""Friends"" would be greenlit; if ""Muddling Through"" became a ratings success and CBS enforced Aniston's contract, ""Friends"" would have had to recast"
"character on ""Friends"""", citing her cleanliness, bluntness and role as ""the heart of the group"", among others. Loiacono enthused that Monica ""didn't just have one defining aspect; she had many, and they were all equally hilarious. Not to mention, her ambition and vulnerability resulted in some of the show's most touching and heartbreaking moments"". Additionally, Loiacono dismissed the fact that Cox has never received an Emmy Award nomination for her performance as Monica as ""downright criminal"". In 2015, HitFix wrote a similar article entitled ""5 Reasons Monica Geller is the Best ""Friends"" Friend"", published in tandem with Cox's 51 birthday."
"Courteney Cox Courteney Bass Cox (born June 15, 1964) is an American actress, producer, and director. She is best known for her roles as Monica Geller on the NBC sitcom ""Friends"", Gale Weathers in the horror series ""Scream"", and Jules Cobb in the ABC/TBS sitcom ""Cougar Town"", for which she earned her first Golden Globe nomination. Cox also starred in the FX series ""Dirt"". She owns a production company, called Coquette Productions, which was created by Cox and her then-husband David Arquette. Cox also worked as a director on her sitcom ""Cougar Town"" and the television film ""Talhotblond"". Cox was"
"""Friends"", as well as five Primetime Emmy Award nominations (two for Supporting Actress, three for Lead Actress), including a win for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. She was also nominated for two Golden Globe Awards and won, in 2003, the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy. According to the ""Guinness World Book of Records"" (2005), Aniston (along with her female costars) became the highest-paid television actress of all time with her 1 million-per-episode paycheck for the final season of ""Friends"". Her character's relationship with Ross Geller, portrayed by David Schwimmer in the"
"Video"" was ranked 100 on ""TV Guide""'s 100 Greatest Episodes of All-Time. In 2013, ""Friends"" ranked no. 24 on the Writers Guild of America's 101 Best Written TV Series of All Time, and no. 28 on ""TV Guides 60 Best TV Series of All Time. Rachel Green flees her wedding day and finds childhood friend Monica Geller, a New York City chef. They become roommates, and Rachel joins Monica's group of single people in their mid-20s: Struggling actor Joey Tribbiani, business professional Chandler Bing, masseuse and musician Phoebe Buffay, and newly divorced palaeontologist Ross Geller, Monica's older brother. Rachel becomes"
"Christina Pickles Christina Pickles (born February 17, 1935) is a British-American actress. She is known for her role as Nurse Helen Rosenthal in the NBC medical drama ""St. Elsewhere"" (1982–88), for which she received five nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. She is also known for her recurring role as Judy Geller on the NBC sitcom ""Friends"" (1994–2003), for which she was nominated for the 1995 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series. Pickles appeared in Broadway plays in the 1960s and 1970s, including ""The Misanthrope"" (1968) and"
"(Mitchell Whitfield) at the altar. She locates her high school best friend Monica Geller (Courteney Cox), the only person she knows in New York City, who agrees to let Rachel reside with her while she attempts to reorganize her life. Rachel meets and befriends Monica's friends Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow), Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc), and Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry), while reuniting with Monica's older brother Ross Geller (David Schwimmer), who has harbored unrequited romantic feelings for her since high school. Having previously relied on her parents' money her entire life with a sole goal of marrying wealthy, Rachel attempts to"
"Jennifer Aniston Jennifer Joanna Aniston (born February 11, 1969) is an American actress, film producer, and businessperson. The daughter of actors John Aniston and Nancy Dow, she began her acting career at an early age making her acting debut with an uncredited role in the 1987 film ""Mac and Me"". Aniston rose to fame portraying Rachel Green on the television sitcom ""Friends"" (1994–2004), for which she earned a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award (SAG). The character was widely popular during the airing of the series and was later recognized as one of"
"recreated for those scenes. In 2013, ""TV Guide"" ranked the beginning of the Monica-Chandler affair as the third greatest twist of all time. The One with Ross's Wedding ""The One with Ross' Wedding"" is the two-part fourth-season finale of the American television sitcom ""Friends"", comprising the 96th and 97th episodes of the series overall. Originally broadcast by NBC on May 7, 1998, the episode features Ross, Monica, Joey, Chandler and later Rachel travelling to England to attend the wedding of Ross Geller (David Schwimmer) to his fiancée Emily (Helen Baxendale) in London. Ross and Emily's wedding vows are ruined when"
"best friend Rachel because the actress ""had this cheery, upbeat energy"", which was significantly different than how they had envisioned Monica at the time. Feeling she was not ""quirky"" enough to portray Rachel, Cox lobbied in favor of playing Monica instead because she was drawn to the character's ""strong"" personality, but the producers feared that she was not ""tough"" enough for the role, which was offered to actress Jennifer Aniston, alongside whom Cox would eventually co-star. Meanwhile, a close competitor for the role was actress Nancy McKeon; Littlefield recalled having greatly enjoyed both actress' auditions equally, and left the final"
"Jane Sibbett Jane Moore Sibbett (born November 28, 1962) is an American actress and comedian. Her most notable roles include Heddy Newman on the Fox television series ""Herman's Head"", and as Ross Geller's first ex-wife, Carol Willick, on the NBC sitcom ""Friends"". Sibbett was born in Berkeley, California, the youngest of five children. She was raised on Alameda Island, in the San Francisco Bay. She is a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles, where she became a member of the California Delta chapter of Pi Beta Phi, an international women's fraternity. Sibbett started her acting career as Jane"
"holiday in his adulthood. It is revealed in season 1 he went to an all-boys high school. Chandler's best friend is Ross Geller (David Schwimmer), who was his college roommate. He and Ross were in a band named Way/No Way during college. He met Ross' sister, Monica Geller (Courteney Cox), and her friend, Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston), while celebrating Thanksgiving at Ross' parents' house. Chandler was the first person to know about Ross' love for Rachel. He moved to New York City and lives across the hall from Monica and, through her, meets Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow). At some point"
"Friends Friends is an American television sitcom, created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994, to May 6, 2004, lasting ten seasons. With an ensemble cast starring Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer, the show revolves around six friends in their 20s and 30s who live in Manhattan, New York City. The series was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television. The original executive producers were Kevin S. Bright, Marta Kauffman, and David Crane. Kauffman and Crane began developing ""Friends"" under the title"
"and Christina Pickles as Jack and Judy Geller, respectively; Michael Ray Bower as Monica's date; and Patrick Kerr as the restaurant manager. Joey, now earning money, gives Chandler a gaudy gold bracelet as thanks for paying for head shots and food. Chandler mocks it when it costs him a date, upsetting Joey when he overhears. Chandler promises to never take it off again but immediately realizes he can't find it. He buys a replacement, but the original is found shortly afterwards. He gives one to Joey, repairing their friendship. Ross (David Schwimmer) continues to seek forgiveness from Rachel after insulting"
"Ross Geller Ross Eustace Geller, Ph.D., is a fictional character from the NBC sitcom ""Friends"", portrayed by David Schwimmer. Ross is considered by many to be the most intelligent member of the group and is noted for his goofy but lovable demeanor. His relationship with Rachel Green was included in ""TV Guide""s list of the best TV couples of all time, as well as ""Entertainment Weekly""s ""30 Best 'Will They/Won't They?' TV Couples"". Kevin Bright, one of the executive producers of the show, had worked with Schwimmer before, so the writers were already developing Ross’s character in Schwimmer’s voice. And"
"Revered as a television icon, Monica famously addressed several topics that were rarely discussed in prime time television at the time, including safe sex, casual sex, and age disparity in relationships. Despite garnering positive reviews for her performance, Cox is the only main cast member to have never been nominated for an Emmy Award during ""Friends"" ten-year run. Hardworking chefMonica is introduced in the pilot as one of five close-knit friends who live in New York City, including her older brother Ross (David Schwimmer), neighbors Joey (Matt LeBlanc) and Chandler (Matthew Perry), and former roommate Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow). When her"
"""Ross & Rachel"" debuted at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. In October 2016, Ross Geller was voted ""the Best Friends Character"" in an international poll held by Comedy Central, during six weeks of """"FriendsFest"""" on the channel. Ross Geller Ross Eustace Geller, Ph.D., is a fictional character from the NBC sitcom ""Friends"", portrayed by David Schwimmer. Ross is considered by many to be the most intelligent member of the group and is noted for his goofy but lovable demeanor. His relationship with Rachel Green was included in ""TV Guide""s list of the best TV couples of all time, as well as"
"Liza Weil Liza Rebecca Weil (born June 5, 1977) is an American actress. Weil is best known for her starring role as Paris Geller in the WB/CW comedy-drama series ""Gilmore Girls"" (2000–2007) and its Netflix revival series """" (2016). She is also known for her roles as White House aide Amanda Tanner in the ABC political drama series ""Scandal"" (2012) and as attorney Bonnie Winterbottom in the ABC legal drama series ""How to Get Away with Murder"" (2014–present). Weil was born in Passaic, New Jersey, into an acting family. She was raised in, and continues to practice, Reform Judaism. Her"
"Maggie Wheeler Margaret Emily Wheeler (née Jakobson; born August 7, 1961) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Janice on the sitcom ""Friends. ""She was also a recurring character on ""Everybody Loves Raymond"" as Linda as well as Anita Warrell on the sitcom ""Ellen"". Wheeler was born in Manhattan, the daughter of Barbara, a writer, and John Jakobson, who began his career on Wall Street as one of youngest members of the New York Stock Exchange and left an estate worth $100 million. She was raised in a secular Jewish household. She married Daniel Borden"
"hence, Schwimmer was the first person to be cast on the show. Ross is a paleontologist and has a Ph.D. from Columbia University. His romantic feelings toward Rachel Green, which began as a high school infatuation, are an ongoing theme of his narrative arc. Likewise, their on-again, off-again romantic relationship is a nearly constant theme of ""Friends"". Born on October 18, 1967, and raised on Long Island, Ross is the elder brother of Monica Geller. Ross and Monica are Jewish and see themselves as at least cultural Jews, with Ross taking a more active role in wanting to teach his"
"Rachel Green Rachel Karen Green is a fictional character, one of the six main characters who appeared in the American sitcom ""Friends"". Portrayed by actress Jennifer Aniston, the character was created by show creators David Crane and Marta Kauffman, and appeared in each of the show's 236 episodes during its decade-long run, from its premiere on September 22, 1994 to its finale on May 6, 2004. Introduced in the show's pilot as a naive runaway bride who reunites with her childhood best friend Monica Geller and relocates to New York City, Rachel gradually evolves from a spoiled, inexperienced ""daddy's girl"""
"Scott Silveri and Shana Goldberg-Meehan, who first observed the characters' chemistry in the season two episode ""The One Where Ross Finds Out"", in which an idle and unemployed Monica is temporarily acting as Chandler's personal trainer. However, Silveri's suggestion was initially vetoed by the other writers, who felt that it was simply too soon to introduce another main couple to ""Friends"" having just recently paired off Ross and Rachel. Following Ross and Rachel's break up in season three, the writers felt that the timing was just about right to officially introduce Monica and Chandler as a couple, deciding that ""Friends"""
"them."" ""Friends"" female characters had a profound influence on women's fashion during the 1990s, becoming household names as well as fashion icons. Monica, Rachel and Phoebe each ""became style icons for a generation of young women."" According to Desiree Tolentino of ""Verge Campus"", ""Rachel and Monica were THE fashion icons back in the day"", writing, ""Monica Geller’s vivacious style and sex appeal inspires every girl to care just a little bit more about what they wear, even if it’s moving boxes from one apartment to the other."" Describing Monica's wardrobe as ""classic and elegant"", ""Stylist"" observed that the character's first"
"New York Times"" noted the ""welcome comic bite"" of her Malka portrayal. Thelen's television credits include ""Duet"", ""Grace Under Fire"", ""Touched by an Angel"", ""Joan of Arcadia"" and ""Twin Peaks"". Jodi Thelen Jodi Thelen (born June 12, 1962) is an American actress. Born in St. Cloud, Minnesota, Thelen made her screen debut as Georgia Miles, ""a willfully free-spirited girl, naive and narcissistic"" in ""Four Friends"" in 1981. Thelen appeared on Broadway in ""Brighton Beach Memoirs"" in 1983. Her off-Broadway credits include ""Springtime for Henry"", ""Largo Desolato"" at The Public Theater, ""The Nice and the Nasty"" at Playwrights Horizons, ""The Chemistry"
"had originally intended. Baxendale appeared in only 14 episodes, despite her character dating, marrying, and then divorcing Ross Geller (David Schwimmer), one of the show's main characters. Helen Baxendale Helen Victoria Baxendale (born 7 June 1970) is an English actress of stage and television, known for her roles as Rachel in the British comedy-drama ""Cold Feet"" (1997–2003), and Emily in the American sitcom ""Friends"" (1997–98). Baxendale's early stage credits include ""The Soldiers"" at Glasgow's Citizens Theatre, which earned her a 1993 Ian Charleson Award nomination. Her other television credits include ""Cardiac Arrest"" (1994–96), ""An Unsuitable Job for a Woman"" (1997–2001),"
"off-the-beam benevolent monarch."" By the show's final season, Monica's personality has been ""exacerbated for comedy"" to the point of which she becomes borderline ""cartoonish."" Monica has a complicated relationship with her parents Jack (Elliot Gould) and Judy Geller (Christina Pickles), more-so with her mother. ""Entertainment Weekly"" referred to the character's relationship with her parents as ""esteem-sucking."" In fact, the majority of ""Friends"" main characters have ""strained relationships"" with their parents. Described as ""hypercritical,"" Judy enjoys constantly criticizing her daughter's appearance, career, and love life, while acting much kinder towards her son, whom she favors. Chelsea Mize of Bustle wrote that"
"Wheeler in 1990. They have two children. In the 1980s, Wheeler (under her maiden name of Jakobson) briefly dabbled in voice acting on the animated series ""SilverHawks"", where she provided all the female voices, specifically the villainess Melodia and the heroine Steelheart/Emily Hart, and on the ""Karate Kat"" and ""Mini-Monsters"" segments of ""The Comic Strip"". Maggie Wheeler was auditioned for the role of Monica Geller. After many interviews she confirmed the same, she was however invited to play Janice Goralnik, a recurring character who was a frequent love interest of main character Chandler Bing. She appeared at least once in"
"into a successful businesswoman. During the show's second season, the character becomes romantically involved with her friend, Monica's older brother Ross, with whom she maintains a complicated on-again, off-again relationship throughout the entire series. Together, the characters have a daughter, Emma. The role of Rachel was originally offered to actresses Téa Leoni, the producer's first choice, and Courteney Cox, both of whom declined, Leoni in favor of starring in the sitcom ""The Naked Truth"", and Cox in favor of playing Rachel's best friend Monica in ""Friends"". A virtually unknown actress at the time who had previously starred in five short-lived"