"It just taught me about being there for each other": When Courteney Cox opened up about starring in Friends and what it meant to her
Courteney Cox, the face of Monica E. Geller in the 90s hit show Friends, recently earned her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on February 27, 2023. Cox received the 2,750th star in Hollywood. To support her, were her co-stars and friends, Lisa Kudrow and Jennifer Aniston.
Courteney, Lisa, and Jennifer, along with Matthew Perry, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer starred in the American sitcom Friends, which became a global phenomenon in the 2000s. The show went on for 10 seasons and the stars returned for a reunion special in 2021.
The once inseparable cast are close friends in real life as well. As Kudrow and Aniston celebrated Courteney Cox's receipt of the star on Instagram, Cox expressed her gratitude:
"Friends’ taught me the importance of camaraderie and really sticking together. These friendships were at the most important time in my life, and we went through so many things together. And it just taught me about being there for each other — I know, that’s the song: ‘I’ll be there for you.’"
She continued:
“It was so nice to work with people that could bounce ideas off each other. Everybody wanted the best for everybody. There was no jealousy, it was only, ‘Let’s make the best show we can, and let’s support each other in this.’"
Jennifer Aniston said that Courteney Cox "made it very clear that this was a true ensemble"
Jennifer Aniston took the chance to speak on Courteney Cox's behalf at the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She told the audience how Courteney was warm to everybody despite her fame.
"From the beginning, she made it very clear that this was a true ensemble. She instilled into all of us to support each other and to love one another and that actors need to support and love one another,” Aniston said.
She added:
“We just have fun when we’re working together. It also helped that we were on one of the funniest-written shows at the time.”
In an interview with Variety, Courteney Cox described her years with Friends as a unique experience.
While Aniston thought that being on Friends, "the funniest-written show at the time," helped strengthen their bond, Cox also seemed to speak along similar lines:
“I do think that ‘Friends’ was such a unique experience and I’m on a show now that is too. I really love the cast. I think that was really lucky. The casting is so important and doing a little research about whether a person has reputation. I think it’s so much about putting together the right kind of people.”
After Friends, Courteney Cox went on to feature in Scream as Gale Weathers for six consecutive movies.
What Lisa Kudrow said after Cox's achievement on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Over the course of ten seasons, the actors formed a close bond that transcended their characters and grew into a genuine friendship. Such is their relationship that Jennifer Aniston is Cox's daughter's godmother.
As Kudrow and Aniston joined Courteney Cox at the unveiling of her star, Kudrow took the opportunity to say a few words about Cox's warm nature, both on set and off the set:
"To be friends with Courtney is to be family with Courtney, and she is responsible for all of that. From the beginning of when we met her, she was immediately inclusive, warm, loving, interested in everything about you. And I was really nervous to meet her because I was a huge fan,” she said.
The NBC show, Friends, ran for ten seasons from 1994 to 2004 and was distributed by Warner Bros. The Reunion is currently on HBO Max.
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Upasya Bhowal