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Anita Barone played Ross's (David Schwimmer's) ex-wife Carol in her first on-screen appearance. By the character's second appearance, Jane Sibbett had replaced her and would remain in the role for the rest of the series.
Joey was originally written as a jerk. When Matt LeBlanc questioned why the others would be friends with him, the character was changed.
When Courteney Cox dressed as fat Monica for the first time, Matthew Perry walked right past her without recognizing her.
When Matt LeBlanc auditioned for the role of Joey, he had eleven dollars to his name. When the cast got their first paychecks, the first thing that LeBlanc bought was a hot dinner. Courteney Cox bought a car.
Lisa Kudrow and her best friend wrote "Smelly Cat" one night when they were drunk, and it eventually got written into the show.
Courteney Cox was originally supposed to play Rachel. In Friends: The Reunion (2021), she explained that she asked to play Monica instead, since she related to her more.