In a surprising but heartwarming move, Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston reenact a moment from “Friends” that brought back nostalgic memories of the sitcom.
In August 2022, Hollywood actresses Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston took their fans a trip down memory lane in the most epic way. Witherspoon took to her Instagram page to post an adorable clip of the pair recreating a scene from their time together in the iconic NBC sitcom “Friends.”
In the clip, the duo tried to reenact a moment from the season 6 episode, “The One Where Chandler Can’t Cry.” In the scene, Rachel (Aniston) and her younger sister Jill (Witherspoon) are in the middle of a heated argument about Jill wanting to date her sister’s on-and-off boyfriend, Ross (David Schwimmer).
The video shows the duo mulling over a picture of themselves in character and Aniston asking if that scene is where Witherspoon says the line she loves so much. Meanwhile, Witherspoon asked if Aniston remembered her line in that scene. However, when Aniston struggles to remember, Witherspoon helps her out.
Aniston then says, “I say, ‘You can’t have Ross.” before Witherspoon replies, “‘Can’t have? Can’t have? The only thing I can’t have is dairy.'” Although the original scene occurred two decades ago, the actress’s reenactment was almost perfect. In the original scene, Jill (Witherspoon) asks why Rachel (Aniston) is always jealous of her band and gets this reply:
“This is not about me being jealous of you, this is about you being a brat and wanting what you can’t have.”
Fans and colleagues rushed to the comment section to praise both actresses for recollecting the scene. Also, “The Morning Show” official account, in which both actresses appear as leads, poked fun at their friendship.
Witherspoon Feels Lucky To Have Starred in “Friends.”
Witherspoon was still trying to make a name for herself in the movie industry when she got the call to guest star on “Friends.” The actress would later appear as Jill Green- Rachel’s (Jennifer Aniston) sister, during the sixth season of the iconic sitcom. Witherspoon appeared in two episodes visiting Rachel in New York City, agitated because her dad had cut her off before she developed a short-lived fling with Ross (David Schwimmer).
Although she appeared in just two episodes, Witherspoon delivered some iconic lines that are still fondly remembered. During the “Friends: Reunion” on HBO Max in 2021, the actress disclosed how excited she felt when she got picked to guest star. Witherspoon revealed:
“When my agent called me and said, ‘Do you want to play Rachel Green’s sister on Friends?’, I was like, ‘Have I won the lottery?”
Witherspoon also spoke about a scene where she was in an apartment, and Joey (Matt LeBlanc) walked in before dropping his iconic line, “How you doin’?” The Oscar-winning actress confessed it felt surreal for her to witness that moment. Meanwhile, since their appearance as sisters in “Friends,” Aniston and Witherspoon’s relationship has improved. The duo are now co-starring and serving as executive producers on the Emmy-winning series “The Morning Show.”
The Iconic Status of “Friends”
Almost two decades after the finale of “Friends” aired, the series still creates a lot of buzzes whenever it is mentioned. The sitcom, which premiered in 1994, grew to become one of the most watched during its 10-year run. The series finale alone drew in a record 52.5 million viewers in America alone.
The show appealed to a variety of viewers due to its cast members, who were young, beautiful, handsome, and hilarious. Their chemistry in the series and the fact they all lived with or near each other nd hung out all the time made the show connect to many people.
“Friends” is also regarded as the show that portrayed casual sex and hookups as consequence-free. According to Samantha Allen of Mic.com, the series set the standard for how sitcoms could and would talk about sex. With all these ingredients, the show became a hit and warmed its way into the heart of many viewers.
The six main casts on the show also set record per-episode earnings. During the first season, they received $22,500 per episode. Their earnings jumped to $40,000 per episode in the second season, then $75,000 per episode for season three. In season four, they received $85,000 per episode, $100,000 per episode for season five, and $125,000 per episode in season six.
By seasons seven and eight, they earned $750,000 per episode. However, that increased to a record $1 million per episode for the last two seasons. Today “Friends” generates more than $1 billion per year in syndication royalties and streaming deals decades after its release cementing its status as one of the all-time greatest sitcoms ever made.