Editing Friends (section)

== Cast and characters ==
{{Main|List of Friends and Joey characters}}

<gallery class="center" caption="Main cast">
File:Jennifer Aniston 08.jpg|alt=Jennifer Aniston|[[Jennifer Aniston]] as <br />[[Rachel Green]]
File:CourteneyCoxFeb09.jpg|alt=Courteney Cox|[[Courteney Cox]] as <br />[[Monica Geller]]
File:Lisa Kudrow crop.jpg|alt=Lisa Kudrow|[[Lisa Kudrow]] as <br />[[Phoebe Buffay]]
File:Matt LeBlanc, Arqiva British Academy Television Awards, 2013.jpg|alt=Matt LeBlanc|[[Matt LeBlanc]] as <br />[[Joey Tribbiani]]
File:Matthew Perry 2013.jpg|alt=Matthew Perry|[[Matthew Perry]] as <br />[[Chandler Bing]]
File:David Schwimmer (5208598833).jpg|alt=David Schwimmer|[[David Schwimmer]] as <br />[[Ross Geller]]
</gallery>

* [[Jennifer Aniston]] as [[Rachel Green]]: <br />A fashion enthusiast and [[Monica Geller]]'s best friend from childhood. Rachel first [[Pilot (Friends)|moves in with Monica]] in [[Friends season 1|season one]] after nearly marrying [[Barry Farber (Friends)|Barry Farber]]. Rachel and Ross Geller are later involved in an [[on-again, off-again relationship]] throughout the series. Rachel dates other men during the series, such as Italian neighbor, [[Paolo (Friends)|Paolo]], in season one; Joshua Bergin, a client from [[Bloomingdale's]], in [[Friends season 4|season four]]; [[List of Friends and Joey characters#Tag Jones|Tag Jones]], her assistant, in [[Friends season 7|season seven]]; and [[Joey Tribbiani]], one of her close friends, in [[Friends season 10|season ten]]. Rachel's first job is as a waitress at the coffee house Central Perk, but she later becomes an assistant buyer at Bloomingdale's in [[Friends season 3|season three]], and a buyer at [[Ralph Lauren Corporation|Ralph Lauren]] in [[Friends season 5|season five]]. Rachel and Ross have a daughter named Emma Geller-Green in "[[The One Where Rachel Has a Baby, Part Two]]" at the end of [[Friends season 8|season eight]]. In [[The Last One (Friends)|the final episode of the series]], Ross and Rachel confess their love for each other, and Rachel gives up a dream fashion job at [[Louis Vuitton]] in Paris to be with him.
* [[Courteney Cox]] as [[Monica Geller]]: <br />The "mother hen" of the group and a chef,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lomartire, Paul |date=September 4, 1994 |title=Fall TV '94 |work=[[The Palm Beach Post]] |url= http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PBPB&p_theme=pbpb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAF87116FDB357D&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D |url-status=live |url-access= registration |access-date= February 14, 2009 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181125074053/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PBPB&p_theme=pbpb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAF87116FDB357D&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D |archive-date= November 25, 2018}}</ref> known for her [[Perfectionism (psychology)|perfectionist]], bossy, competitive, and [[obsessive-compulsive]] nature.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bianco | first= Robert |date=March 3, 2004 |title=''Friends'' played great game of poker |work=[[USA Today]] |url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2004-03-03-revisiting-friends_x.htm |url-status=live |access-date=February 20, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628184241/http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2004-03-03-revisiting-friends_x.htm |archive-date= June 28, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Booth |first=Jenny |date=May 21, 2006 |title=Sarey Carey: Does pride in housework make me bad as well as mad? |work=[[The Sunday Times]] |location=London |url= http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/article722553.ece |url-status=dead |access-date=February 20, 2009 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110629103342/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/article722553.ece |archive-date= June 29, 2011}}</ref> Monica was [[overweight]] as a child. She works as a chef in various restaurants throughout the show. Monica's first serious relationship is with a long-time family friend [[Richard Burke (Friends)|Richard Burke]], who is 21 years her senior. The two maintain a strong relationship for some time until Richard expresses that he does not want to have children. Monica and [[Chandler Bing]], one of her best friends, later start a relationship after spending a night with each other in [[London]] in the [[The One with Ross' Wedding|season four finale]], leading to [[The One with Monica and Chandler's Wedding|their marriage]] in [[Friends season 7|season seven]] and the [[adoption]] of [[twins]] Jack and Erica Bing at the end of the series. A running gag in the show is Chandler's easy-going and humorous nature conflicting with Monica's high-maintenance and compulsive behavior.
* [[Lisa Kudrow]] as [[Phoebe Buffay]]: <br />A [[masseuse]] and [[self-taught]] musician. As a child, Phoebe lived in [[upstate New York]] with her mother Lily Buffay, until her mother committed suicide and Phoebe took to the streets. She [[Singer-songwriter|writes and sings]] her own strange songs, accompanying herself on the guitar. She has an [[identical twin]] named [[Ursula Buffay]], who shares few of Phoebe's traits. Phoebe has three serious relationships over the show's run: David, a scientist, in season one, with whom she breaks up when he moves to [[Minsk]] on a research [[grant (money)|grant]]; Gary, a police officer whose badge she finds, in season five; and an [[on-and-off relationship]] with [[Mike Hannigan]] in [[Friends season 9|seasons nine]] and [[Friends season 10|ten]]. In season nine, Phoebe and Mike break up due to his desire not to marry. David returns from Minsk, leading to the two getting back together, but she eventually rejects him for Mike when both of them propose to her. Phoebe and Mike marry in season ten.<ref name="friendsorigin">{{Cite web |last=Jicha | first=Tom |date=May 2, 2004 |title=They leave as they began: With a buzz |url= http://www.baltimoresun.com/topic/bal-friends-buzz0502,0,495484.story |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110604154545/http://www.baltimoresun.com/topic/bal-friends-buzz0502%2C0%2C495484.story |archive-date=June 4, 2011 |access-date=December 23, 2008 |website=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |page=1}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Andreeva, Nellie |date=September 20, 2004 |title= Kudrow has ''Comeback''; Cox, HBO talk |url= http://www.allbusiness.com/services/motion-pictures/4911247-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220714041238/https://www.allbusiness.com/services/motion-pictures/4911247-1.html |archive-date=July 14, 2022 |access-date=February 20, 2009 |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |publisher=AllBusiness.com}}</ref>
* [[Matt LeBlanc]] as [[Joey Tribbiani]]: <br />A struggling actor and food lover who becomes famous for his role on soap opera ''[[Days of Our Lives]]'' as Dr. Drake Ramoray. Joey has many short-term girlfriends. Despite his womanizing, Joey is innocent, caring, and well-intentioned.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Matt LeBlanc – Friends Interview | date=August 22, 2007 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edrzHImkfqk |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160511215801/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edrzHImkfqk |archive-date=May 11, 2016 |publisher=NBC}}</ref> Joey often uses the catchphrase pick-up line "How ''you'' doin'?" in his attempts to win over most of the women he meets. Joey rooms with his best friend Chandler for years, and later with Rachel. He falls in love with Rachel in season eight, but Rachel politely tells Joey that she does not share his feelings. They eventually date briefly in season ten, but after realizing it will not work due to their friendship and Rachel's complicated relationship with Ross, they return to being friends. At the end of the series, he is the only remaining single member of the group, and becomes the main protagonist of the sequel series ''[[Joey (TV series)|Joey]]''.
* [[Matthew Perry]] as [[Chandler Bing]]: <br />An executive in [[statistical analysis]] and data reconfiguration for a large [[multinational corporation]]. Chandler hates this job, although it pays well. He attempts to quit during season one but is lured back with a new office and a pay raise. He eventually quits this job in season nine due to a transfer to [[Tulsa, Oklahoma]]. He becomes a junior [[copywriter]] at an [[advertising agency]] later that season. Chandler has a peculiar family history, being the son of an erotic novelist mother Nora Tyler Bing and a gay, [[cross-dressing]] [[Las Vegas]] star father Charles Bing. Chandler is known for his sarcastic sense of humor, bad luck in relationships, and tendency to be the butt of all jokes.<ref>{{Cite news |date= March 26, 1995 |title=''Friends'' Star Finally has Chance to Enjoy Success |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |url= http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=AC&p_theme=ac&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAEAB624D214A1B&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D |url-status=live |access-date=February 20, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181125074048/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=AC&p_theme=ac&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAEAB624D214A1B&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D |archive-date= November 25, 2018}}</ref> Despite this, he is still kind and usually serves as the voice of reason in contrast to his more arrogant and selfish friends. Chandler marries Monica, one of his best friends, in season seven, and they adopt twins at the end of the series. Before his relationship with Monica, Chandler dated [[Janice Hosenstein]] in season one and subsequently broke up with her many times.
* [[David Schwimmer]] as [[Ross Geller]]: <br />Monica's "geeky" older brother, a [[Doctor of Philosophy|PhD]]-carrying [[Paleontology|palaeontologist]] working at the [[American Museum of Natural History]], and later a tenured professor of palaeontology at [[New York University]]. Ross is involved in an [[on-again, off-again relationship]] with Rachel throughout the series. He has three failed marriages during the series: [[List of Friends characters|Carol Willick]], a lesbian who is also the mother of his son, [[Ben Geller]]; [[List of Friends characters#Emily Waltham|Emily Waltham]], who divorces him after he accidentally says Rachel's name instead of hers during their wedding vows; and Rachel, as the two drunkenly marry in Las Vegas. His divorces become a running joke within the series. Following a one-night stand, he and Rachel have a daughter, Emma, by the end of season eight. They finally confess that they are still in love with each other in the series finale.

[[James Michael Tyler]] appears as [[List of Friends characters#Gunther|Gunther]], a [[barista]] at Central Perk, in every season of the show, but is only ever credited as a [[guest appearance|guest star]]. Gunther has a mostly secret profound love for Rachel throughout the entire series. At one point he becomes the manager of the coffee house. It is revealed that Gunther speaks [[Dutch language|Dutch]] in addition to English, as well as being a former soap opera actor.

In their original contracts for the first season, cast members were paid $22,500 per episode.<ref name= "salariescastlots">{{Cite news |last= Lowry |first=Brian |date=August 12, 1996 |title=''Friends'' cast returning amid contract dispute |work= Los Angeles Times |location=Los Angeles |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/10164381.html?dids=10164381:10164381&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Aug+12%2C+1996&author=Lowry%2C+Brian&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=%27Friends%27+cast+returning+amid+contract+dispute&pqatl=google |url-status=dead |access-date=March 8, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090720012355/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/10164381.html?dids=10164381:10164381&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Aug+12%2C+1996&author=Lowry%2C+Brian&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=%27Friends%27+cast+returning+amid+contract+dispute&pqatl=google |archive-date=July 20, 2009 |issn=0458-3035 |oclc= 3638237}}</ref> The cast members received different salaries in the second season, beginning from the $20,000 range to $40,000 per episode.<ref name="salariescastlots" /><ref name="castpaid">{{Cite news |last= Carter |first=Bill |date=July 16, 1996 |title=''Friends'' Cast Bands Together To Demand a Salary Increase |work=[[The New York Times]] |url= https://www.nytimes.com/1996/07/16/arts/friends-cast-bands-together-to-demand-a-salary-increase.html |url-status=live |access-date=March 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110825231542/http://www.nytimes.com/1996/07/16/arts/friends-cast-bands-together-to-demand-a-salary-increase.html |archive-date=August 25, 2011 |issn=0362-4331 |oclc= 1645522}}</ref> Before their salary negotiations for the third season, the cast decided to enter collective negotiations, despite Warner Bros.' preference for individual deals.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Rice | first= Lynette |date=April 21, 2000 |title= Friendly Fire |url= https://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,275935,00.html |url-status=dead |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |page=1 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090719103906/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0%2C%2C275935%2C00.html |archive-date=July 19, 2009 |access-date= March 8, 2009}}</ref> The actors were given the salary of the least paid cast member. The stars were each paid $75,000 per episode in season three, $85,000 in season four, $100,000 in season five, $125,000 in season six, $750,000 in seasons seven and eight, and $1&nbsp;million in seasons nine and ten, making Aniston, Cox, and Kudrow [[List of highest-paid American television stars|the highest-paid TV actresses of all time]].<ref>{{Cite book |url= https://archive.org/details/guinnessworldrec2051222guin |title=Guinness World Records 2005 |publisher=Guinness World Records Ltd |year=2004 |isbn= 978-1-892051-22-6 |edition= Special 50th Anniversary |location=New York City |page=[https://archive.org/details/guinnessworldrec2051222guin/page/n291 288] |oclc=56213857 |url-access= registration}}</ref><ref name= "friendstimeline">{{Cite news |last= Saah |first=Nadia |date=January 21, 2004 |title=''Friends'' til the end |work= USA Today |url= https://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2004-01-21-friends-timeline_x.htm |url-status=live |access-date=December 19, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628184252/http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2004-01-21-friends-timeline_x.htm |archive-date=June 28, 2011 |issn=0734-7456}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Rice |first=Lynette |date=April 21, 2000 |title=Friendly Fire |url=https://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,275935_2,00.html |url-status=dead |magazine= Entertainment Weekly |page= 2 |issn=1049-0434 |oclc= 21114137 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090720180227/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0%2C%2C275935_2%2C00.html |archive-date=July 20, 2009 |access-date=March 7, 2018}}</ref> The cast also received syndication royalties beginning in 2000 after renegotiations. At the time, that financial benefit of a piece of the show's lucrative back-end profits had only been given out to stars who had ownership rights in a show, like [[Jerry Seinfeld]] and [[Bill Cosby]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Carter | first= Bill |date=February 12, 2002 |title='Friends' Deal Will Pay Each Of Its 6 Stars $22 Million |work= The New York Times |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2002/02/12/business/friends-deal-will-pay-each-of-its-6-stars-22-million.html |url-status= live |access-date=March 28, 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130308114145/http://www.nytimes.com/2002/02/12/business/friends-deal-will-pay-each-of-its-6-stars-22-million.html |archive-date=March 8, 2013}}</ref>

Series creator [[David Crane (producer)|David Crane]] wanted all six actors to be equally prominent,<ref name="friendsorigin2">{{Cite web |last= Jicha| first= Tom |date=May 2, 2004 |title=They leave as they began: With a buzz |url= http://www.baltimoresun.com/topic/bal-friends-buzz0502,0,495484.story?page=2 |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110604153826/http://www.baltimoresun.com/topic/bal-friends-buzz0502%2C0%2C495484.story?page=2 |archive-date=June 4, 2011 |access-date=December 23, 2008 |website=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |page=2}}</ref> and the series was lauded as being "the first true '[[Ensemble cast|ensemble]]' show."<ref name="paidcasttog" /> The cast members made efforts to keep the ensemble format and not allow one member to dominate;<ref name= "paidcasttog" /> they entered themselves in the same acting categories for awards,<ref name= "community2003">{{Cite news |last= Bianco | first= Robert |date= January 1, 2005 |title=The Emmy Awards: Robert Bianco |work= USA Today |url= https://www.usatoday.com/community/chat_03/2003-09-18-bianco.htm |url-status=live |access-date=December 19, 2008 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120113234559/http://www.usatoday.com/community/chat_03/2003-09-18-bianco.htm |archive-date=January 13, 2012}}</ref> opted for collective salary negotiations,<ref name="paidcasttog">{{Cite news |last=McCarroll | first= Christina |date= May 6, 2004 |title=A ''family'' sitcom for Gen X&nbsp;- ''Friends'' cast a new TV mold |work=[[The Christian Science Monitor]] |url= http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0506/p01s01-ussc.html |url-status=live |access-date=December 19, 2008 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090131083232/http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0506/p01s01-ussc.html |archive-date=January 31, 2009}}</ref> and asked to appear together on magazine cover photos in the first season.<ref name="filmhours" /> The cast members also became best friends off-screen,<ref name="kudrowcast">{{Cite web |last=Zaslow | first= Jeffrey |date= October 8, 2000 |title=Balancing friends and family |url= http://www.usaweekend.com/00_issues/001008/001008kudrow.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120526223112/http://www.usaweekend.com/00_issues/001008/001008kudrow.html |archive-date=May 26, 2012 |access-date=December 19, 2008 |publisher=| work= [[USA Weekend]]}}</ref> so much so that recurring guest star [[Tom Selleck]] reported that he sometimes felt left out.<ref>{{Cite news |last= Power| first= Ed |date=May 6, 2004 |title=Why we will miss our absent ''Friends'' |work=[[Irish Independent]] |url= http://www.independent.ie/unsorted/features/why-well-miss-our-absent-friends-170513.html |url-status=live |access-date=December 19, 2008 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120724004952/http://www.independent.ie/unsorted/features/why-well-miss-our-absent-friends-170513.html |archive-date=July 24, 2012}}</ref>

The cast remained good friends after the series run, most notably Cox and Aniston, with Aniston being godmother to Cox and [[David Arquette]]'s daughter, Coco.<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 18, 2007 |title=People: DeGeneres tries to calm the howling pack |work=[[The Denver Post]] |url= http://www.denverpost.com/celebritybuzz/ci_7213047 |url-status=dead |access-date=December 19, 2008 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090719174243/http://www.denverpost.com/celebritybuzz/ci_7213047 |archive-date= July 19, 2009}}</ref> In the official farewell commemorative book ''[[Friends 'Til the End (book)|Friends 'Til the End]]'', each separately acknowledged in interviews that the cast had become their family.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Wild |first=David |title= Friends 'Til the End: The Official Celebration of All Ten Years |publisher=[[Time Warner]] |year=2004 |isbn=978-1-932273-19-9 |edition=Authorized collector's |location=New York City |oclc=55124193 |author-link=David Wild}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Wild |first=David |title=Friends 'Til the End: The Official Celebration of All Ten Years |publisher= Time Warner |year=2004 |isbn=1-932273-19-0 |author-link= David Wild}}</ref>