There’s hardly any other show that has sustained its popularity as long as Friends has. Over twenty-five years since its debut, the cast remains famous as ever due to their association with the show. And yet, these people deserve credit for other fine performances.
Both before their appearance on Friends and after the show ended, the actors have been in some amazing films and shows that deserve to be known. For this reason, it’s worth checking out the material where their acting is front and center, as this will only make fans appreciate their talent.
Matt LeBlanc: Episodes (2011-2017)
Years after his stint on Friends, Matt LeBlanc is down on his luck when he gets another chance at stardom by being cast in a remake of a successful UK series. However, his immaturity ends up threatening the series as LeBlanc continues to mess with the show’s leads.
Rather than ride high on his Friends success, Matt LeBlanc went for a hilarious route by poking fun at himself in Episodes. Here, he plays the most snobbish of characters one might imagine of a Hollywood elite, yet his charm still manages to make the series enjoyable.
Matthew Perry: The Ron Clark Story (2006)
A gifted and resilient teacher s a public school in New York in order to teach underprivileged youth the value of education. After initial struggles, he begins to bond with his students as well as help them overcome their personal issues.
In what is both a true story and a highly inspirational film, The Ron Clark Story showcases the very best acting skills that Mattew Perry has to offer. You won’t find the sarcastic Chandler one-liners here, with Perry displaying a masterclass in dramatic acting in a heartwarming tale.
Tom Selleck: Three Men And A Baby (1987)
Three bachelors live together and couldn’t be more content with their playboy lifestyle, only to be thrust into the responsibility of an abandoned baby left at their house. Now guardians, the men gradually love this new turn in their lives.
Tom Selleck was already a big star before his role on Friends, and one of his most popular films remains this one where he shares the screen with another big star in Ted Danson. Being a movie fit for younger and older audiences, Selleck brings both his coolness factor and his penchant to steal hearts.
Cole Sprouse: Riverdale (2017-Present)
The town of Riverdale seems like a simple place with normal people, but Archie Andrews’ life is anything but normal as dark secrets slowly begin to unravel. With Archie and his friends themselves being far from clean, a web of deceit constantly spins around them.
It’s surprising how so many fans aren’t aware that the actor playing Jughead Jones used to play Ross’ son Ben. Friends fans will be in for a surprise with Riverdale, though, as the series is quite a dark interpretation on cheery source material. Here, Cole Sprouse happens to play the breakout character, and his dramatic take is worth a watch.
Lisa Kudrow: Romy And Michele's High School Reunion (1997)
Romy and Michelle are two women who have always been different. When they find out their ten-year high school reunion is around the corner, the friends plan an elaborate lie in order to appear as winners - pretending to have 'normal' success... before learning that maybe they were already winning.
It has more of Lisa Kudrow’s kooky portrayal of Phoebe here, yet Friends fans will only be delighted to have the same likable energy the actress brings. The chemistry of the leads and the relatable premise make for a solid backdrop that will have viewers laughing and entertained.
Courteney Cox: Dirt (2007-2008)
The merging of two leading magazines prompts the editor-in-chief, Lucy Spiller, to dive into unethical means to gain new stories. Once she begins her descent into darkness, Lucy slowly starts to accept the chaos that bad press can bring.
In a complete departure from the sweet-natured Monica, Courteney Cox goes against type in this gritty portrayal of the media world. There’s a whole lot of nasty where her character is involved, as she’s a mix of a protagonist and a villain. Friends fans will be delighted to know that Cox does reunite with Jennifer Aniston in this show as well.
Paul Rudd: The Fundamentals Of Caring (2016)
After a personal tragedy, Ben, a depressed former writer, becomes a caregiver for a handicapped teenager. After learning the boy wants to see a landmark before his predicted date of death, Ben decides to take him on a road trip. Along the way, they make a few more friends and learn that friendship comes in many ways.
A very touching story about love and loss, The Fundamentals of Caring is the perfect film if you want a feel-good experience. Bolstered by superb ing performances, Paul Rudd is at his most likable as a well-meaning man hoping to make up for his failures in the past.
Anna Faris: Take Me Home Tonight (2011)
A brother-sister pair head to a Labor day party with both of them hiding secrets from their respective romantic interests. As the night goes on, each of them has a revelation about where their life is headed based on a series of mishaps.
Anna Faris has been stereotyped to play the girl who messes her life up and has to fix it somehow, although Take Me Home Tonight has a nice spin on her character having real potential. Her pairing with then-husband Chris Pratt makes this short timespan comedy into a wonderfully breezy film that has a charming cast.
David Schwimmer: American Crime Story (2016)
Detailing the murder trial of O.J. Simpson, American Crime Story dramatizes the events leading up to, during, and after the court proceedings. Years after the incident, the show brings forward points of interest the public might not have known about.
David Schwimmer is generally considered to be the most versatile actor on Friends, and there’s no better example of this than his performance as the lawyer Robert Kardashian. In a turn completely unlike what fans know him for, the series shows him and the rest of the cast in a remarkable display of providing additional context to real-life events.
Jennifer Aniston: Cake (2014)
A severely depressed woman deals with chronic pain and the fallout from the death of her close friend. With life seemingly not worth living, she ends up coming across random happenings that delay her decision to end her suffering.
Rachel had a lot of sad moments on the show, but Jennifer Aniston never came close to portraying such a tortured sense of pain as she did in her portrayal of Claire. Cake is a heavily emotional film, one that brings hope as its moral, although it doesn’t shy away from showing the bad side of depression.
