The Kids Of The Friends Cast Are So Grown Up Now

Back in the day, the Friends cast were a seriously good-looking bunch. Just about everybody wanted to be like them and almost everyone crushed hard on at least one of them. Much like their on-screen alter egos, they eventually settled down, got married and had kids. Well, most of them did. And these days, their offspring are looking pretty darned grown-up. Have they inherited the looks and talent of their famous folks, we hear you ask? Let’s find out!

Courteney Cox

Courteney Cox memorably played neat-freak Monica Geller in the iconic sitcom. After a string of unsuccessful romances and a failed relationship with Dr. Richard Burke – a.k.a. Tom Selleck – she finally found her happy-ever-after with Chandler. The couple then went on to adopt twins and were seen preparing for a new life away from New York City in the Friends finale.

Daughter: Coco Arquette

As big fans of the show will know, Cox was pregnant with her own child, daughter Coco Arquette, while filming these final scenes. And you can just make out her cleverly concealed baby bump if you look closely. Coco – whose name is a shortened mix of Courteney and Cox – is of course also the daughter of Cox’s ex-husband David Arquette.

Married, then not

The former couple famously met while working together on cult slasher flick Scream, in the late ’90s. They got hitched in 1999 but sadly divorced after over a decade together, in 2013. Arquette has since remarried, to producer Christina McLarty, with whom he shares sons Augustus and Charlie. Cox meanwhile, has had an on/off relationship with Snow Patrol guitarist Johnny McDaid for several years.

Devoted parents

But despite going their separate ways, Cox and Arquette remain devoted parents to Coco, who turned 17 in June 2021. Both posted loving tributes on Instagram to mark their daughter’s birthday, with the Friends star writing, “Happy 17th birthday to my strong, sensitive, creative, loving, soulful, beautiful, talented, and wise Coco. I love you so much.”

Like mother, like daughter

Cox also proudly shared a series of photos of her daughter. In one, you can clearly see how Coco has inherited her mom’s raven-haired beauty and dark, arching eyebrows. But that’s not the only gift she appears to have gotten from her superstar mama – it seems there’s a fair amount of musical talent coursing through those veins too.

Musical talents

While Cox has been surprising, and impressing, her fans on social media with displays of her hitherto-unsuspected piano-playing abilities, Coco has also been getting in on the act. In March 2021 the mother-daughter duo wowed fans on social media with their performance of “Burn” from the Broadway musical Hamilton. It showcased Coco’s amazing vocals and Cox’s pretty decent ivory-tinkling. In May of that year, the pair impressed with an awesome cover of Taylor Swift’s “Cardigan” too.

Friends connection

There’s no doubt that the Cougar Town star and her daughter have a special bond. And the talented youngster has a strong connection with her mom’s BFF Jennifer Aniston, too. The fellow Friends alum hasn’t any kids of her own – yet – but is godmother to Coco. And she posted her own touching Instagram tribute to the 17-year-old on her birthday, writing “Happy Birthday my sweet Cocolicious.” The star affectionately added, “Godmama LOVES you.”

Matt LeBlanc

As intellectually challenged yet loveable Joey Tribbiani in Friends, Matt LeBlanc was the eternal bachelor. Joey was all about chasing after “hot chicks” and certainly not about settling down. His immortal chat-up line, “How you doin’?” became the character’s catchphrase. But what about actor LeBlanc? Are there any parallels between self-confessed “lone wolf” Joey and the former Top Gear presenter?

His reputation precedes him

Well, there are some similarities. While LeBlanc has supposedly bedded a slew of women according to tabloid reports, he did settle down with British model Melissa McKnight. The pair wed in 2003 but sadly divorced just three years later, in 2006. LeBlanc’s infidelity was cited as the reason behind the split. And it didn’t help that only a year earlier, the actor had been seen getting a little too friendly with a nightclub stripper.

Similar to his character

The star later publicly apologized for the incident and blamed his behavior on being drunk. But it probably didn’t help that LeBlanc had developed a reputation for being something of a womanizer – not unlike his character Joey. Throughout the ’90s he was linked to a bevvy of beauties including Playboy playmate Tonya Poole. And according to the website of British tabloid newspaper the Daily Mirror, Poole said of the Friends star, “Girls flocked to him. He’s very charming and drop-dead handsome.”

Daughter: Marina

But there was one great thing to come out of LeBlanc’s broken marriage to McKnight. The former couple welcomed a daughter, Marina, in February 2004. Now in her late teens, Marina has clearly inherited her dad’s striking good looks, with the same chiseled features and dark eyes. It’s hardly surprising that Marina is stunning, given that her mom is also a model!

Dad and daughter

She and her TV-star dad have grown particularly close, partly due to Marina having a difficult start to life, which LeBlanc steadfastly supported her through. At just 11 months old, the youngster was diagnosed with cortical dysplasia. This affliction makes it hard for sufferers to walk and generally coordinate their movements; it can also cause seizures. It was when Marina kept toppling on to her side while trying to crawl as a baby that LeBlanc first realized something was wrong.

Health concerns

Happily, she outgrew her condition. But at the time of her diagnosis hearing the dreadful news was devastating to the Episodes star. To make matters worse, the bombshell had coincided with the breakdown of his marriage and his Friends spin-off show, Joey, turning out to be a flop. Defeated, LeBlanc effectively went into hiding at his Californian ranch home, focusing solely on Marina to get him through.

Proud dad, indeed

Nowadays the strength of their bond is clear. LeBlanc told the Daily Mirror, “I remember when my daughter, Marina, was born. The second I laid eyes on her, I was in love, and I had never felt that way before. The proud dad added, “Spending time with her is the best thing I’ve ever done. We have a great bond and it’s the best thing in my life.” Awww.

Lisa Kudrow

Kooky Phoebe Buffay was the guitar-playing, hippy-dippy one in Friends. Brilliantly portrayed by Lisa Kudrow, Phoebe gave birth to her brother’s triplets – as a surrogate – and fell for “scientist guy” David, before eventually marrying Mike Hannigan. But did you know that she was actually pregnant for real while carrying Frank and Alice’s triplets on the show?

Son: Julian

Yep, Kudrow’s son Julian Stern was a star of Friends before he was even born! The series producers decided to write Kudrow’s pregnancy into the script of Season Four. So when you see Phoebe’s baby bump on the show, it’s actually Kudrow’s real-life son! Now in his early 20s, Julian was born in May 1998 to the actress and her French advertising executive husband, Michael Stern. The couple have been happily married since 1995. 

All grown up, already

We can see a definite resemblance between Julian and his famous mom, but what do you think? Clearly the young man is a chip off the old block, as he apparently wants to pursue acting and recently completed his studies at the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts. Kudrow proudly posted a cute photo on Instagram of her and Julian at his graduation, with the caption, “Happy proud HAPPY. And a little crying. By me not him.”

Not even much of a fan

So is the star’s son a Friends fan? Not particularly, it seems. In a TV interview with Conan O’Brien, Kudrow admitted that Julian hasn’t seen “every episode” of the show. In fact, he’s only watched it because he “felt like he had to” to fit in with his Friends-watching peers. Meanwhile, the actress also revealed that spending a lot of time on set as a kid meant that her son got particularly attached to Jennifer Aniston.

Confusion

Kudrow told O’Brien, “He got a little confused. I know that he really was obsessed with Jen Aniston.” The Feel Good star added that Julian loved his Jen-An cuddles and that “he’d fly into her lap.” Kudrow continued, “Well, she’s a love bug, and that made sense. And I was always glad for anyone that Julian felt love for and felt from.” 

Happy for them both

But it seems that the confusion didn’t stop there! Kudrow explained, “But then at home, like she’d be on TV, and he’d go: ‘Mommy!’” The star went on, “I’m kind of analytical so I’m like: ‘Is this wishful thinking? Or do they have some kind of higher soul connection that I don’t have with him?’” She jokingly added, “Well, I’m happy for both of them.” 

Proud of his mom

Well, whatever the connection to co-star Aniston, it’s clear that Julian has a lot of love for his superstar mom. The actress told O’Brien that her son had been able to attend the filming of Friends: The Reunion in May 2021. And she recalled him coming up to her afterward and saying, “‘I don’t know if this is awkward or inappropriate. Can I say that I'm really proud of you?’” Heart-warming stuff!

David Schwimmer

The world let out a collective whoop of joy when Ross and Rachel finally got back together in Friends. But what about the actor who played amiable nerd Ross Geller, David Schwimmer? Did he find his happily-ever-after? Well… to an extent. You see, Schwimmer did settle down and marry, tying the knot with English artist Zoë Buckman.

Marriage, then separation

The pair started dating in 2007 and were married three years later in 2010. But sadly the marriage didn’t work out and the couple separated then divorced, in 2017. Which does make us wonder why love hasn’t lasted for any of the Friends, except Lisa Kudrow. Matthew Perry – a.k.a. Chandler Bing – has lamentably never married or had kids, and he recently announced his separation from fiancée Molly Hurwitz. Sad face.

Daughter: Cleo Buckman

But we digress. So, Schwimmer and Buckman sadly parted ways, but they did welcome a daughter together – Cleo Buckman Schwimmer – in May 2011. And boy is she a beauty! Cleo definitely looks like both of her parents and is set to be a teen model with those striking looks. We also think Cleo is a pretty cool little lady, as she recently let her mom shave her head!

Viral video debut

Yep, the youngster set the internet alight when she beamed for the camera as mom Buckman shaved off her long tresses and posted the pics on Instagram. It seems that the bold look was Cleo’s choice too, judging from the caption written by her mom – “I see how kids today challenge norms and standards in a way that we didn’t, and that, amongst other things, gives me hope!”

Bold style statements

The Friends star’s daughter has since regrown her hair and now sports a very mature pixie crop. But she continues to make bold style statements, not least by recently dyeing her short hair pink! Yes, Cleo was snapped scooting around New York City with her famous dad in June 2021. And even though both were wearing face masks, there was no disguising that hot pink hair do!

Little vegetarian

Another sign that the youngster is mature beyond her years: she is apparently a vegetarian by choice. Yes, Cleo was only five when she went along to an animal rights event with her mom. After that, the budding activist decided to stop eating meat. She still loves chicken nuggets, though, so her parents buy her meat-free versions instead.

Co-parenting relationship

It seems that Schwimmer and Buckman want their little girl to change the world. And she just might, judging from the impression she’s already making on it. Despite being separated, Cleo’s mom and dad have an entirely cordial co-parenting relationship. They even took their daughter to a Black Lives Matter event in NYC, in the summer of 2020. Something tells us this young lady will be making waves in the future…

Jane Sibbett

Carol Willick, Friends fans will remember, was Ross’s lesbian ex-wife who was pregnant with their son Ben throughout the first season. Ironically, Jane Sibbett who played Carol, wasn’t pregnant when she first appeared in the sitcom but she had recently given birth! Yes, it was a mere two days after having her second son Kai that the actress stepped into the role.

Daughters: Ruby and Violet

Sibbett, who is also mom to daughters Ruby and Violet from her marriage to ex-husband Karl Fink, recalled what happened to the website of British newspaper Metro. She said, “I had originally auditioned for the first cast, the main cast, and I asked my agents if the producers knew that I was pregnant. They were like, ‘No, no, no, we’re not gonna tell them that.’”

Sold on the show

The actress then explained that after things didn’t work out with the original Carol, Anita Barone, the producers got in touch and asked if she could come to work. “I was like, ‘I’m kinda sore, I don’t think I can make it,’” Sibbett recalled to Metro. But after watching a tape of the pilot and Schwimmer’s “brilliant” performance, the Friends star was sold on the show. And the rest is history.

Jessica Hecht

Jessica Hecht, who played Carol’s life-partner Susan Bunch on the show, is also a mom. Her two children, Stella and Carlo Bernstein, are now in their early 20s and are dead ringers for their director dad, Adam Bernstein. Hecht and her husband married in 1995 and happily, are still going strong.

Daughter and son: Stella and Carlo

Although these days she is probably better known for playing Gretchen Schwartz in Breaking Bad, Hecht remembers her time on Friends very fondly. The actress told the Today show that playing Susan was “a joy” and described her character as “kind of just a great, funny person.” She added, “I think she was self-realized in a way that not a lot of people are.”

Great working relationship

Despite their strained relationship as Susan and Ross, Hecht said that she “loved working with David [Schwimmer]” and recalled her favorite scene being one between the two of them. “I always loved Susan’s line when Ross is looking at the bookshelves and he says, ‘Wow, you got a lot of books about lesbians,’” said Hecht. “And I think Susan says, ‘Well, they make you read a lot of books. Otherwise, they don't let you do it.’” Comedy gold.

Maggie Wheeler

Who could forget Janice, the nasal-voiced, cackling one in Friends? Janice’s catchphrase was of course her resounding cry of “Oh my gawd!” Like an unwanted but uber-effective boomerang, Chandler’s ex just kept coming back – even after he went to Yemen to get away from her. She was so annoying that, in the words of Joey, he wanted to “pull my arm off, just so I have something to throw at her.”

Daughters: Gemma and Juno

Maggie Wheeler, the actress who plays Janice, is thankfully nothing like her on-screen persona. That grating voice and machine-gun-like laugh was all put on for the role. In reality, Wheeler is a perfectly normal lady, happily married to her husband of more than two decades, sculptor Daniel Wheeler. The couple have two daughters in their early 20s, Gemma and Juno.

Mother resemblance

We think the Wheeler sisters look like their star mom, and both like to post videos featuring her on social media. A TikTok video by Gemma recently went viral, when she mouthed the words of her mother’s legendary Friends catchphrase in it. Apparently, saying the line is something she is asked to do a lot, as Gemma captioned the clip, “The amount of times this has happened in a frat house basement is stupid.”

Helen Baxendale

Remember Emily Waltham? The seemingly haughty “British chippy” – to quote Phoebe – who Ross married then basically never saw again? Of course you do. It was a huge storyline at the end of Season Four of Friends, which saw Emily running out on Ross at their wedding reception after he accidentally said Rachel’s name at the altar.

Daughter: Nell

It seems that Emily’s part in the show was penciled in to have been extended beyond her brief few appearances in Season Five. But the reason it wasn’t was because actress Helen Baxendale fell pregnant. The British star was expecting her first child, Nell, with partner David Williams, when she filmed her final scenes in Friends. This is why she’s mostly seen sitting in bed – it’s to disguise her baby bump. But Baxendale has no regrets about giving up the superstardom that came with being in the iconic TV show.