Anyone else think the chemistry between Ross and Rachel on Friends is a little too convincing? We all know Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer are insanely talented actors in their own right, yet certain levels of romantic tension simply can’t be chalked up to performance skills.
Fans of the series have always been secretly convinced that there was something going on with the celebrities behind the scenes as well. And although Schwimmer and Aniston were quick to deliver the classic “we’re just friends” line whenever the public questioned their off-screen dynamic, the truth was a lot more complex than that.
In fact, according to both Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer, the actors secretly developed feelings for each other behind the scenes of the beloved series. “I had a major crush on Jen,” David Schwimmer confessed during the highly anticipated Friends Reunion Special hosted by James Corden. “At some point, we were both crushing hard on each other.”
The only problem was that, just like Ross Gellar and Rachel Green, the Friends actors could never get the timing right.
The Friends Actors Were Both in High Profile Relationships That Got in The Way of Their Romance
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Despite how close Aniston and Schwimmer got throughout the filming process, the celebs were unable to pursue their feelings for one another due to external relationships they’d already committed to prior.
“It was like two ships passing,” Schwimmer said of his connection with Aniston while speaking to host James Corden at the reunion. “One of us was always in a relationship and we never crossed that boundary. We respected that.”
Famously, Jenifer Aniston was in a relationship with Brad Pitt while shooting Friends, which ultimately ended in heartbreak. Meanwhile, David Schwimmer dated “Torn” singer Natalie Imbruglia during the time Friends was airing.
But even though they were both in committed relationships with other people at the time, much of their off-screen behavior gave the rest of the cast and crew clues of their budding romance that never was. “It was a very hot topic on the set because the electricity between them in the scenes was like, ‘Oh my God, they can’t be acting that, there’s got to be something!’” said series producer, Kevin Bright. “Everybody was suspicious that something was going on.”
Schwimmer and Aniston even confessed to major spooning sessions behind the scenes, where the two would spend hours cuddled up close together on the set’s sofa, then fall asleep in each others arms.
So when the time came for Ross and Rachel to have their famous first kiss at Central Perk, both actors were extremely nervous to finally air out their bubbling feelings for one another in front of millions.
Their First Kiss as Ross and Rachel Was Built Up On Genuine Emotions Between The Actors
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“I remember saying one time to David, ‘It’s going to be such a bummer if the first time you and I actually kiss is going to be on national television,'” recalled Aniston. “And sure enough, the first time we kissed was in that coffee shop.”
In the scene, Rachel expresses to Ross how hard it is to see him in a relationship with a woman who isn’t her. “You think it’s easy for me to see you with Julie?” Rachel says in the scene, her voice filled with heartache. And while Ross gets defensive, claiming he’s “happy” with his current girlfriend, we all know the truth is a whole lot more complex due to his unwavering crush on Rachel.
It seems as though life has truly imitated art in this case, because similar emotions, jealousies, and heartache brewed behind the scenes as well. “We channeled all of our adoration and love for each other into Ross and Rachel,” said Aniston, referring to their dramatic first kiss inside the coffee shop.
What Ever Happened to Ross and Rachel?
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While we all know Rachel famously “got off the plane” for her “lobster”, where did Ross and Rachel end up years down the road since that highly anticipated scene?
According to the Friends stars, they are certain the romantic duo would be settled down by now. “We’d be married, with kids,” Aniston said of Ross and Rachel’s connection.
What’s your favorite Ross and Rachel scene on Friends?
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