List of Friends guest stars

"Friends" was a long-running American television situation comedy revolving around a group of friends (aged somewhere between their mid-twenties and early thirties) who share neighboring apartments in Manhattan. Its popularity and acclaim meant that many celebrities and actors were willing to make guest appearances or cameos. The following is a list of notable guest stars appearing on "Friends", with the season and episode number of their appearances, as well as a brief description of their character.

List A-F

*Jason Alexander [7.13] -- as Earl.
** A suicidal office worker whom Phoebe calls from her telemarketing job.
*Sasha Alexander [8.19] -- as Shelley.
** Writer who interviewed Joey for Soap Opera Digest.
*Kristian Alfonso [6.15] -- Had a cameo as Hope, her character from "Days of Our Lives"
*Eva Amurri [7.15] -- As daughter of Susan Sarandon's character on the fake filming of Days of Our Lives (is Susan Sarandon's daughter in real life).
*Christina Applegate [9.8 , 10.5] -- as Amy Green.
** Rachel's sister, remarkable for her blatant honesty when expressing her opinion about people. She was once termed as "Rachel's evil sister" by the other friends.
*Matthew Ashford -- as himself.
*Allisyn Ashley Arm [10.2] -- as Leslie Buffay
** One of Frank Jr. and Alice's triplets
*Alexis Arquette [7.22] -- as a waiter/waitress in the Las Vegas Bar where Chandler's dad performs his Viva Las Gaygas Show
*David Arquette [3.3] -- as Malcolm.
** Ursula's ex-boyfriend turned stalker, who mistakes Phoebe for Ursula.
** In [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Friends_episodes| The One With the Engagement Picture] , David Arquette is the man that Ross apologizes to for seeing his comical argument with Phoebe. In real life, David is Courteney Cox's (Monica's) husband.
*Hank Azaria [1.10, 7.11, 9.6, 9.22-23] -- as David "the scientist guy".
** Phoebe's "long lost love", who is off doing research in Minsk (said in the episode to be in Russia, but actually the capital of Belarus) throughout most of the series. He re-appeared at the end of 9th season but their relationship did not work out because Phoebe was in love with Mike at that time.
*Bob Balaban [5.13] -- as Frank Buffay,
** Phoebe and Ursula's dad, whom Phoebe meets at her grandmother's funeral.
*Alec Baldwin [8.17-18] -- as Parker
** An overly positive, zesty guy whom Phoebe dates on Monica and Ross's parents wedding anniversary.
*Anita Barone
** Played Ross' wife Carol in one episode in the first series
*Helen Baxendale [4.14-19, 4.21-24, 5.1, 5.4, 5.6, 5.20 (voice)] -- as Emily Waltham.
** Ross's British girlfriend, later wife (and soon after ex-wife).
*Catherine Bell [2.6] -- Robin
** One of the ladies Joey and Chandler meet on the bus when babysitting Ross' son Ben.
*Selma Blair [9.10] -- as Chandler's co-worker Wendy in Tulsa (the runner-up Miss Oklahoma). Monica becomes very jealous.
*Richard Branson [4.23] -- as The Vendor.
** A street salesman in London who sells a hat to Joey.
*Paget Brewster [4.5-8, 4.11-13] -- as Kathy.
** Joey's girlfriend who breaks up with him because she and Chandler kissed, later Chandler's girlfriend.
*Dan Castellaneta [2.12] -- as The Zookeeper.
** A zookeeper at the San Diego Zoo, who tells Ross what happened to his pet monkey.
*Alexis, Paul, Justin and Cole Cimoch [6.5] -- as Frank Jr. Jr., Leslie and Chandler Buffay
** Frank Jr. and Alice's triplets (Phoebe gave birth to them)
*George Clooney [1.17] -- as Dr. Michael Mitchell.
** A doctor who treats Rachels ankle and later Ross's pet monkey.
*Tom Conti [4.24] , 5.1] as Stephen Waltham.
**Emily's father who tries to trick Jack Geller into paying for more than half of Ross and Emily's wedding. Allegedly can kill people using only his thumb.
*Jennifer Coolidge [10.3] -- as Amanda
** She is Monica Geller's and Phoebe Buffay's annoying and obnoxious old friend who has a fake British accent.
*Robert Costanzo [1.13] -- as Joseph Tribbiani Sr, Joey's father, whom Monica walks in on while showering.
*Billy Crystal [3.24] -- as Tim
** A man who walks into Central Perk with a friend played by Robin Williams and reveals he has been sleeping with Williams' wife very loudly, whilst next to the six Friends. This appearance was panned as a simple publicity stunt, as all other famous guest stars have had roles pertinent to the main story, whereas Crystal appears only once in the opening non-sequitur of an episode for the purpose of one joke.
*Kristin Davis [7.7] -- as Erin
** Joey's date, who dumps him after he starts to take a liking to her.
*E.G. Daily [3.14] -- as Leslie
** Phoebe's ex-singing partner who comes back into town, wishing to reunite their duo.
*Danny DeVito [10.11] -- as Roy
** A hapless male stripper who appears at Phoebe's bachelorette party, hired by Monica and Rachel whom she makes cry.
*Elinor Donahue -- as Ross and Monica's aunt.
*Tate Donovan -- as Joshua Bergin, Rachel's boyfriend in season 4, when Ross and Emily are to wed.
*Anne Dudek [10.1] -- as Precious, Mike's girlfriend whom he dumped on her birthday for Phoebe.
*Morgan Fairchild [1.11, 5.8, 7.23-24, 8.1] -- as Nora Tyler Bing.
** Chandler's mother, a romantic novel writer.
*Dakota Fanning [10.14] -- as Mackenzie.
** A girl who lives in the house Monica and Chandler move into, and convinces Joey to be happy for them.
*Anna Faris [10.9, 10.13, 10.16, 10.19] -- as Erica.
** The mother of Jack and Erica, the twins who Monica and Chandler adopt.
*Jon Favreau [3.18-19, 3.21-25] -- as Pete Becker.
** A millionaire CEO of a software company, who dates Monica.
*Sherilyn Fenn [3.14] -- as Ginger.
** Chandler's wooden-legged girlfriend who was an ex-girlfriend of Joey.
*Sarah Ferguson [4.23] -- as herself.
** The Duchess of York, whom Joey meets on the street in London.
*Soleil Moon Frye [5.15] -- as Katie.
**"The girl who hits Joey" from the episode's title.

List G-L

*June Gable [1.6,1.23,2.10,2.19,3.22,5.10,6.4,6.21,7.19,8.22,10.4] - as Estelle Leonard,
** Plays Joey's agent, an old lady addicted to cigarettes, except for The One with the Birth in season one where she plays as the nurse assisting when Carol gives birth.
*Beverly Garland [1.18] - as Aunt Iris
** Monica's aunt who teaches the girls how to play poker.
*Teri Garr [3.25, 4.1, 4.11] -- as Phoebe Abbott Sr.
** Phoebe and Ursula's birth mother.
*Kyle Gass [9.15] -- as Lowell the mugger and former street friend of Phoebe.
*Melissa George [9.12, 9.13] - as Emma's nanny, Molly.
*Todd Glass [5.23]
*Paul Gleason [6.15-16] -- Plays Phoebe's boss, Jack.
*Adam Goldberg [2.17, 2.19] -- Chandler's crazy roommate, Eddie Minowick
*Jeff Goldblum [9.15] -- Leonard Hayes, for whom Joey auditions for a stage role.
*Jill Goodacre [1.7] -- herself. Chandler gets trapped in an ATM vestibule with her in "The One With The Blackout"
*Elliott Gould [1.2, 1.8, 1.17, 2.14, 2.16, 3.1, 4.24, 5.1, 5.8, 6.9, 7.2-3, 7.13-14, 7.23-24, 8.1, 8.18, 9.1, 10.4] -- as Jack Geller
** Gould is a frequent guest, playing Monica and Ross's father.
*Jennifer Grey [1.20] -- Mindy, Rachel's maid of honor who later married Rachel's ex-fiancée Barry Farber.
*Melora Hardin [1.15] -- Celia, Ross' co-worker who he speaks dirty to.
*Morgan Harvey [9.4, 9.5] -- Stacey, the new waitress at the Central Perk, who persistently bothers Joey for his autograph for being on Days of Our Lives.
*Charlton Heston [4.14] - as himself. He appears in 'The One With Joeys Dirty Day', where Joey uses his shower because he smells terrible from a fishing trip.
*Alexandra Holden [6.18, 6.19, 6.21, 6.22, 6.24] -- Elizabeth Stevens, student that Ross briefly dates.
*Helen Hunt [1.16] -- as Jamie Buchman
** Hunt reprises her character from "Mad About You", in which Lisa Kudrow plays Ursula Buffay, Phoebe's sister.
*Chrissie Hynde [2.6] -- professional guitarist Stephanie Schiffer who was hired to play at Central Perk
*Chris Isaak [2.12] -- as Rob Donnen
** works with Phoebe scheduling her into the Children's Library to perform
*Gregory Itzin [10.12] -- Theodore Hannigan, the father of Phoebe's boyfriend Mike Hannigan. He is first seen at an introductory dinner with Phoebe, Mike, and Mike's mother, and is extremely embarrassed by Phoebe's typical behaviour. Despite this, he and his wife do attend Mike's and Phoebe's wedding (though it is revealed he has had to drug Mike's mother in order to convince her to come).
*Penn Jillette [4.3] -- encyclopedia salesman that Joey buys off.
*Greg Kinnear [10.6] -- Benjamin Hobart, Charlie's ex
*Ralph Lauren [6.8] -- himself
*Hugh Laurie [4.24] -- passenger sitting in the plane next to Rachel when she flies to London to tell Ross she loves him. He shows a strange dislike for Rachel, as she rambles on about her and Ross.
*Phil Leeds [2.11] -- widower of the massage client whose spirit enters Phoebe's body after she dies on the massage table
*Ron Leibman [2.22, 3.7, 8.8, 10.13] -- Dr. Leonard Green, Rachel Green's dad
*Jay Leno [1.11] -- himself, interviewing Chandler's mother.
*Audra Lindley [2.9] -- Phoebe's grandmother Frances
*Jon Lovitz [1.15, 9.14] -- Steve, first seen in episode 1.15 as a stoned restaurant owner Monica is trying to impress, later seen in episode 9.14 as a "failed" restaurant owner with whom Rachel goes out on a blind date (set up by Phoebe, who first introduced Steve to Monica as well).

List M-R

*Elle Macpherson [6.7-11] -- Jeanine LaCroix
**Joey's new roommate after Chandler moves in with Monica
*Louis Mandylor [6.17] -- Plays another actor who Joey hires to play his twin brother so that he can qualify for a twin study.
*Sierra Marcoux [10.2] -- as Chandler Buffay, one of Frank Jr. and Alice's triplets
*Eddie McClintock [8.23-24] -- Plays Phoebe's love-interest at the hospital, named Cliff.
*Kevin McDonald [3.23] -- Guru Saj, who heals Ross from this 'thing'.
*Dina Meyer [3.19, 3.20, 3.22] -- as Kate, an acting colleague of Joey's
*Sofia Milos [1.6] -- as Aurora, Chandler's date, who is married but has lots of boyfriends
*Dermot Mulroney - plays Gavin, the person who takes over Rachel's job while she is on maternity leave.
*Arden Myrin - plays Monica's maid whom Monica suspects is robbing her, The One with the Stain.
*Gary Oldman [7.23-24] -- as Richard Crosby
**Plays a famous but drunken actor Joey is working with at the time Monica and Chandler get married.
*Donny Osmond [10.11] -- as himself, host of the game show Pyramid. Joey is a celebrity contestant.
*Emily Osment [8.6] -- Lelani Mayolanofavich, a girl who comes trick or treating.
*Dante Pastula [10.2] -- as Frank Buffay Jr. Jr., one of Frank Jr. and Alice's triplets
*Sean Penn [8.6-7] - Eric, Ursula's ex-fiancé, brief boyfriend of Phoebe.
*Dedee Pfeiffer [9.3] - Mary Ellen Jenkins, Phoebe and Joey set each other up on blind dates, Mary Ellen being Joey's date and Mike Hannigan being Phoebe's.
*Christina Pickles [1.2, 1.8,1.21, 2.14, 2.16, 3.1, 4.3, 4.24, 5.1, 5.8, 6.9, 7.2, 7.14, 7.23-24, 8.1, 8.18, 8.23, 9.5, 10.4] -- as Judy Geller, Ross and Monica's mother
*John Bennett Perry [4.18] - as the father of Rachel's boyfriend, Joshua
*Brad Pitt [8.9] - Will Colbert, a guy from Lincoln High who hates Rachel
*Ellen Pompeo [10.11] -- as Missy Goldberg
** Ross and Chandler's college crush, whom Ross asks out.
*Freddie Prinze, Jr. [9.6] - Sandy, an effeminate male nanny to Emma
*Emily Procter [2.2] - Annabel, Joey's department-store co-worker
*Missi Pyle [6.8] - Hillary, Ross' date in "The one with Ross' Teeth"
*Michael Rapaport [5.16, 5.17, 5.20, 5.21] -- Phoebe's cop boyfriend
*Leah Remini [1.23] - Lydia, a single mother giving birth in the Hospital
*Giovanni Ribisi [2.6, 2.21, 3.5, 3.18, 4.11-12, 4.17, 5.3, 10.2] -- as Frank Buffay Jr.
**Ribisi as a recurring character, Phoebe's brother. She agrees to be surrogate mother for Frank and his wife. Also appeared in an earlier series as a youngster who dropped a condom into Phoebe's guitar case by accident as she played outside Central Perk.
*Denise Richards [7.19] -- as Cassie Geller
**Cassie is Ross and Monica's cousin, to whom Ross feels a weird attraction he can't explain.
*Julia Roberts [2.13] -- as Susie Moss
** Roberts plays a woman who used to be in Chandler's class. He lifted her skirt some 20 years ago at which she earned a long-lasting nickname. She purports to be interested in Chandler to get back at him for this.
*Craig Robinson [10.7] -- as the government worker Phoebe deals with when changing her name
*NiCole Robinson [5.16] -- as the lady who puts out a cigarette out on a tree to Pheobe's horror, who uses her police badge to intimidate
*Rebecca Romijn [4.6] -- as Cheryl, the "dirty girl" from the episode title. Ross thinks she is great, until he sees the state of her apartment.
*Isabella Rossellini [3.5] -- as herself
*Debra Jo Rupp [3.18] [4.11] [4.12] [4.17] [4.18] [5.3] -- as Alice Knight Buffay, Frank Buffay Jr.'s former teacher turned wife and mother to triplets which Phoebe was a surrogate.
*Paul Rudd [9.3-4, 9.6-7, 9.9, 9.12-13, 9.16-17, 9.23-24, 10.1, 10.5, 10.7, 10.12, 10.14, 10.18] -- as Mike Hannigan, Phoebe's boyfriend and eventual husband
*Winona Ryder [7.20] -- as Melissa Warburton, a former sorority sister that Rachel kissed in college

List S-Z

*Susan Sarandon [7.15] -- as soap star Jessica Lockhart
**Joey's character on Days of our Lives, Dr. Drake Ramoray, was reintroduced when Jessica left the show; Dr. Ramoray received the brain of Jessica's character in a transplant (which returned Joey to prime-time, but required him to play a woman in a man's body).
*Jennifer Saunders [4.24, 5.1] -- as Andrea Waltham, Emily Waltham's stepmother
** Saunders portrays Ross's stepmother-in-law.
*Tom Selleck [2.15-16, 2.18, 2.20, 2.23-24, 3.13, 6.24-25] -- as Dr. Richard Burke
**Selleck plays an old friend of the Geller family; he is introduced as the host of a party being catered by Monica. Burke and Monica fall in love and Selleck becomes a regular guest.
*Tahj Mowry [2.12] -- as the kid who finds "the lady who sings the truth" (talking about Phoebe).
*Harry Shearer [1.21] -- Dr. Baldharar
*Charlie Sheen [2.23] -- plays Ryan, a naval officer who romances Phoebe
*Brooke Shields [2.12] -- as Erika Ford
** Shields plays a fan sending Joey his first fanmail. She actually believes he is Dr. Drake Ramoray, Joey's character on Days of our Lives.
*Marla Sokoloff [8.10] -- plays Dina, one of Joey's sisters, who gets pregnant and seeks Rachel's help
*Bonnie Somerville [8.01, 8.05-06, 8.08, 8.11, 8.15, 8.17] -- plays Mona, Ross' girlfriend during the time Rachel was pregnant with his child
*Brent Spiner [10.14] -- plays Campbell, a Headhunter who interviews Rachel Green for a job in Gucci.
**Rachel consequently loses her job at Ralph Lauren, because her boss sees her interviewing with Campbell. She also does not get the job with Gucci.
*Cole Sprouse [6.15, 7.9-10, 7.16, 8.1, 8.10, 8.12] -- plays Ben, Ross's adolescent son.
*John Stamos [9.22] -- Zach, Chandler's coworker whom Monica and Chandler are interested in as a sperm donor.
*Ben Stiller [3.22] -- Tommy, the screamer
*Alison Sweeney [7.18] -- Jessica Ashley, an actor on Days of our Lives, who wins an award but doesn't want it.
**Alison Sweeney plays a character on Days of our Lives in real life.
*Christine Taylor [3.24-25, 4.1] -- Bonnie, Ross's girlfriend. Rachel advises her to shave her head out of jealousy.
*Marlo Thomas [8.20] as Sandra Green, Rachel's mother
*Lea Thompson [2.6] -- A woman on the street that Joey and Chandler invite to smell baby Ben's head on the day they babysit him.
*Ian Thorpe [7.7] -- Coffee Shop Customer
*T.J. Thyne -- [Season 5] Dr Oberman, one of the doctors in the hospital when Phoebe gives birth to the triplets.
*Lauren Tom [1.24, 2.1-2, 2.4, 2.7-8, 2.10] -- as Julie
** Lauren Tom plays Ross' new girlfriend, whom he met while working on temporary assignment in China.
*Kathleen Turner [7.22-24] -- Charles Bing aka 'Helena Handbasket', Chandler's father
*Aisha Tyler -- [Season 9 and 10] Joey's girlfriend, Charlie Wheeler, a palaeontology professor to whom Ross is also attracted.
*Gabrielle Union [7.17] -- as Kristen Leigh
**A new resident in the Friends neighbourhood, whom Ross and Joey date simultaneously.
*Brenda Vaccaro [1.13] -- as Gloria Tribbiani, Joey's mom
*Jean-Claude Van Damme [2.13] -- as himself
** Van Damme plays himself as an actor taking part in the fictional sequel to Outbreak. Monica and Rachel fight over him.
*Michael Vartan [4.8] as Timothy, Richard's (Tom Selleck) son
** Monica briefly dates him after he treats her eyes.
*Vincent Ventresca [1.10, 2.10] -- as Fun Bobby
*Angela Visser [1.19] as The Hot Hot Girl
** Chandler and Joey ask her if she and her roommate saw Marcel when the latter gets away. Her room's radiator is busted and she asks the boys if they know how to repair radiators.
*McKenzie Westmore [7.18] -- as herself
**Westmore presents a Soapy Award that Joey is nominated for.
*June Whitfield [4.24, 5.1] -- as the Waltham's housekeeper with whom Phoebe speaks on the phone.
*Mitchell Whitfield [1.1,1.18-19,2.24,6.15-16] -- Barry Farber, Rachel's ex-fiancé and an orthodontist, a recurring character.
*Fred Willard [2.12] -- the San Diego zoo director who tells Ross his monkey Marcel has died.
*Robin Williams [3.24] -- a man in Central Perk who whines loudly about his life to his friend, played by Billy Crystal. This appearance was panned as a simple publicity stunt, as all other famous guest stars have had roles pertinent to the main story, whereas Williams appears only once in the opening non-sequitur of an episode for the purpose of one joke.
*Bruce Willis [6.21-23] -- Paul Stevens
** The father of Ross' student girlfriend, Elizabeth; he also dates Rachel for a while
*Reese Witherspoon [6.13-14] -- Rachel's youngest sister Jill Green
*Noah Wyle [1.17] -- Dr. Jeffrey Rosen; a colleague of George Clooney's character, Dr. Michael Mitchell
*Gretchen Wyler [4.6] -- Mrs. Burkart; The widow who tried to stiff Phoebe and Monica out of the catering fee at the reception for her husband's funeral.
*Steve Zahn [2.4] -- Phoebe's gay husband.

Notes

Guest stars Tahj Mowry and Cole Sprouse also starred in the The Suite Life of Zack and Cody where Cole -again- has a bigger role than Tahj. Other actors from Suite Life and Friends are Ernie Grunwald and Phil Lewis, while Emily Osment features in another Disney show Hannah Montana.
A handful of guest actors have been mentioned between the six friends such as Susan Sarandon, Elle Macpherson, Sean Penn, Winona Ryder and Bruce Willis (whose name was never actually mentioned but the film Die Hard was.)

External links

* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108778/guests Complete list of guest stars on Friends from IMDB]