Jennifer Aniston and Lisa Kudrow reminisce about ‘hilarious’ Brad Pitt ‘Friends’ cameo

Says other movie stars — such as Bruce Willis, Julia Roberts and Sean Penn — that made guest appearances on hit sitcom 'were always nervous'

Published Jun 04, 2026  •  Last updated 38 minutes ago  •  3 minute read

Jennifer Aniston, left, and Lisa Kudrow look back fondly on their Friends days in a recent interview for Variety's Actors on Actors. Photo by Michael Tran; Gareth Cattermole /Getty Images

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Jennifer Aniston and Lisa Kudrow are looking back fondly on their Friends days — especially the star-studded guest appearances that helped make the sitcom a TV phenomenon.

Speaking during Variety’s Actors on Actors series, Kudrow, 62, reminisced about the show’s famous Thanksgiving episodes and singled out one guest star in particular: Brad Pitt.

“Those were great, the Thanksgiving episodes. When Brad was on, that was hilarious,” Kudrow said.

Aniston, 57, agreed, marvelling at the number of major Hollywood names who stopped by the sitcom over the years.

“I know. How funny. The movie stars that came on Friends. Brad, Bruce Willis, Julia Roberts. Isabella Rossellini. We had so many — Sean Penn,” she said. “They were always nervous. Remember? I always found it fascinating how nervous they were.”

Many guests struggled to figure out show’s unique rhythm

“Yes. Nervous. Well, because what’s the tone? It’s not theatre; it’s for TV. It’s not a movie. What the hell is this?” she said, recalling how difficult it could be to explain. Her advice? “Just talk louder.”

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“Just louder!” Aniston joked.

One of the most memorable cameos came from Pitt, now 62, who appeared in the 2001 Thanksgiving episode “The One with the Rumor” while he was married to Aniston, according to People. Pitt played Will Colbert, a former high school classmate who secretly belonged to an “I Hate Rachel” club with Ross Geller, played by David Schwimmer. The episode remains one of the sitcom’s most beloved guest-star appearances. Pitt and Aniston married in 2000 before announcing their separation in 2005, according to Us Weekly.

Since then, both stars have moved on with their personal lives. Pitt later married Angelina Jolie in 2014, and the former couple share six children. Jolie filed for divorce in 2016, with the split finally being finalized in December 2024, as previously reported by the Toronto Sun.

Celebrating her new beau

Aniston has also made headlines in recent years. After months of speculation, she confirmed her relationship with wellness expert and life coach Jim Curtis last November by posting a black-and-white Instagram photo of the pair embracing, captioned: “Happy birthday my love.”

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The actress also opened up about a more personal subject during an October 2025 appearance on the Armchair Expert podcast. Speaking candidly about infertility, Aniston said she had come to terms with not having children, though the experience wasn’t always easy.

“It’s so peaceful,” she said, according to People. “But I will say there’s a point where it’s, like, out of my control. There’s literally nothing I can do about it.”

She also addressed suggestions that she could have adopted, saying she had always hoped to have a biological child.

How much Friends cast makes in residuals

Meanwhile, Kudrow recently revealed that the enduring popularity of Friends continues to pay off for its stars. In an interview with the Times of London in April, she said the main cast members still earn roughly $20 million a year in residual payments thanks to the show’s ongoing success in syndication and on streaming platforms.

Kudrow also shared that she rewatched the series after the death of co-star Matthew Perry, a process that gave her a renewed appreciation for just how good the beloved sitcom really was.

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