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For longtime fans of Friends, this photo delivers a refreshing burst of nostalgia. Here, all six of the show's leads — Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matthew Perry, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, and Matt LeBlanc — sit in front of the iconic fountain from the show’s opening credits to rehash some of their best memories. Also, peep the couch, which is clearly the one from Central Perk.
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Avid viewers of the hit sitcom will be thrilled to know that the stars of the show are still friends in real life. This photo of LeBlanc hugging Cox at the entryway of Rachel and Monica’s apartment is definitive proof.
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Despite how much time has passed, the special proved that some bonds simply cannot be broken — including Perry and Schwimmer’s. In the show’s 10 seasons, the guys (Joey included) spent a lot of time at Rachel and Monica’s place, and it seems they did the exact same during the reunion when they gathered to relive some of their best memories.
The special was full of celebrity cameos, including an appearance from pop star Justin Bieber. The “Peaches” crooner showed up to the set wearing Ross’ infamous Spudnik potato costume from the season eight episode titled, “The One With The Halloween Party.”
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There’s nothing quite as nostalgic as Rachel and Monica’s apartment, with its purple walls, teal cabinets, and the yellow peephole frame on the door. Fortunately, this photo is the confirmation we all needed that apartment No. 20 looks exactly the same as it did when the finale aired in 2004. What a relief.
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In Season 4 of Friends, Ross hosted a game of trivia in Monica and Rachel’s apartment to test how well Joey and Chandler knew the ladies and vice versa. In the reunion special, Schwimmer took out his gameboard once more for a friendly round of trivia with his former castmates.
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The rest of the cast was highly invested in Schwimmer’s trivia session, which tested them on their knowledge of the sitcom nearly two decades later. And although a lot of time has passed, the cast proved that they still remember the small details, including but not limited to the length of the letter that Rachel wrote to Ross before getting back together (“18 pages, front and back!”).
What would a Friends reunion be without a cameo from the Holiday Armadillo? In the Season 7 episode titled, “The One with the Holiday Armadillo,” Ross sported the ridiculous costume. This time, however, it was model Cara Delevingne who slipped into the armadillo suit. Random, we know.
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Justin Bieber wasn’t the only pop music icon to make an appearance during the Friends reunion special. Lady Gaga joined forces with Kudrow on the Central Perk couch and delivered the best performance of Phoebe’s “Smelly Cat” we’ve ever heard. It was truly the collaboration we never knew we needed.
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Since we all love a behind-the-scenes photo, here’s a picture of the cast’s table read from a different angle that shows the lights, the camera, and yes, all six of our favorite stars.
Remember in Season 5 when Ross wore a pair of leather pants that were way too tight? Well, during the fashion show segment of the reunion, the leather pants made yet another appearance. However, this time it was supermodel Cindy Crawford sporting the look.
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If you thought Central Perk changed at all over the last 17 years, think again. This photo of the set from the reunion proves that everything about the famous coffee shop is exactly the same as it was all those years ago. As Janice would say, “Oh my God!”
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If the reality that the reunion special actually happened hasn’t set in yet, this plaque from the Friends stage will certainly make things feel more real. After multiple delays due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the Friends cast finally made it back to the original stage to give us the reunion we were promised.
If you thought Bieber’s Spudnik costume and Crawford’s leather pants were a moment, check out Delevingne’s puffy pink dress. The bridesmaid’s dress was worn by Rachel in a 1996 episode titled “Barry and Mindy’s Wedding” — and yes, it was tucked into her underwear, just like it was on the show.