Jennifer Aniston Got Emotional Discussing Friends’ 30th Anniversary

Jennifer Aniston is looking back on three decades of Friends. As part of Variety’s Actors on Actors series, she reflected on the hit sitcom in a conversation with Quinta Brunson, the creator and star of Abbott Elementary.

When asked by Brunson what it’s like to watch Friends two decades after the show wrapped, a teary Aniston replied, “Oh, God, don’t make me cry.” She was already visibly emotional. “Do you want a minute?” Brunson asked. “We don’t have to talk about it.”

Grabbing a tissue from a producer, Aniston continued. “Sorry, I just started thinking about... I’m OK, these are happy tears.”

After a brief pause, they resumed their conversation. Aniston, who stars on The Morning Show, discussed the upcoming 30th anniversary of Friends in September 2024.

“It’s so strange to think that it’s even 30 years old,” she said of the milestone. “I remember the day it was going to premiere on television, on NBC.” The actor expressed gratitude for the show’s longevity. “The fact that it’s had this long, wonderful life and it still means a lot to people is one of the greatest gifts,” she said. “All six of us... we never could imagine.”

In October 2023, one of the show’s central actors, Matthew Perry, died at the age of 54. In honor of him and his legacy, many of his costars have spoken about the show in the months since.

Speaking to People in April, Aniston looked back on the early years of the sitcom, on which she played Rachel Green. “It was just magic,” she recalled. “Nothing was not exciting. Everything was exciting.”