Top 10 Actors You Forgot Were on Friends
#10: Jim Rash “The Last One"
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This actor, who is now most well known for his role on “Community,” actually made a small appearance in the series finale of “Friends.” While he’s recognizable as the flustered Dean Craig Pelton of Greendale Community College, his role on “Friends” was not actually that dissimilar. Rash plays a passenger who is sitting on the plane with Rachel as she’s about to fly to Paris, leaving Ross and the rest of the gang behind. His character is the first to panic when Rachel shares the news that Phoebe has had a premonition about an issue with the “left phalange.”
#9: Ellen Pompeo “The One Where the Stripper Cries”
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Just before this actress began her long run on the medical drama “Grey’s Anatomy” playing Doctor Meredith Grey, she made a small appearance on the final season of “Friends.” Ellen Pompeo plays Missy Goldberg, a college friend of Ross and Chandler’s who both of them had a crush on. She appears in both flashback scenes and in the modern day where she stirs up trouble by revealing that Chandler actually broke the pact he and Ross had made to not hook up with girls that both of them liked.
#8: Hugh Laurie “The One with Ross's Wedding”
Several years before snagging the starring role of Dr. House, this actor had a guest role where he, just like Jim Rash, sat beside Rachel on a plane. This time, it was in Season Four when Rachel is flying to Ross’ wedding and isn’t sure how she’s going to handle the situation of revealing that she’s in love with him. Hugh Laurie has his signature snark ready to go and isn’t going to sit through any of Rachel’s chattering. Some people never change! While the “we were on a break” debate rages on even to this day, Laurie makes his position on the matter quite clear.
#7: Craig Robinson “The One with Princess Consuela”
One of the best episodes in the later seasons of “Friends” features Phoebe deciding to change her name to something ridiculous when she finds out that she has the power to make it whatever she wants. The government agency she goes to just so happens to be staffed by a familiar face. Craig Robinson plays the clerk helping her out, but you probably recognize him from his other job as warehouse foreman of Dunder Mifflin. Robinson’s deadpan humor is consistent across both shows, which makes sense considering his background in stand-up comedy.
#6: Gabrielle Union “The One with the Cheap Wedding Dress”
In a Season Seven episode, Ross and Joey both independently meet a cute girl who’s moving into their neighborhood and without realizing it, both guys ask her out. She accepts the two offers, and once the guys realize what’s happening, the competition is on for who can win her affections. Of course, things get out of hand and before they know it, they’re both left dateless. The role is played by Gabrielle Union, who is better known for her parts in teen comedies like “Bring It On” and “10 Things I Hate About You.”
#5: Mae Whitman “The One Where Rachel Quits”
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Remember the episode where Ross accidentally breaks a little girl’s leg and then has to sell Brown Bird cookies for her to make up for it? We bet you didn’t realize that the young actress playing Sarah Tuttle is actually a famous face. Mae Whitman, who had a starring role in 2015’s “The DUFF,” acted on “Friends” in 1996 when she was only 8 years old. This wasn’t her first acting job, though, as she had already appeared in a few movies, including “Independence Day.” #4: Jane Lynch “The One Where Estelle Dies”
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It’s hard to separate actress Jane Lynch from her role as William McKinley High’s sadistic cheer coach, Sue Sylvester, but years before she donned her famous tracksuit, she had a blink and you’ll miss it role on “Friends.” In the show’s final season, she plays Monica and Chandler’s real estate agent who helps them find their house outside the city. We may have been sad that they were leaving their iconic apartment, but at least Lynch’s character didn’t manage to find a way to torture them.
#3: John Stamos “The One with the Donor”
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The storyline where Monica and Chandler are having trouble conceiving a child was a poignant one, especially for fans who had experienced similar fertility issues. The show managed to add a lot of levity to the situation, though, throwing comic problems their way throughout the process. John Stamos of “Full House” fame played Zack, one of Chandler’s co-workers who the couple was considering as a potential sperm donor. Unfortunately, they scared him off due to Monica’s signature high maintenance craziness, asking questions about mental illness and gout.
#2: Kristin Davis “The One with Ross's Library Book”
Joey dates a lot of girls throughout the series, so we’d excuse even the most dedicated fans of forgetting some of them. In Season Seven, however, he actually meets someone who he thinks he might be able to settle down with. Kristin Davis plays Erin, though she’s better known for her role as Charlotte on “Sex and the City,” which was already in production when she took this guest spot on “Friends.” Charlotte and Erin don’t have much in common, considering Erin is laid back and loves sports while Charlotte is a little less down to earth. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Leah Remini “The One with the Birth” Mark Consuelos “The One with Chandler's Dad” Dakota Fanning “The One with Princess Consuela”
#1: Jennifer Grey “The One with the Evil Orthodontist”
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One of the most under the radar guest stars ever featured on “Friends” is an actress who found fame in ‘80s teen movies. Jennifer Grey is known for starring in “Dirty Dancing” and playing Ferris’ sister in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” but in the mid 90s, she appeared in a single episode of “Friends” as Rachel’s old friend Mindy. If you’re thinking that this doesn’t sound right, it’s because a different actress, Jana Marie Hupp, plays her in a later episode: “The One With Barry and Mindy’s Wedding.”
