Jennifer Aniston looks back at ex Brad Pitt's unforgettable Friends stint

Jennifer Aniston and Lisa Kudrow recalled that many Hollywood stars, including Brad Pitt, were often nervous about appearing on Friends. Reflecting on the famous guest appearances, they said even established movie stars sometimes found it difficult to adjust to the show's unique rhythm.

In Short

• Hollywood stars felt nervous on Friends set
• Brad Pitt appeared in 2001 Thanksgiving episode
• Notable guests included Julia Roberts, Reese Witherspoon

Even some of Hollywood's biggest stars weren't immune to nerves when they stepped onto the set of Friends. Actor Jennifer Aniston recently reflected on the long list of celebrity guest appearances on the sitcom, revealing that many famous faces, including her former husband Brad Pitt, often arrived feeling uncertain about fitting into the show's unique rhythm.

Speaking with her co-star Lisa Kudrow for an episode of Actors on Actors, Aniston looked back on Friends' decade-long run and the many high-profile actors who appeared on the series.

During its 10 seasons, the sitcom welcomed a host of celebrated names, including Julia Roberts, Reese Witherspoon, Sean Penn, Bruce Willis, Brooke Shields, Adam Goldberg and Isabella Rossellini.

Recalling their experiences, Aniston said many of the guest stars appeared surprisingly nervous despite their success on the big screen.

"The movie stars that came on Friends: Brad, Bruce Willis, Julia Roberts, Isabella Rossellini – we had so many – Sean Penn. They were always nervous. Remember? I always found it fascinating how nervous they were," Aniston said.

Kudrow agreed and suggested that the show's format may have contributed to the uncertainty.

"Because what's the tone? It's not theatre; it's for TV. It's not a movie. What the hell is this?" Kudrow said, recalling how difficult it sometimes was to explain the show's performance style to newcomers.

Aniston laughed while remembering her own transition into films during the sitcom's run, joking that she may have spent the early years of her movie career simply delivering lines "louder." At the time, she was balancing Friends with films such as She's the One and Picture Perfect.

The conversation also touched on some of the sitcom's most memorable guest appearances, particularly its popular Thanksgiving episodes.

Brad Pitt appeared in a Thanksgiving special in 2001, a year after marrying Aniston. He played Will Colbert, a former schoolmate of Rachel Green who harboured a long-standing grudge against her and had famously formed the "I Hate Rachel Club" with Ross during their school days.

When Aniston brought up the show's memorable specials, Kudrow singled out the episode featuring Pitt, calling it particularly funny. Aniston agreed, recalling it as one of the sitcom's most hilarious outings. "The Thanksgiving episode when Brad was on, that was hilarious," she said, with the latter agreeing, "That was hilarious."

Other memorable guest stars included Witherspoon as Rachel's younger sister Jill, Shields as Joey's obsessive admirer, and Goldberg as Chandler's eccentric roommate. Willis and Penn also appeared in recurring roles connected to Aniston and Kudrow's characters.

Meanwhile, Rossellini made a cameo as herself after Ross named her on his list of celebrity crushes, while Roberts appeared in a two-episode storyline that remains one of the sitcom's most talked-about guest arcs.

Friends aired from September 1994 to May 2004.

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