Even today, Friends continues to be one of the most beloved sitcoms of all time. Thanks to the show’s availability on streaming services (it was available on Netflix previously, then it moved to HBO Max), Friends has also gained a whole new generation of fans.
Even for them, one of the show’s most interesting storylines is the one that involves Ross (David Schwimmer) and Rachel (Jennifer Aniston). Theirs is a love story that would evolve throughout the show’s 10 seasons. And as the actors revealed on Friends: The Reunion, Aniston and Schwimmer were crushing on each other behind the scenes too. Interestingly, the film’s director, Ben Winston, only learned of this tidbit by chance.
Jennifer Aniston And David Schwimmer Admitted To Having Feelings For Each Other
As expected, Friends: The Reunion took fans back to some of the most unforgettable moments of the show. It also offered some off-camera secrets that no one knew about until now. For instance, there was that time when actor Matt LeBlanc dislocated his shoulder while filming the episode The One Where No One’s Ready. And then, there was the biggest bombshell of them all, the one where Aniston and Schwimmer revealed they developed feelings for each other while working on the show.
Throughout the show’s run, Aniston and Schwimmer played an on-again, off-again couple who remained close friends despite everything that went on in their relationship. Ross and Rachel started flirting with each other during the show’s first season after it became clear that Ross always had feelings for his sister Monica’s (Courteney Cox) best friend. From there though, several things got in the way. There were other men and other women (leading to the infamous “we were on a break” fight at one point) in their lives. And even when the couple became parents to a baby girl, it didn’t seem like the two would end up together. Thankfully, Rachel got off the plane and made her way back to Ross. It was the ending that fans certainly wanted for these two.
With romances happening on the show, it seemed inevitable for host James Corden to bring up the topic of behind-the-scenes romance on Friends: The Reunion. To fans’ surprise, Schwimmer and Aniston admitted to having feelings for each other early on. “The first season, we—I had a major crush on Jen. And I think we both—,” Schwimmer explained. Aniston interjected, “It was reciprocated.”
Schwimmer then explained, “At some point we were both crushing hard on each other, but it was like two ships passing because one of us was always in a relationship and we never crossed that boundary. We respected that.” The co-stars never dated the entire time they were working together. And in fact, the first kiss they ever shared was onscreen, something that Aniston hoped would not be the case. “I just remember saying one time to David, 'It's going to be such a bummer if the first time you and I actually kiss is going to be on national television,'” Aniston recalled. “Sure enough, first time we kissed was in that coffee shop. So, we just channeled all of our love and adoration for each other into Ross and Rachel.”
So, How Did Ben Winston Find Out About This?
Friends: The Reunion was supposed to begin filming in March 2020. But the pandemic brought Hollywood to a standstill. For Winston, however, the delay couldn’t have come at a better time. “I only had, like, two and a half months to be able to make the show,” Winston explained while speaking with The Wrap. “So the fact that we were put on pause for such a long time meant that my prep was just a lot better.”
Around this time, the director also went over all 236 episodes of the show. And because they couldn’t meet in person, Winston also spent some time doing Zoom calls with all of the core cast members (including Lisa Kudrow and Matthew Perry). In the midst of these conversations, Winston learned of Aniston and Schwimmer's off-camera feelings for each other. “And chatting with David, who told me the story you mentioned, and then I had a chat with Jen and asked if it was true and she felt the same when she said yes,” He recalled while speaking with The Hollywood Reporter.
Once this information came to light, Winston had to determine if the actors would be willing to reveal this to the show’s fans. Interestingly, he couldn’t get a straight answer prior to filming. “The thing with David and Jen — in one of the conversations I had with David in the last year, he had mentioned it to me. And I was like, ‘Well, would you be prepared to talk about it on the show?’” Winston recalled during another interview with The Wrap. “And he was like, ‘I don’t know. Let’s just see how we go.’ So I did know of it. So, the question was put in there hoping that they would answer it.” They did answer it and the revelation became one of the film’s most talked-about moments.
Today, Schwimmer and Aniston are yet to work together since doing Friends and Friends: The Reunion. Some fans are certainly hoping that they would, even if they never rekindle their short-lived romance. After all, Cox may be right. In real life, Ross and Rachel are better off as friends.
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