Friends's Jennifer Aniston and Matt LeBlanc Discuss How They Felt About Their Characters Getting Together

Friends concluded back in 2004, and ever since, fans of the sitcom have relied on reruns on television to keep up their obsession. And even years later, there are still mysteries about this popular sitcom that fans would like to solve. For instance, how did the cast react to Rachel and Joey's brief fling? More importantly, how did the actors behind the characters—Jennifer Aniston and Matt LeBlanc—feel about it?
The show's coupling of Joey and Rachel irked many fans. But the cast certainly had some strong feelings on the pair, and, throughout the years, they've made them clear.
In a 2018 interview with Digital Spy, the show's executive producer and director Kevin S. Bright revealed it was hard to get LeBlanc on board. "In the beginning, Matt LeBlanc did not want to do that story," Bright said. "He was very firmly against it, saying that he's Ross's friend, and that the type of friend that Joey is would never go and take someone else's girlfriend."
Then, during the Friends Final Thoughts special shortly after the series concluded, LeBlanc himself shared his opinion. "Everyone knows that Ross and Rachel are supposed to be together," he said, as reported by E! News. "We've spent 10 years keeping them apart."
Meanwhile, Aniston aired a similar sentiment about Joey and Rachel's romance. In 2017, she told Elle, "I think there was a moment when Joey and Rachel got together that maybe it could [have] happened, but it didn't. It was Ross and Rachel all the way. I just don't think Joey and Rachel could have made it."
While it's clear some cast members were against this romance, they certainly weren't opposed to others. Check out why LeBlanc and Lisa Kudrow, who played Phoebe, thought their characters should get together by heading here.
[h/t Digital Spy]