Recasting Friends Today: Who Would Best Play The Iconic Cast?

The iconic 90s sitcom Friends left a lasting legacy as one of the most popular television shows of all time. The series had a whooping 10-year run and catapulted its stars to instant fame.

It goes without saying that the Friends cast was impeccable and it’s difficult to imagine the beloved characters being played by anyone else. However, if the cast were to be reimagined today, there’s a newer generation of actors and actresses that might fit into the roles of everybody’s favorite friends.

10 Richard: Robert Downey Jr.

One of the most significant significant-others of any member in the gang was Richard Burke. Tom Selleck made a very sexy, mature older lover for the young Monica. But Robert Downey Jr. would put an intriguing twist on the amazing Richard, Monica’s one true love, apart from Chandler.

It would be quite a treat watching RDJ romance a younger woman and making failed, awkward attempts to get to know the group. In his inimitable style, he would imbue the role with his characteristic swagger and stinging sarcasm.

9 Gunther: Seth Rogen

Seth Rogen would be perfect as Gunther from the coffee shop, the perpetual sufferer who has a mammoth crush on Rachel but never manages to get her to notice.

Rogan’s perfect comic sensibilities coupled with his terrific acting talent would make him the best candidate to bring to life this character who, however peripheral to the narrative, was a constant in the friends’ lives.

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8 Janice: Aja Naomi King

Janice of the ‘Oh My God’ fame was yet another peripheral but recurring character who was a part of Chandler’s life before he and Monica got involved. Janice also made a few comebacks afterward, like in the episode where Rachel had her baby.

Janice should be someone who is feisty, but can also ace an irritating role perfectly. The young actress Aja Naomi King performed in the Shonda Rhimes legal procedural/crime drama, How To Get Away With Murder, starring the incredible Viola Davis. King would own the character and would surely deliver a power-packed performance, hovering around and making life difficult for the ever awkward Chandler Bing.

7 Mike: Kit Harington

Paul Rudd was a beautiful man — he still is — when he played Phoebe Buffay’s boyfriend, Mike. Mike was an introvert and often found himself at a loss for words. Remember the hilarious sequence where Mike hung out with Ross and the two discussed, well, the term ‘lager’ amidst long bouts of agonizing silence?

The gorgeous Kit Harrington would be ideal to play the soft-hearted and genuinely nice guy, Mike. It would be fun to see if Harrington can pull off a comedic role after his intense stint as Jon Snow.

6 Phoebe: Taylor Swift

Phoebe Buffay was immortalized by the brilliant Lisa Kudrow in the popular sitcom. Phoebe was eccentric and unconventional, one would go so far as to call her weird, although in the sweetest sense, and of course, extremely kind at heart.

It would be fun to see someone like Taylor Swift as Phoebe, with a quirky sense of humor and very strong principles.  Of course, she would have to work hard to get right Phoebe’s often atrocious singing, but then who knows? The new Phoebe might sing really well, for a change. For those who don’t know, Kudrow actually appeared on stage with Taylor Swift during one of her concerts and the two sang Pheobe’s magnum opus “Smelly Cat” together.

5 Joey: Jensen Ackles

The Supernatural star has proved himself to have extraordinary comic timing, with most of the comedy in the CW fantasy drama resting on his able shoulders. The actor is also remarkably handsome and his character Dean on Supernatural was quite the playboy at least in the early years of the series.

Ackles thus fits in perfectly as the slightly dim-witted, but kind and generous casanova who moves in with Chandler and becomes an integral part of the group. One can almost see him effortlessly deliver Joey’s trademark “How you doin’?” Moreover, if Pratt were to play Chandler, the camaraderie between him and Ackles is bound to be an absolute riot.

4 Monica: Zoe Kravitz

Courtney Cox stunned the world as the attractive but bossy, cleanliness freak, Monica Geller. In fact, Monica was probably one of the most important characters in the ensemble since it was her apartment the gang would hang out in most of the time unless they were grabbing coffee and muffins at Central Perk.

The young actress Zoe Kravitz has been building quite the repertoire, having starred in the second Fantastic Beasts film and the critically acclaimed Big Little Lies. It would be interesting to see how she reimagines the iconic character of Monica Geller in her own way.

3 Chandler: Chris Pratt

Chandler Bing has to be the amazing Chris Pratt. In fact, it’s hard to imagine anyone else do justice to this fan-favorite role. Of course, it would be hard to fit into Matthew Perry’s shoes, but Pratt would most certainly ace it.

Chandler was socially awkward with a sardonic sense of humor, which he typically used as a defense against his social insecurities. It’s easy to see Pratt make some weird joke which wouldn’t necessarily land, and do his best to appear cool. Could he be more perfect?

2 Rachel: Margot Robbie

Margot Robbie has been slowly but steadily carving a niche for herself, with popular and critically acclaimed credits like Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, starring Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio, and more recently as the iconic Harley Quinn in The Suicide Squad.

Robbie would excel in conveying Rachel’s initial insecurities, her natural glamor, and then the evolution of her character into a mature woman. When thinking of a recasting, Jennifer Aniston leaves some very big shoes to fill, and the role made her a huge star overnight. But that is not to say that such extraordinary actors of the new generation should not step in to give it a go.

1 Ross: Dev Patel

David Schwimmer was wonderful as the gentle, intellectual Ross Geller, whose will-they-won’t-they drama with Rachel Greene was one of the central underlying stories in the series. Ross was perhaps not the ideal boyfriend — whether his sleeping with a waitress the moment he and Rachel had a fight was morally correct is still up for debate — but he was genuine when it came to loving the woman of his dreams.

It would be intriguing to see how someone like Dev Patel fares in the role. Patel has that slightly academic vibe and puts his heart into every role he plays. Hopefully, his Ross will not come with the additional baggage of chauvinism and homophobia that Schwimmer’s did.

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