Most of us have always known the core FRIENDS cast as famous celebrities. However, without the internet and social media, the ’80s and ’90s sure were a different era. There was a time when these iconic actors from FRIENDS namely Courteney Cox, Matthew Perry, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, and Matt LeBlanc were just young people who were waiting for their big break in this glamorous industry. Before they became the household names across the globe through the FRIENDS show, they were just struggling actors like many. However, after FRIENDS, there was no looking back. It surely became a life-changing show for the six of them.
Since we love FRIENDS and their characters, we always want to know more about their past struggles or works. That is why we turned the internet upside down and found some flashback-inducing old commercials of our favorite actors before they joined FRIENDS.
Here are 10 Ad commercials featuring FRIENDS cast before they went famous:
1. Matt LeBlanc – Levis Commercial
The hunky look of the young actor, Matt LeBlanc was clearly a hit with the casting agents. It’s hard to believe that Estelle had such a hard time being his agent in FRIENDS. Among other cast members, Matt was the one who did most commercials. And apart from his magnetic appearance in Levi’s advertisement, Matt’s other commercials were all about food. After watching all those ads you too might start feeling like Matt and Joey are one person.
2. David Schwimmer – AT&T Commercial
It seems like this ad was in the early ’90s, possibly before FRIENDS. This ad was for U.S. telecommunications company AT&T in which David Schwimmer looked exactly like Ross Geller from FRIENDS. Especially the way he delivered the last line in the ad was so Ross. Even in this minutes ad, his puppy eyes look adorable.
3. Matt LeBlanc – KFC Chicken Littles Commercial
Well, here goes Matt LeBlanc in the KFC Chicken Littles commercial. We cannot take our eyes off the commercial while seeing Matt in his bubbly and playful getup. It would be great if today’s commercials have such a cool jingle and fun vibe as this KFC commercial you just saw. And having Matt LeBlanc in there would definitely be a plus.
4. Matthew Perry – Pacific Bell Commercial
We all Know Matthew Perry aka Chandler Bing from FRIENDS as the sarcasm king. However, in this 1987 Pacific Bell commercial, a baby-faced Matthew Perry gave off strong Ferris Bueller vibes. It was a mind-blowing technology at that time where the person can receive calls even while the landline was in use.
5. Matt LeBlanc – Fruit Bran Commercial
How can we forget Joey’s love for food in FRIENDS and that he doesn’t share food! This fruit bran commercial can totally blend into the universe of FRIENDS. However, the name of Matt Leblanc wouldn’t be Tony. It would be Joey all along. After watching the commercial, try wondering what would happen if Joey was obsessed with Kellog’s Fruitful Bran instead of Monica’s jam?
6. Courteney Cox – Tampax Commercial
Allegedly, Courteney Cox was the first-ever person to say “period” on national TV in the U.S. She probably holds the award for referring to menstruation in a commercial in 1985. This was unarguably a revolutionary moment and all credit goes to Courteney Cox and a very ’80s aerobics-Esque Tampax commercial.
7. Matt LeBlanc – Heinz Ketchup Commercial
To be honest, it is hard to understand what Matt’s plan for the Heinz ketchup was in this commercial. However, we were all up for his adorable smile and kooky moves. In this commercial, he gave away a little bit of Joey Tribbiani’s vibe in several scenes and we cannot miss how cute he’s looking. Moreover, the ad won’t seem too odd if we imagine Joey in it because he would do all sorts of crazy stuff for a good sandwich.
8. Jennifer Aniston – Lynx Commercial
Well, we know that Jennifer Aniston shows up in the commercial at the end and you had to wait a lot to spot her but “FRIENDS” actress, Jennifer Aniston will always be instantly recognizable. We can’t ignore the fact, how sexist and ridiculous this commercial is and even its storyline is very erm, even for the time it was created. However, we are more than grateful for the way Jennifer Aniston’s career only went up from here.
9. Matt LeBlanc – Coca Cola (You Can’t Beat The Feeling) Commercial
If you don’t remember, Joey was the absolute hunk of the group and this commercial is the perfect reminder of that. In this Coca-Cola commercial, he is a sweaty mess and yet manages to look damn attractive. Agree or not, only he can look that attractive even in a situation like that. We won’t judge if you want to drink a Coca-Cola right now, but just remember that “Joey doesn’t share food”.
10. Matt LeBlanc – Cherry 7up Commercial
Well, Joey was always famous among the ladies and surely knew how to attract them to him. This 1988 commercial of Cherry 7up was the best commercial with the peak ’80s wholesomeness. It is adorable to see that a super attractive guy like Matt LeBlanc is willing to wait for a girl to finish her shift. And, the pink bow touch with his pink shirt was just cherry on the cake. Well, Matt’s charm was well utilized in FRIENDS else he would not have dared to make a list of hot girls he dated in the FRIENDS Show. Click here to find the list of girls Joey dated.
Among the core cast of FRIENDS, we could not find a single commercial of Lisa Kudrow from before or during the FRIENDS show. However, we did find a commercial for “Nintendo DS” where she learns how to prepare Kung Pao Chicken with her on-screen daughter. Well, unlike Phoebe, she looks quite mature in this commercial yet amazingly beautiful.
So, these are some of the commercials we came across in which the FRIENDS group was cast even in a time when they weren’t so famous. Let us know in the comment section if you have seen any commercials of them, apart from the ones mentioned here.
