JENNIFER ANISTON: Rachel Green
Emmy Award nominee
Jennifer Aniston spent a year of her childhood living in Greece, but was raised in New
York City after her father, actor John Aniston, landed a role on the daytime drama
‘Love of Life.’ Her godfather was the late actor Telly Savalas.
She had her first taste of acting at age 11 when she joined the Rudolf Steiner School's
drama club. Aniston's experience there also helped her develop a passion for art. When she
was 11, one of her paintings was selected to be displayed in an exhibit at New York's
Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Aniston began her professional training as a drama student at New York's High School of
the Performing Arts. After her graduation in 1987, she won roles in such off-Broadway
productions as ‘For Dear Life’ at New York's Public Theatre and ‘Dancing on
Checker's Grave.’ In 1989 she landed her first television role as a series regular on
‘Molloy.’ Her other television credits include regular roles on ‘The
Edge’ and ‘Ferris Bueller,’ a recurring part on ‘Herman's Head’
and guest-starring roles on such series as ‘The Larry Sanders Show,’
‘Partners,’ ‘Burke's Law’ and NBC's ‘Quantum Leap.’
In addition, Aniston has starred in a number of feature films, including ‘The Object
of My Affection,’ ‘Picture Perfect,’ ‘She's the One,’ ‘'Til
There Was You’ and ‘Office Space.’ She also starred with Quentin Tarantino
in an interactive tutorial CD-ROM directed by Steven Spielberg, titled ‘Movie
Maker.’ Aniston recently completed filming ‘Metal God,’ opposite Mark
Wahlberg, for a winter 2000 release.
Last July, Aniston was nominated for her first Emmy Award, as Outstanding Supporting
Actress in a Comedy Series, for her portrayal of Rachel Green on 'Friends.' A two-time
nominee for the People's Choice Award as Favorite Female in a Comedy Series, she won the
award in 2001.
Currently a resident of Los Angeles, Aniston enjoys painting in her spare time, as well as
hiking, camping and virtually anything that brings her closer to nature. Her birthday is
February 11. |
MATT
LEBLANC: Joey Tribbiani
‘Entertainment
Weekly’ once lauded Matt LeBlanc as ‘a rarity - a hunk with a gift for deadpan
comedy,’ for his role as one of America's favorite ‘Friends.’ However,
LeBlanc might never have detoured to acting if his mother had not earlier forced him to
find a different outlet for his talents after he announced his intention to become a
professional motorcycle racer.
After receiving his first motorcycle at age 8, LeBlanc participated in various amateur
races and later, even trained for a career in carpentry before ultimately deciding to
become an actor.
After graduating from high school, LeBlanc set his sights on living in New York City. By
1987, he had obtained parts in national television commercials for such high-profile
products as Levi's 501 jeans, Coca-Cola and Doritos. He also appeared in a Heinz ketchup
spot that won the prestigious Gold Lion Award at the 1987 Cannes Film Festival.
In 1988, LeBlanc began formal acting training. Within a year, he landed a starring role on
the television series ‘TV 101’ and relocated to Los Angeles. Since then, his
television credits include starring roles on ‘Top of the Heap’ and ‘Vinnie
& Bobby’ and in the movie ‘Anything to Survive’ (opposite Robert
Conrad). He also guest-starred on ‘Class of '96’ and ‘Married...with
Children.’
LeBlanc will next appear in the upcoming big-screen version of ‘Charlie's
Angels,’ which stars Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu. His other
feature-film credits include starring role s in ‘Lost in Space’ and
‘Ed.’
LeBlanc was recently honored for his contribution to the world of entertainment by the
National Italian-American Foundation in Washington, D.C.
In addition to acting, LeBlanc enjoys working on his own cars and motorcycles -- which
include a Pantera race car -- and playing with his dogs. He currently lives in Los
Angeles, and is engaged to model Melissa McKnight. His birthday is July 25. |
COURTENEY
COX ARQUETTE: Monica Geller
One of America's
favorite young actresses, Courteney Cox Arquette returns to ‘Friends’ as the
sensitive and meticulous Monica Geller.
Cox Arquette's talent for both dramatic and comedic acting has made her a favorite of fans
and critics alike. Last seen in Wes Craven's ‘Scream 3’ opposite Neve Campbell
and her new husband, David Arquette, Cox Arquette starred as television reporter Gale
Weathers in the hit thrillers ‘Scream’ and ‘Scream 2,’ and she also
starred opposite Jim Carrey in the comedy ‘Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.’ Her
other feature films include ‘Commandments,’ ‘Blue Desert,’
‘Cocoon: The Return,’ ‘Shaking the Tree,’ ‘Mr. Destiny’ and
‘The Rules of the Game.’ Most recently she finished shooting ‘3,000 Miles
to Graceland’ with Kevin Costner and Kurt Russell. She can next be seen in
‘Alien Love Triangle,’ opposite Kenneth Branagh and directed by Danny Boyle.
Before ‘Friends,’ Cox Arquette's most memorable television roles included a
recurring turn as Lauren, Alex P. Keaton's (Michael J. Fox) girlfriend on ‘Family
Ties,’ and as a teenager, playing a starstruck fan hauled on stage by Bruce
Springsteen in his ‘Dancing in the Dark’ video. Her other television credits
include ‘The Trouble with Larry,’ as well as guest-starring parts on
‘Murder, She Wrote,’ NBC's ‘Seinfeld,’ ‘Dream On,’
‘Hands That See’ and ‘The Larry Sanders Show.’
Born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, Cox Arquette moved to New York City after her
graduation from high school and was subsequently signed by the Ford modeling agency.
Shortly thereafter, she was appearing in magazines, television commercials and music
videos. In 1995, as a cast member of ‘Friends,’ Cox Arquette was People
magazine's 1995 cover girl for the ‘50 Most Beautiful People’ issue.
In her spare time, Cox Arquette, who wanted to be an architect when she was growing up,
enjoys remodeling and decorating homes. She currently lives in Los Angeles. Her birthday
is June 15. |
MATTHEW PERRY: Chandler Bing
Born in Williamstown,
Massachusetts, Matthew Perry was raised in Ottawa, Ontario, where he became a top-ranked
junior tennis player in Canada. However, after moving to Los Angeles at the age of 15 to
live with his father (actor John Bennett Perry), he became more interested in acting. In
addition to performing in several high school stage productions, he remained an avid
tennis player. Perry ranked 17th nationally in the junior singles category and third in
the doubles category.
Upon graduating from high school, Perry intended to enroll at the University of Southern
California. However, when he was offered a leading role on the television series,
‘Boys Will Be Boys,’ he seized the opportunity to begin his acting career.
Perry was most recently seen in the hit comedy film ‘The Whole Nine Yards,’ as
the neighbor of a hit man played by Bruce Willis. Perry's other feature film credits
include ‘Fools Rush In,’ ‘A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon,’
‘She's Out of Control’ and ‘Parallel Lives.’ He also co-starred with
Chris Farley in the buddy comedy ‘Almost Heroes’ and in the romantic comedy,
‘Three to Tango,’ opposite Neve Campbell.
Perry currently resides in Los Angeles. He enjoys playing ice hockey and softball in his
spare time. His birthday is August 19. |
LISA KUDROW: Phoebe Buffay
Last July, Lisa Kudrow
received her fifth Emmy Award nomination as Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy
Series for her role as Phoebe, the spacey but lovable folk singer and massage therapist
(she took home the statuette in 1998). She has also received a Screen Actors Guild Award
(and two additional nominations) for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy
Series, an American Comedy Award for Funniest Supporting Female Performer in a Television
Series and a Golden Globe Award nomination for her performance on ‘Friends.’
In addition to her success on television, Kudrow has received rave reviews for her
feature-film roles. She won the Best Supporting Actress Award from the New York Film
Critics and an Independent Spirit Award nomination and a Chicago Film Critics Award
nomination for her portrayal of ‘Lucia’ in the Don Roos-scripted-and-directed
film ‘The Opposite of Sex.’ She also starred opposite Billy Crystal and Robert
DeNiro in the film ‘Analyze This,’ for which she won a Blockbuster Award.
Earlier this year, Kudrow starred in the film ‘Hanging Up’ opposite Meg Ryan and
Diane Keaton. Most recently, Kudrow completed filming a starring role opposite John
Travolta in an untitled comedy from Nora Ephron that is scheduled for release in October.
In 1997, she starred in the critically acclaimed hit comedy ‘Romy & Michele's
High School Reunion’ with Mira Sorvino and co-starred in Albert Brooks' comedy
‘Mother.’ She also starred in ‘Clockwatchers’ in which she starred
opposite Toni Collette and Parker Posey.
Kudrow has always been passionate about acting, but never thought of it as a career until
after college. While growing up, she performed and reenacted many of her favorite movie
scenes for family and friends.
When Kudrow returned to California after college, her passion to act and perform
resurfaced. Her brother's good friend, actor/comedian Jon Lovitz inspired her to pursue
her dream. She began studying with improvisational instructor Cynthia Szigeti and acting
teacher Ian Tucker. In 1989 her dream of becoming a performer became a reality, Kudrow was
accepted as a member of the famed Los Angeles improv group, the Groundlings.
Kudrow has the distinction of being in two outstanding television series simultaneously.
Along with her role as Phoebe in ‘Friends,’ she portrayed the ditzy waitress
Ursula on the NBC comedy ‘Mad About You.’ The two characters are sisters, which
provided opportunities for her to go back and forth between what at the time were two of
the most popular series on television.
A native of California, Kudrow was born in Encino and raised in Tarzana. She lives in Los
Angeles with her husband, Michel Stern, and their son. Her birthday is July 30. |
DAVID SCHWIMMER: Ross Geller
In the debut season
(1994-95) of ‘Friends,’ David Schwimmer's performance as Ross, a sensitive,
hopeless romantic, earned him an Emmy Award nomination as Outstanding Supporting Actor in
a Comedy Series. Receiving both popular and critical acclaim for his work, he has
displayed his versatility on stage, in film and television in a wide variety of roles.
Born in New York and raised in Los Angeles, Schwimmer was encouraged by a high school
instructor to attend a summer program in acting at Northwestern University. Inspired by
that experience, he returned to Northwestern where he received a bachelor's degree in
speech/theater. In 1988, along with seven other Northwestern graduates, he co-founded
Chicago's Lookingglass Theatre Company-- an ensemble of actors, writers, directors and
designers now 20 members strong, dedicated to creating vibrant new works for the American
stage.
Schwimmer's stage acting credits with Lookingglass include Dostoyevsky's ‘The
Idiot,’ as well as ‘The Master and Margarita,’ ‘Arabian Nights,’
‘In the Eye of the Beholder,’ ‘West,’ ‘Of One Blood’ and
‘The Odyssey.’ In addition, he starred in the premiers of Roger Kumble's ‘D
Girl’ in Los Angeles and Warren Leight's ‘Glimmer Brothers’ in
Williamstown.
Schwimmer's stage directing credits include his adaptation of ‘The Jungle’ by
Upton Sinclair, which received six Joseph Jefferson Awards, ‘The Serpent’ and
‘Alice in Wonderland,’ which toured to the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland. He
also directed the feature film ‘Since You've Been Gone’ for Miramax, and
recently began directing episodes of ‘Friends.’
Schwimmer just completed work for Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg in HBO's ‘Band of
Brothers,’ a miniseries based on World War II historian Stephen Ambrose's book about
an Army rifle company that parachuted into France on D-Day. Before that, he will appear in
‘It's the Rage,’ with Gary Sinise, Giovanni Ribisi, Joan Allen and Andre
Braugher.
His feature film acting credits include ‘Picking Up the Pieces,’ ‘Six Days,
Seven Nights,’ ‘Apt Pupil,’ ‘Kissing a Fool,’ ‘The
Pallbearer,’ ‘Crossing the Bridge’ and the critically acclaimed cable film
‘Breast Men.’ Television credits include roles on such series as
‘Montey’ with Henry Winkler, ‘NYPD Blue’, ‘The Wonder Years’
and NBC's ‘L.A. Law.’
Schwimmer is on the Advisory Board of the Rape Treatment Center of Santa Monica, plays
various sports and enjoys a friendly game of poker. He has residences in Los Angeles and
Chicago. His birthday is November 2. |
