The Friends Marvel Connection You DIdn't Know Existed

The Friends-Marvel Connection You Didn't Know Existed

10/30/2019

I'm an avid Friends fan. I've seen each episode 10 times or more and I can easily work a quote into every day conversation. I'm also a relatively big Marvel fan. I've seen every movie from Iron Man to End Game. I always knew these two fandoms had a connection by way of the (never aging) Paul Rudd but I discovered just the other night that their connection runs deeper than that.

MCU Actors with a Friends Past

John Favreau

Up until this point I thought I could wipe the floor with anyone in Friends trivia. That's why I was so surprised that my brain had totally switched off to the fact that during Season 3, Monica Geller dated John Favreau! Okay, John Favreau's character, a billionaire named Pete.

I've seen this arch multiple times over. He is a frequent goer of the diner Monica works at, she thinks he's funny and charming but isn't attracted to him until she kisses him and then it all clicks. He flew her to Italy for their first date. Then things get weird when he decides to train to become the Ultimate Fighting Champion. This character is so John Favreau that I can't believe I ever allowed myself to forget this.

Paul Rudd

As I mentioned Paul Rudd is also seen in both Friends and Marvel movies, he is of course, Ant Man. Paul Rudd played Mike Hannigan, Phoebe Buffay's boyfriend turned husband. His character's name was almost changed to Crap Bag but I digress.

Jeff Goldblum

Thor Raganok's Grandmaster is played by Jeff Goldblum. Jeff Goldblum also had a role on Friends, all be it a small one and he played himself, but he was in Friends none the less. The episode is titled "The One with the Mugging" and is number 15 in season 9. Joey lands an audition opposite Jeff Goldblum and his creative advice goes awry.

Brad Pitt

If you blinked at the wrong time you missed Brad Pitt's role in Marvel's Deadpool 2 but his guest appearance on Friends, awkwardly, lasts much longer. Brad Pitt guest starred in one of Friends' famous Thanksgiving episodes where he plays an old high school friend of Ross and an old archenemies of Rachel, after all he was one of the founders of the "I hate Rachel Club".

Brad Pitt is rumored to be on a list of names to join the MCU though there is speculation that he's not interested so only time will tell if his connection to Marvel will run any deeper than a quick cameo but for all intents and purposes for this article, I'm counting it.

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