Jennifer Aniston cried as the cast of Friends reunited on US TV last night (February 21).
The tribute to James Burrows featured cast members from Cheers, Taxi, Frasier and Will & Grace gathering to honour the director and producer.
Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer appeared together for the first time since the show ended in 2004.
Matthew Perry, who played Chandler Bing in the comedy series, was unable to attend due to stage work in London so recorded an introduction for the other cast members.
During last night’s tribute, host Andy Cohen, asked the five cast members if it was true that they signed a contract with NBC promising not to sleep with each other. The actors were hesitant to answer the questions, apart from Lisa Kudrow, who said: ‘I was not asked to sign anything like that.”
However, the cast were urged to spend time together off-set. “But that wasn’t hard,” said Aniston. “We fell in love with each other and wanted to hang out.” They would watch the episodes together at each other’s homes. “Courtney told us that on Seinfeld they all really helped each, so she said, guys, let’s all help each other,” said Kudrow.
Burrows directed 15 episodes of Friends as well as working on Will and Grace, Mike and Molly, Frasier, and Cheers which he co-created.
“We would do anything for Jim Burrows because he really gave us the opportunity of a lifetime,” said Aniston who played Rachel Green on the US comedy.
“We experienced friendship, family, heartbreak, babies, everything, together. And we also had a wonderful experience with the world loving us as well,” she added before being shown drying her eyes as Burrows gave a speech.
Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman ruled out a reunion during a 2015 interview, saying it would “never happen” and that fans had to “let it go”.