32 Side Characters From Friends That Fans Still Love Today

 Carol (Jane Sibbett) and Susan (Jessica Hecht) hug at the their wedding reception on Friends Season 2 episode The One with the Lesbian Wedding.
Credit: Max

Everybody's got their favorite Friends character when it comes to Ross Gellar, Rachel Green, Chandler Bing, Monica Gellar, Phoebe Buffay and Joey Tribbiani. But what about the dozens of other people who came in and out of their lives over the NBC Must See TV show's 10 seasons? Here are 32 side characters from one of the best sitcoms of all time that we still love today:

Maggie Wheeler on Friends.
Maggie Wheeler on Friends.

Janice Litman-Goralnik

Oh. My. God! Chandler's on-off girlfriend Janice Litman-Goralnik (Maggie Wheeler) was nothing short of iconic, and despite all the cute moments Chandler and Monica blessed us with in Friends' later seasons, there is still a contingency of the fandom that thinks he and Janice should have been endgame.

Jane Sibbett as Carol on Friends.
Jane Sibbett as Carol on Friends.

Carol Willick

Things weren't always easy for Ross (David Schwimmer) and his ex-wife Carol Willick (Jane Sibbett), as the series opened with them navigating not just their divorce, but their unexpected pregnancy and her new relationship. However, they continued to be there for each other when needed — Ross walking Carol down the aisle at her wedding, for instance — and we couldn't help but love her too.

Lauren Tom plays Julie on Friends.
Lauren Tom plays Julie on Friends.

Julie

The six Friends had a lot of girlfriends come and go over the years, but poor Julie (Lauren Tom) was simply a victim of bad timing. She came back into Ross' life just as Rachel was finally reciprocating his years-long crush on her. Julie was never anything but sweet and kind, but nobody could have stood in the way of Ross and Rachel finally getting together.

Tom Selleck as Richard Burke on Friends
Tom Selleck as Richard Burke on Friends

Richard Burke

Tom Selleck was one of Friends' best guest stars, playing Richard Burke, Monica's fan-favorite Season 2 boyfriend. Forget the fact that he was 21 years older and her dad's best friend. He still fit in just fine with Monica's close-knit friend group, even if Joey and Chandler did see him more as a father figure. Their breakup because Richard didn't want to have more children was truly heartbreaking.

James Michael Tyler as Gunther on Friends.
James Michael Tyler as Gunther on Friends.

Gunther

No one will ever forget Gunther, the Central Perk barista with hair brighter than the sun. James Michael Tyler stood mostly quietly behind the counter for an impressive 162 episodes, secretly pining for Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) the entire time.

Giovanni Ribisi as Frank Jr. on Friends.
Giovanni Ribisi as Frank Jr. on Friends.

Frank Jr.

Phoebe's half-brother Frank Jr. (Giovanni Ribisi) really seemed to prove which side of the family her wacky personality came from. Frank Jr. was hard to rein in, but he had so much love for his sister, and you can't help but smile at how enthusiastic he was to be having triplets with his wife Alice. Because he never had a dad around, and "now I always will, 'cause, you know, it'll be me!"

Ross (David Schwimmer) is shown with Marcel the Monkey on his shoulder on Friends' first season.
Ross (David Schwimmer) is shown with Marcel the Monkey on his shoulder on Friends' first season.

Marcel The Monkey

It was certainly a unique choice of Friends to bring in a pet monkey for Ross. Marcel, who was actually a capuchin named Katie, was a hilarious companion to the newly divorced character in the first season. To this day can Friends fans even hear "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" without thinking of Marcel?

David Schwimmer and Jon Haugen on Friends.
David Schwimmer and Jon Haugen on Friends.

Ugly Naked Guy

It may be strange to love a character whose face we never saw, but Ugly Naked Guy provided quite a few comedic moments for the gang watching him from Monica's apartment.

Sherri Shepherd as Rhonda on Friends.
Sherri Shepherd as Rhonda on Friends.

Rhonda

Sherri Shepherd has said she loved guest starring on Friends as Rhonda, a museum employee who helped Matt LeBlanc's Joey (a new tour guide) navigate the lunchtime situation. Just as Joey was hurt that Ross chose to sit with the other scientists rather than him, we can all understand why Rhonda called out Peter, a fellow employee she'd known since grade school, for the same thing. After all, she shared her pudding with him. She gave him her Snack Pack!

Marlo Thomas as Sandra Green on Friends
Marlo Thomas as Sandra Green on Friends

Sandra Green

Marlo Thomas made a few appearances over the years as Rachel's mother Sandra Green, and she was at her best when she was marveling at the life her daughter had created. Sandra had never had to take care of herself, and she admired Rachel for being brave enough to not go through with a wedding to a man she didn't love.

Elliott Gould as Jack Gellar on Friends.
Elliott Gould as Jack Gellar on Friends.

Jack Gellar

Who was more lovable than Ross and Monica's dad Jack? The character, played by Elliott Gould, may have still shown a little favoritism toward Ross, but Jack clearly had a soft spot for his little Harmonica. Fans continue to love him for his musings on being buried at sea, selling ice on the Internet and the sun-dried tomato business. Don't tell me your heart didn't melt when he went to check on Monica (Courteney Cox) after her breakup with Richard.

June Gable as Estelle Leonard on Friends.
June Gable as Estelle Leonard on Friends.

Estelle Leonard

Estelle Leonard, played by a heavily made-up June Gable, was not the most talented of talent agents, as Joey struggled as an actor possibly more than necessary over the years. However, her exaggerated New York accent and chain-smoking proclivities made for consistent laughs in an unforgettable role.

Hank Azaria as David on Friends
Hank Azaria as David on Friends

David

It's hard to believe Hank Azaria appeared in only three episodes as David, the scientist who was forced to move to Minsk (which is not in Russia) so soon after he and Phoebe fell in love. I wouldn't have been upset if she'd ended up with him.

Paul Rudd as Mike Hannigan on Friends.
Paul Rudd as Mike Hannigan on Friends.

Mike Hannigan

It's hard to argue against Mike Hannigan though. Paul Rudd played a pretty significant role in Seasons 9 and 10, as his character eventually married Phoebe. Mike didn't always understand Phoebe's unconventional ways, but he always allowed her to be herself, even if that meant changing his name to Crap Bag to prove a point to Princess Consuela Banana-Hammock.

Larry Hankin as Mr. Heckles on Friends.
Larry Hankin as Mr. Heckles on Friends.

Mr. Heckles

Anybody who's ever had a noisy upstairs neighbor can likely relate to Mr. Heckles. Larry Hankin's character was a bizarre one, indeed, as he spent his sporadic appearances either telling Monica and co. to keep it down or insisting that he could have a cat/play the oboe/have birds, etc. According to "The One With the Flashback," we also have Mr. Heckles to thank for Joey and Chandler becoming roommates!

Jessica Hecht as Susan Bunch on Friends.
Jessica Hecht as Susan Bunch on Friends.

Susan Bunch

Susan Bunch gets a bad rap on Friends, and I honestly don't get it. We all know that Ross was kind of the worst, and nobody got the brunt of his pettiness more than the woman Carol left him for. While their interactions were often strained, Susan was as understanding as possible of Ross' perspective, but she never allowed herself to be pushed aside, especially when it came to Carol or their son Ben, and I love that.

Adam Goldberg, as Eddie, holds up a dehydrated fruit in the Friends Season 2 episode The Won't Where Eddie Won't Go.
Adam Goldberg, as Eddie, holds up a dehydrated fruit in the Friends Season 2 episode The Won't Where Eddie Won't Go.

Eddie

Man alive! Who didn't love this dehydrating maniac? Adam Goldberg played Eddie, Chandler's roommate when Joey temporarily moved into his own place. Eddie didn't always have a strong grasp on reality, and there was really nothing creepier than finding out he liked to sneak into Chandler's room to watch him sleep, but Eddie sure was an amazing character who fans continue to love to this day.

LIsa Kudrow playing Ursula on Friends.
LIsa Kudrow playing Ursula on Friends.

Ursula Buffay

The character of Ursula Buffay originated on Mad About You, with Friends creating Phoebe as her identical twin to justify Lisa Kudrow's appearance on both NBC series. Ursula was the "evil twin" of sorts, just as flighty as Phoebe but with none of the warmth. She was still a heck of a lot of fun to watch.

Ron Leibman as Rachel's dad Leonard Green on Friends.
Ron Leibman as Rachel's dad Leonard Green on Friends.

Leonard Green

It was interesting to get to meet Rachel's dad Leonard Green (Ron Leibman), the man who spoiled his three daughters so shamelessly, but the best part about this character was how ruthless he could be, particularly toward Ross. "Nice hair. What'd you do, swim here?" Classic.

Morgan Fairchild and Matthew Perry on Friends.
Morgan Fairchild and Matthew Perry on Friends.

Nora Bing

Like many of the Friends characters, Chandler had a loving but complicated relationship with his mom Nora Bing (Morgan Fairchild), particularly because of her line of work writing erotic novels. But how fun was it for his friends to be able to meet the woman who wrote page 79 of Mistress B... well, never mind.

Reese Witherspoon as Jill on Friends Season 6
Reese Witherspoon as Jill on Friends Season 6

Jill Green

If there's one thing we learned about Rachel's sisters on Friends, it's that they're used to getting what they want. Reese Witherspoon was a joy to watch as Jill Green, who easily manipulated everyone around her, even dating Ross for no other reason than to prove to Rachel that she could. After all, the only thing she can't have is dairy!

Anna Faris as Erica on Friends in Season 10.
Anna Faris as Erica on Friends in Season 10.

Erica The Birth Mother

Erica (played by Anna Faris) wasn't the brightest crayon in the box, but she made the process of Monica and Chandler adopting her twins extremely easy for them, despite the fact that they lied to her about their identities during their first meeting.

Brooke Shields as the obsessed fan Erika on Friends in Season 2 episode
Brooke Shields as the obsessed fan Erika on Friends in Season 2 episode

Erika The Obsessed Fan

Brooke Shields went way over the top to play Erika, Joey's stalker who somehow didn't understand that his soap opera character Drake Ramoray didn't exist in the real world. Her hand-licking scene lives in infamy, and who didn't love watching her throw water in Joey's face after she saw him kissing another character on Days of Our Lives?

Bruce Willis as Paul Stevens on Friends.
Bruce Willis as Paul Stevens on Friends.

Paul Stevens

Things could have gotten all kinds of weird when Rachel started dating Paul Stevens (Bruce Willis), the father of Ross' girlfriend Elizabeth. Oh, and they definitely did get weird, but one can't blame Paul for giving himself that mirror pep talk before he continued his romantic weekend with Rachel. Everybody needs a little reminder that they're a neat guy (and a love machine).

Alec Baldwin as Parker on Friends.
Alec Baldwin as Parker on Friends.

Parker

Alec Baldwin guest-starred as Phoebe's date Parker in Season 8, and how could you not love how excited he got about every little thing? The brake lights were "aglow with the light of a thousand fairies!" The Long Island Expressway was "a concrete miracle!" Parker, I just want to take a mental picture of you ... click!

Jon Favreau as Pete Becker on Friends.
Jon Favreau as Pete Becker on Friends.

Pete Becker

Who hasn't dreamed of being pursued by a multi-millionaire? Jon Favreau guest-starred in six episodes as Pete Becker, and I can't even be mad that he tried to woo Monica by leaving $20,000 tips and whisking her away to Rome for pizza on their first date. Too bad their relationship couldn't withstand Pete's dream of becoming the Ultimate Fighting Champion.

Christina Applegate as Amy Green on Friends.
Christina Applegate as Amy Green on Friends.

Amy Green

While Rachel's sister Jill was defined by her manipulative personality, Amy Green was the very definition of self-centered. Christina Applegate's character couldn't be bothered to learn anyone's name (even Rachel's daughter Emma), constantly mistook Ross for a guy who worked at the falafel stand and somehow still thought she would get custody of Emma if something happened to Ross and Rachel. Talk about a character you loved to hate!

Christina Pickles as Judy Gellar on Friends.
Christina Pickles as Judy Gellar on Friends.

Judy Gellar

Christina Pickles appeared 19 times in Friends' 10 seasons as Monica and Ross' mom Judy, and while the micro-aggressions she hurled at Monica were pretty brutal, it was downright hilarious to see what aspect of her daughter's life she would nit-pick next: The un-fluffed pillow? The "easy" lasagna she made for dinner? Still not having a boyfriend? It was a lot, but it was relatable to a lot of Friends viewers.

Mike Hagerty as Mr. Treeger on Friends.
Mike Hagerty as Mr. Treeger on Friends.

Mr. Treeger

Sure, Mr. Treeger made Rachel cry that one time, but he wasn't exactly wrong in calling her out for being spoiled. As far as building superintendents go Michael G. Hagerty's character was a pretty nice one, not evicting Monica from the apartment she was apparently living in illegally. He also had a great storyline where he learned to dance so he could impress a woman he liked at the Super Ball.

Debra Jo Rupp as Alice Walker on Friends.
Debra Jo Rupp as Alice Walker on Friends.

Alice Knight

If you can get past the age difference between Frank Jr. and his wife Alice Knight (Debra Jo Rupp), and the fact that he was her student (her BEST student, obviously), the love between them was so undeniable. In pretty much all of their appearances together, they couldn't keep their hands off of each other, and that's one of the things that made Alice such a great side character.

Aisha Tyler as Charlie on Friends.
Aisha Tyler as Charlie on Friends.

Charlie Wheeler

Ross and Joey each had a lot of girlfriends over the series' 10 seasons, and they both dated Aisha Tyler's Charlie Wheeler. One can certainly see how they'd both be attracted to her, as she was brilliant, beautiful and pretty funny too. Frankly it was also nice to see a Black character with a major storyline.

Paget Brewster on Friends.
Paget Brewster on Friends.

Kathy

It's a little surprising that Kathy is so beloved by Friends fans, given the fact that she ultimately cheated on both Joey and Chandler. But the Joey situation was just unfortunate, because he was dating other people too, and Paget Brewster's on-screen chemistry with Matthew Perry was simply electric. I join many other Friends fans in wishing she and Chandler had lasted longer ... and ended differently.

Friends may have aired its final episode decades ago, but you know what they say: I'll be there for you, and that includes all of the beloved side characters that we met along the way. You can revisit any of your favorite episodes and guest stars, as all 10 seasons are available to stream with a Max subscription.