One of the funny details about the Friends filming locations that any fan of the hit show will know is that despite it being based on the life of six friends living it up in New York City, it was actually filmed mostly in California. Yep, Central Perk, the apartments, and many of the iconic Friends’ locations that appear to be in The Big Apple were filmed on the opposite side of the U.S. Let’s take a look at some of the other great locations that featured the hundreds of Friends episodes.
“The One with Ross’ Wedding”
Memorable for more than its location, “The One With Ross’ Wedding” didn’t just include famous English landmarks like the Tower Bridge and an open-top London bus, it also had a guest appearance from a member of the Royal Family. The Duchess of York has a cameo role in the episode, with Richard Branson, Hugh Laurie, and Jennifer Saunders also making appearances.
“The One with Monica’s Thunder”
In this episode, Chandler and Monica decide to celebrate their engagement in the plush Plaza Hotel. This building has a long history of being featured in blockbuster films and TV shows. You might remember seeing it in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, where Kevin takes residency while lost (again). You’d think his parents would have learned from the first time they lost him, wouldn’t you?! The hotel actually offers a Home Alone 2 experience to cash in on the famous film scenes, which lets you live the life of Kevin McAllister for a few days.
“The One in Vegas”
Not surprisingly, this episode features another one of Ross’ weddings, this time an unexpected, drunken wedding to Rachel. The gang headed to the casino capital of the world, featuring hysterical scenes involving Phoebe aka Regina Phalange and Joey in the casinos. With its casino scenes and setting, this episode mirrored the sudden rise in popularity of casino games in the early ’00s, which has continued way into the ’10s and beyond. Online casinos in particular are still so popular that specialist websites have popped up in an effort to help fans navigate the highly competitive market. These include free spins and no deposit bonuses, although players should keep in mind that the spins that require a deposit typically have a higher value, as one casino news and comparison website points out.
“The One with the Jellyfish”
This episode sticks in the mind most vividly for being the one where Chandler urinates on Monica to try and relieve the pain from the jellyfish sting she suffers. Another reason it is a very memorable episode is that they film at Leo Carrillo State Beach in Malibu, although it was supposedly set in Montauk – the focus of hit TV series The Affair. Surprisingly, Monica and Chandler’s relationship went from strength to strength after their eventful day at the beach.
“The One with the Screamer”
The screamer referred to in the title of this episode is Rachel’s date (played by Ben Stiller), who Ross sees screaming at people but the rest of the gang don’t believe him. Other notable parts of the episode are when Joey gets together with his theatrical co-star Kate. The scenes that Joey’s play is filmed at are in a real theatre – the Lucille Lortel Theatre, off-Broadway in New York.
What was your favorite Friends filming location? Let us know in the comments below.
Photos: Unsplash
