Anna Faris felt 'inappropriate' taking part in ‘Friends’ cast’s ‘sentimental group hugs’

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Anna Faris has reflected on her time as part of the cast of ‘Friends’ during the show's final season.

The ‘Scary Movie 6’ star, who played Erica, the birth mother of Monica and Chandler's adopted children on the iconic sitcom, shared in an interview that she felt “inappropriate” to be part of the cast’s “group hug”.

Anna Faris says participating in group hugs with 'Friends' stars felt 'wrong'

Faris was first seen in ‘Friends’ in the ninth episode of season 10, titled ‘The One with the Birth Mother’. She then reappeared in four more episodes, including the first part of the finale, where she delivered the twins.

Recalling those days, the comedian, 49, revealed to Variety, “I do remember like these sentimental group hugs. We would [have] finished rehearsal, and standing on the floor, and I would be the only person that would be about two feet away from the group hug.”

Faris further revealed that the cast of the series did not want her to feel excluded, so “they would be like, ‘Come on, come on,' which also felt inappropriate.”

The actress shared that she felt emotional at the time and also told the actors of the show that “this feels wrong”.

Anna Faris loved 'getting to shoot in front of a live audience'

‘Friends’ was based on the lives of six people, and apart from Courteney Cox’s Monica and Matthew Perry’s Chandler, other cast members were Lisa Kudrow as Phoebe Buffay, Jennifer Aniston as Rachel Green, David Schwimmer as Ross Geller, and Matt LeBlanc as Joey Tribbiani.

However, now Faris knows it was “so special,” and she loved “getting to shoot in front of the live audience.”

“Those people in that audience really knew what it meant to get to witness the end of this incredible show,” she added.

Anna Faris said she felt honored to work with late Matthew Perry

In 2024, Faris had talked about sharing screen space with Perry, who died in 2023.

She told PEOPLE, “It was an honor, and he was just an incredible person. I wish I knew him better. It feels a little audacious for me to speak too much about somebody that I felt like I had brief interactions with, but they were wonderful, and I am honored to be a part of the show.”

The ‘House Bunny’ star also disclosed that it was Perry who recommended her for the role after seeing her in ‘Lost in Translation’.

“I worked mostly with Courteney and Matthew, and they were unbelievable to me. They were so kind. I mean, it was such an intimidating idea. I mean, to give birth on Friends. Friends? The final season?” Faris asserted.