Here are 6 interesting facts about Friends that you may not have known

There's a music video for "I'll Be There for You" with the Friends cast

"I'll Be There For You" has become such an iconic theme song. It's one of the most recognizable tunes from a show, even if someone hasn't ever watched Friends. The comedy did switch up the intros as the seasons went on during the opening credits, and the Friends cast actually did a whole music video for the catchy song with the band who sings and recorded it - the Rembrandts. Watch it below!

"I'll Be There for You" was written by co-creators of the sitcom David Crane and Marta Kauffman, as well as Michael Skloff and Allee Willis. Following the success of the song on the radio in 1995, the Rembrandts decided to add two verses to it and made it longer. They added this version to their third studio album, "L.P." And it's the extended play that we get in the music video. How fun!

Jennifer Aniston may not have been Rachel Green

When you think about the role of Rachel, honestly no one could have played the character better than Jennifer Aniston. The writers and producers knew it from the start and so did the actress herself. Though due to other commitments, there was a chance that Aniston wouldn't have been able to take on the role. In 2015, Aniston spoke with Collider and shared that she had filmed six episodes of another show, though the network didn't think it would get picked up. So she continued to audition for other roles just in case, including Friends.

But when the other series did get picked up even though Aniston had been cast in Friends at this point, there were lots of calls between Sony and Warner Bros. to figure scheduling out.

"I had phone calls from girlfriends saying, 'I’m auditioning for your part in Friends.  Do you have any ideas?'  I was actually surprised that they were considering replacing me.  But then, thank god, they didn’t find anyone.  They just took the chance that [the other show] would fail after the two episodes that they had picked it up for.  I just did this back and forth with Sony and Warner Bros. for two weeks, and then it went away, poof, and Friends went great.  I had 10 years of the best schooling in the world."

Another fun fact - the creative team actually wanted Aniston to play Monica and Courtney Cox to play Rachel. At the time, the actresses didn't know that Aniston herself wanted the part of Rachel, and Cox wanted the role of Monica. Thankfully, the writers listened because the actress' gut feelings were definitely right.

Another way the iconic sitcom could have looked different is if the show went with the original idea that the Friends ensemble cast was supposed to only focus on four characters: Rachel, Monica, Ross, and Joey. Initially, Phoebe and Chandler were only going to be a part of the series in supporting roles as side characters. Could they be any more wrong? I'm so happy the writers didn't move forward with that plan. Phew!

Monica and Joey were supposed to be a couple

While it wasn't always in the plans for Monica and Chandler to become the main, and absolutely best, couple on the show, we're so glad they did! Their relationship is so great and one of my favorite aspects of the sitcom. While that night in London was supposed to happen, it was going to be a short fling. Or, what happens in London stays in London.

After this, Monica and Joey were supposed to become a long-term couple. But when the audience absolutely went crazy in the reveal that Monica and Chandler had spent the night together, the creative team changed course. Perhaps that's why there was that brief storyline of Joey thinking he was in love with Monica, going as far as having dreams of them doing the crossword together on the recliner.

Another duo that could have hooked up was Joey and Phoebe. In interviews, Matt LeBlanc has shared that toward the end of Friends, it was pitched that Joey and Phoebe had been having casual sex the whole time, and it would be a big reveal. But that story idea was scrapped. And honestly, I'm glad it was.

Chandler and Joey's dog statue was actually Jennifer Aniston’s

Pat the Dog was such a bizarrely hilarious statue for Joey to purchase on Friends. But, hey everyone has different tastes. When the soap opera star lands his job on Days of Our Lives, he gets himself a luxury apartment and buys all sorts of things, including the dog statue. Where did it even come from as it's not an item you see everyday? Well in real life, Pat belongs to Aniston herself!

It was given to her as a gift from one of her friends when she landed the role on Friends and was meant ot be a good luck present for her first day of shooting. The statue becomes a recurring item in the background. And Monica definitely hates it when Joey gifts it to Chandler. But Pat sticks around for the run of the series. And don't worry. Aniston got it back when the show came to an end!

Yes, Lisa Kudrow was really pregnant on Friends

The fact that Phoebe was the surrogate for her brother's triplets seemed like an eccentric storyline at the time, but it's now something that's common between families when it's difficult to conceive and get pregnant. The reason this was written into the comedy is because Lisa Kudrow was actually pregnant in real life with her son Julian Murray. And so, the pregnancy was included on the series.

When Rachel gets pregnant, this was solely a storyline for the series as Aniston was not pregnant in real life at the time, and she doesn't have any kids. Towards the end of the series, Cox was actually pregnant with her daughter Coco Arquette. But the writers decided not to include her pregnancy as it had already been established that Monica and Chandler couldn't have kids. It would have been a disservice to go through that whole storyline and then back out. Plus, adoption is wonderful and it was great to see it portrayed on such a popular show.

Matthew Perry's father appeared in Friends season 4

The late Matthew Perry's father, John Bennett Perry, actually made a cameo on Friends in season 4! This was episode 18, "The One with Rachel's New Dress." Rachel was dating Joshua at the time, and they decide to spend the evening at his parents' house when they think they have it all to themselves. But, Joshua's parents pop in having come back from their holiday away. Rachel is waiting for Joshua on the couch with an alluring nightdress on, but in walks his parents instead. And Joshua's dad is played by John.

This is a really fun cameo that the sitcom got, though it's a shame it couldn't be worked in somehow that Matthew and his dad appeared onscreen together in the episode. It's still a fun behind-the-scenes tidbit to know though, so I'll take it! Though you can see him and his son appear together in Perry's movie, Fools Rush In. John is an actor himself, known for projects like The Legend of the Lone Ranger, Little House on the Prairie, and Murder, She Wrote.

All 10 seasons of Friends are currently streaming on Max.