How Has Friends Really Impacted The Lives Of These Celebrities?

It's no secret that the popular television series "Friends" had a lasting impact on its viewers. But as it turns out, it also immensely affected the lives of the stars who appeared on the famous show as well — along with a few celebrity fans, ranging from musicians to athletes.

As reported by Harper's Bazaar, the highly anticipated HBO Max special "Friends: The Reunion" premiered on May 27, 2021 — and ever since stans of the show caught wind of the homecoming, they have been spinning their wheels eagerly waiting for its release and lapping up every single second of press the cast has done in preparation. That press also included the cast recounting the many ways that the famous show changed the course of their lives forever. Some clearly more so than others.

Keep reading after the jump to learn the different ways that "Friends" left a lasting impact on famous celebrities' lives — including big names like Lady Gaga, BTS, and the show's own stars, namely Jennifer Aniston and Matthew Perry.

As the celebrity guests shared during the "Friends" reunion, the beloved sitcom had a significant impact on their lives.

Korean boyband BTS had a particularly close relationship to the show, per The Independent. Their rapper Kim Namjoon, known to fans as RM, recalled how his mom bought the DVDs for him while he was in elementary school. "Friends really had a big hand in teaching me English," he revealed, adding that the show also taught him "about life and true friendship." The rest of the band expressed their love for the series as well.

And they weren't the only musical icons who were affected by the show. When Lady Gaga joined the reunion to perform a rendition of "Smelly Cat" with Lisa Kudrow, she thanked her for representing the misfits of the world, as Vulture reported. The pop star paid tribute to the character of Phoebe for being "the different one, or the one that was really herself."

David Beckham, on the other hand, related to a different character. "I'd have to say I'm most like Monica, because I'm a clean freak," the footballer claimed, according to the BBC. He also explained that the show means a lot to him because it always makes him "smile" when he's traveling and missing his family.

Jennifer Aniston has carved out a successful career for herself but many are still quick to attach her to her famous former husband, Brad Pitt. As you may recall, Pitt played the role of a character who belonged to a club aptly titled the "I hate Rachel" club on "Friends." During a press interview with Access, Aniston was asked about her former husband's 2001 guest appearance on the series while the two were still married. "Mr. Pitt was wonderful," Aniston declared. At least the former celeb couple will always have "Friends." Sigh.

Matthew Perry is yet another cast member who credits the show for impacting his life forever. Perry famously went on the record with BBC Radio 2 (via Business Insider) stating that there were three whole years of filming that he doesn't remember due to his addiction struggles. "A little bit of the time, I was pretty out of it," he added about the dark period.

During a 2013 interview with People (via E! News), the actor explained that his issues started three years prior to joining "Friends," but by the time he was in his heyday on the show, things had taken a turn for the worse. "I was never high at work. I was painfully hung over. Then eventually things got so bad I couldn't hide it and everybody knew," he confessed.

Fortunately, Perry did get sober and according to a source for In Touch, the thespian is "is doing better than he has in a long time."

If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).