12 Photos of the Friends Cast Before They Were Famous That Will Make You Ridiculously Happy

It’s really hard to believe that the last time an original episode of Friends aired was on May 6, 2004. Yes, it’s been 12 years since a latte was had at Central Perk. Luckily, we haven’t had to miss the gang too much because, well, Netflix.

We also still obsessively keep up with what the main cast members—Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, and David Schwimmer—are up to today, so it’s hard to even remember what they looked like as bright-eyed, fresh-faced newbie actors back when Friends first premiered 22 years ago. So let’s take a trip back in time and look at the amazing press photos the cast took before they had any idea that Friends was going to become a pop-culture phenomenon. These photos are pure ’90s awesomeness and give a really sweet peek at their lives before everything changed.

This show is about six friends who love to hang out at a coffee house—sure, let’s give them some empty mugs to drive the point home.

In case you couldn’t tell by the pig-tail braids, Phoebe Buffay is supposed to be quirky!

Ahh, the ultimate “awkward family photo” on that infamous fountain. How much do you want to bet that there was a serious debate about who should stand next to whom to not incite any early speculation about which characters would couple off?

How YOU doin’? Matt LeBlanc looks like a baby in this pic…

Jen and Court clearly bonding from the beginning—how could you not when you’re posing head-to-head, knee-to-knee on day one?

Serious question: Did they take these pictures at a high school prom photo booth? Look at that backdrop!

Before the haircut that changed Jennifer Aniston’s life forever. Raise your hand if you didn’t at least try to have your stylist give you some variation of “the Rachel”?

Chandler Bing in a denim shirt and vest—could he BE anymore ’90s?

What we love about this shot? Except for the last episode, when did we ever get to see Monica and Rachel’s apartment empty?

David Schwimmer probably had no idea when this photo was taken that the phrase “we were on a break” would become a big hit.

When the show was cast, Courteney Cox was considered the biggest “name” of the group. We think everyone did a pretty good job catching up to her!

Aww. They were there for us then and they’re there for us now.