- The main cast of "
Friends " reunited for an unscripted special forHBO Max , released Thursday. David Schwimmer said he andJennifer Aniston were "crushing hard on each other" early on the show.- He said they never dated because they were never single at the same time.
The "Friends" costars Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer say they had a major crush on each other at the start of the hit sitcom, but kept things professional.
The two actors, known for their roles as the on-again, off-again couple Rachel Green and Ross Geller, opened up about their feelings for each other during HBO Max's unscripted "Friends" reunion special, released Thursday.
"Friends: The Reunion" was hosted by James Corden and centered on the six main stars - Aniston, Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow (Phoebe Buffay), Courteney Cox (Monica Geller), Matthew Perry (Chandler Bing), and Matt LeBlanc (Joey Tribbiani) - reminiscing about the hit show that lasted for 10 years.
Asked whether there were any off-screen romances among the "Friends" stars, Aniston turned to Schwimmer.
"The first season, I had a major crush on Jen," Schwimmer said. "And I think at some point we were both crushing hard on each other."
The actor went on to say they never acted on their feelings for each other because they were never single at the same time.
"It was like two ships passing because one of us was always in a relationship and we never crossed that boundary," Schwimmer said. "We respected that."
In response, LeBlanc jokingly said: "Bulls---."
Aniston elaborated on their mutual interest in each other while mentioning Ross and Rachel's iconic first kiss on the sitcom, which took place during season two, episode seven.
"I remember saying one time to David, 'It's going to be such a bummer if the first time you and I actually kiss is going to be on national television,'" the "Morning Show" star said.
She continued: "Sure enough, the first time we kissed was in that coffee shop. So, we just channeled all of our love and adoration for each other into Ross and Rachel."
Schwimmer also recalled him and Aniston being flirty with each other when the cameras weren't rolling.
"I thought back on the very first year or two when we'd have breaks from rehearsal," he said. "There were moments where we would cuddle on a couch. And I'm thinking, 'How did everyone not know we were crushing on each other?'"
"We knew for sure," Cox chimed in.
Cox said she recently rewatched the scene in which Ross and Rachel finally kissed for the first time and found herself "weeping." The "Scream" actor added that if her costars had dated and then split, the show might not have been as great.
"The tension, it was just palpable," she said. "It was just perfect. I'm so glad you guys didn't."