If you’re still waiting for a script where Ross and Rachel navigate the perils of TikTok parenting or Joey Tribbiani finally wins an Oscar, I’ve got some bad news. It’s 2026, and the "Central Perk" gang isn't coming back for a movie. Honestly, they probably never will.
The stars of friends now are living lives that look nothing like the 90s sitcom fantasy we keep on loop. Some have basically retired. Others are doubling down on "prestige" TV. And one is gone, leaving a hole in the group that changed everything.
It's been a weird few years for the cast. You've probably seen the fake trailers on YouTube—the ones with the somber piano music titled The One with Chandler's Funeral. Those are AI-generated junk. Don't fall for them. The real story of where these six people are today is actually way more interesting than a reboot script.
The Jennifer Aniston Longevity Machine
Jennifer Aniston is 56, but she’s essentially built a multi-million dollar empire around the idea of not aging. In early 2026, she’s all over the place with her Pvolve partnership. It’s not just a "celebrity face of the brand" thing; she’s leaned into functional fitness because, as she recently put it, the high-impact workouts of her 30s were "breaking" her.
She’s currently filming Season 5 of The Morning Show. That show is basically the anti-Friends. It’s dark, it’s stressful, and it pays her roughly $2 million an episode. When she isn't playing Alex Levy, she’s pushing her haircare line, LolaVie.
People always ask if she’s lonely. She’s fine. She lives in a $21 million Bel Air mansion with her dogs and reportedly stays in a "constant text thread" with Courteney Cox and Lisa Kudrow. She’s the anchor of the group.
Courteney Cox and the Scream Queen Era
Courteney Cox is back as Gale Weathers. Again.
In 2026, the buzz is all about Scream 7. After a ton of behind-the-scenes drama with the franchise, Cox is the steady hand. She’s the only actor to appear in every single movie of the series. Think about that. Monica Geller is the ultimate survivor.
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Off-camera, she’s obsessed with HomeCourt, her luxury home care brand. She’s turned into a bit of a lifestyle mogul. If you follow her on Instagram, you know she’s also become the "cool mom" to her daughter Coco, who is now an adult and frequently appears in videos with her "godmama" Jennifer Aniston.
Lisa Kudrow’s Massive 2026 Return
While the others do movies or skincare, Lisa Kudrow is doing the work that critics actually lose their minds over.
The biggest news for stars of friends now is the return of The Comeback. HBO Max (or Max, whatever we’re calling it this week) finally greenlit Season 3 for a 2026 release. Kudrow is back as Valerie Cherish, the cringiest, most desperate actress in Hollywood history.
It’s meta. It’s brilliant. It’s the polar opposite of Phoebe Buffay.
Kudrow has always been the smartest one in the room. She doesn’t chase the spotlight. She picks weird, intellectual projects and stays out of the tabloids. She’s been married to the same guy, Michel Stern, since 1995. In Hollywood years, that’s basically a century.
Why Matt LeBlanc Basically Quit
This is the part that makes fans sad, but you have to respect it.
After Matthew Perry passed away in late 2023, Matt LeBlanc changed. They were brothers. Sources close to him say the loss hit him harder than anyone realized. As of 2026, LeBlanc has effectively stepped away from acting.
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He’s 58 now. He’s got enough money to never look at a script again, and that’s exactly what he’s doing. He spends most of his time at RPM Motorcars, a high-end dealership he co-owns in Sherman Oaks.
- He isn't "reclusive," he’s just done.
- You’ll see him occasionally running errands in Encino.
- He’s focused on his daughter, Marina.
- He’s living the quiet life Joey Tribbiani never could.
David Schwimmer: The Director in the Shadows
David Schwimmer was always the "actor's actor." In 2026, he’s mostly moved back to his roots in Chicago and New York.
He still does the occasional big project—like the Disney+ Goosebumps anthology—but his heart is at the Lookingglass Theatre Company. He’s directing more than he’s acting. He’s also been incredibly vocal lately about social issues, specifically his work with the Rape Foundation and fighting antisemitism.
Schwimmer is the one who most resents being "just Ross." He’s spent twenty years proving he’s a formidable director and a serious stage presence. If you want to see him, don't look at a movie theater marquee; look at a playbill in Chicago.
The Matthew Perry Legacy
We can't talk about the stars of friends now without talking about the Matthew Perry Foundation.
It’s been over two years since we lost him. The foundation is now a major player in addiction recovery advocacy. His family and his long-time manager, Lisa Kasteler, are running it with the goal of "destigmatizing the disease."
The remaining five stars have been very careful about how they talk about him. They don't do big, exploitative interviews. They show up for the foundation's gala events, and they keep his memory private. It’s the one thing that still binds them together in a way that feels heavy and real.
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Reality Check: Will There Ever Be a 2026 Reunion?
No. Stop asking.
The 2021 HBO special was the goodbye. The creators, Marta Kauffman and David Crane, have said a thousand times that they won't do a scripted revival. Why? Because the show was about that specific time in your life when your friends are your family. Once you have your own family, the show is over.
Seeing them sit on a couch in their 50s and 60s trying to recreate 1994 would be depressing. The "magic" isn't there because the world they lived in—the one without iPhones and where you could afford a massive West Village apartment on a waitress's salary—doesn't exist anymore.
What You Should Do Instead
If you’re a die-hard fan looking for a fix, don't waste time on rumors. Here is what's actually worth your time in 2026:
- Watch The Comeback on Max: If you want to see Lisa Kudrow at her absolute peak, this is it. It’s better than Friends. Yeah, I said it.
- Support the Matthew Perry Foundation: If you want to honor the show’s legacy, check out the work they’re doing for recovery. It’s the "one thing" Perry wanted to be remembered for.
- Skip the AI YouTube Trailers: They’re clickbait designed to steal your data and break your heart. If it isn't on a verified Deadline or Hollywood Reporter page, it’s fake.
The cast has moved on. Maybe it’s time we do too, while keeping the DVDs (or the 4K streams) on standby for a rainy Sunday. They aren't "Friends" anymore; they're actors, parents, and business owners who just happen to have the most famous roommates in history.
Stay skeptical of the "reunion" headlines. The real lives of the stars of friends now are much quieter, much richer, and much more human than anything a screenwriter could cook up.