Fans of Friends are calling for stars David Schwimmer and Jennifer Aniston to become a real-life couple after the actors revealed how they almost had an off-screen romance when they started filming the show.
On Thursday, the pair appeared on the long-awaited Friends reunion episode alongside the show’s other cast members.
They were asked by host James Corden if there had ever been any romantic feelings between each of them when the show started in the 1990s.
Aniston and Schwimmer, who played on-off love interests Rachel Green and Ross Gellar in the sitcom, immediately looked at one another in response to the question.
Schwimmer said: “The first season I had a major crush on Jen – we were both crushing hard on one another, but it was like two ships passing ‘cause one of us was always in a relationship and we never crossed that boundary.”
Aniston added that her co-star’s feelings were “reciprocated”, recalling how the two of them would “spoon and fall asleep on the couch” during rehearsals.
She even remembered telling him: “It’s going to be such a bummer if the first time you and I kiss is going to be on national television”.
While a romance between the two actors never happened in real life, Aniston said they wound up “channelling all [their] adoration and love for one another into Ross and Rachel”.
As a result, fans of the show are fervidly calling for the two actors, neither of whom are believed to be currently married, to get together now.
“I ship them so hard #Jenvid,” wrote one person, using a hashtag of a portmanteau that combines the actor’s two names.
Another added: “I’m manifesting Jenvid now. Real life Ross and Rachel.”
Some fans said that their could-have-been romance was the perfect example of meeting the right person at the wrong time.
“I just cant get my head around that Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer ADMITTED their feelings in front of the whole world and talked about how it was never the right time,” wrote one person. “They are the DEFINITION of right person wrong time ITS TRUE.”
Others noted how their real-life feelings elevated their on-screen romance.
“Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer expressed their feelings for each through Ross and Rachel. No wonder they are one of the biggest tv couples in the world,” one person tweeted.
“Knew it!! The chemistry was unmistakable!!” another added.
