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Entertainment

‘Friends’ Flashback: See All of Rachel’s Boyfriends Then and Now

You know Ross and Joey, but what about these other former 'Friends' flames — see how they've changed!

By Meredith Bodgas
Rachel's boyfriends on Friends
NBC/Getty

Friends is one of the most beloved sitcoms of all time, and this is due in large part to its charismatic cast. Of course, we all know and love Jennifer Aniston as Rachel, Lisa Kudrow as Phoebe and Courteney Cox as Monica, but there were also a lot of beloved supporting characters — specifically, the wide variety of men on Friends, who were Rachel’s boyfriends throughout the show’s nearly 10-year run.

While Rachel dated some of the main characters like Joey (Matt LeBlanc) and Ross (David Schwimmer), she also had a number of flings with less-familiar faces (including A-listers, like Bruce Willis, thrown in for good measure).

Here’s a look back at Rachel’s most memorable boyfriends on Friends, along with an update on what they’ve been up to since the show ended.

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  1. Barry Farber (Mitchell Whitfield)

    Side-by-side of Mitchell Whitfield then and now
    Mitchell Whitfield Left: 1994; Right: 2023 NBC; @mitchell.whitfield/Instagram
    In the debut episode of the show, Rachel left this caddish orthodontist at the altar. She had good reason to do this, as he turned out to be a serial cheater. In recent years, the actor who played him, Mitchell Whitfield, has carved out a prolific career in voiceover work, with credits in kids' shows like Doc McStuffins, Transformers: Robots in Disguise and Vampirina.

  3. Paolo (Cosimo Fuso)

    Side-by-side of Cosimo Fusco then and now
    Cosimo Fusco Left: 1994; Right: 2022 NBC; Pablo Cuadra/Getty
    In season one, Rachel started seeing this Italian stud and made Ross super jealous. However, the relationship soon came to an end when he put the moves on Phoebe. Since then, actor Cosimo Fusco has had parts in movies like Angels & Demons and The Man Who Invented Christmas and shows like Rome and The Mentalist. He's also acted in a number of European movies and shows.

  5. Ross Geller (David Schwimmer)

    Side-by-side of David Schwimmer then and now
    David Schwimmer Left: 1999; Right: 2022 Hulton Archive/Getty; Dominik Bindl/Getty
    No discussion of Friends is complete without Ross and Rachel. Their on-again off-again relationship is the heart of the show, and they ultimately end up together and have a baby — with a lot of ups and downs along the way, of course. Since Friends ended, actor David Schwimmer has appeared on a variety of other shows, including American Crime Story, Feed the Beast, Will & Grace and Intelligence. 

  6. Mark Robinson (Steven Eckholdt)

    Side-by-side of Steven Eckholdt then and now
    Steven Eckholdt Left: 1997; Right: 2023 NBC; @lc1pr/Instagram
    Rachel’s caring coworker dated her after she and Ross broke up. Once Rachel realizes she's only been dating Mark to get back at Ross, she recognizes that the relationship can't go on. Steven Eckholdt hasn't acted since 2016, but after Friends wrapped he did make a few TV appearances, in shows like Castle, Bones and Rizzoli & Isles. 

  7. Joshua Burgin (Tate Donovan)

    Side-by-side of Tate Donovan then and now
    Tate Donovan Left: 1997; Right: 2023 Kevin Mazur/WireImage/Getty; Taylor Hill/FilmMagic/Getty
    Joshua is a newly-divorced guy who Rachel dates in season four. He could be good for Rachel, but ultimately her obsession with Ross' relationship puts an end to things. Tate Donovan has been acting steadily since Friends ended, with roles in shows like Damages and the reboot of MacGyver and movies like Respect and Rocketman. 

  9. Danny (George Newbern)

    Side-by-side of George Newbern then and now
    George Newbern Left: 1998; Right: 2023 NBC; Jason Bollenbacher/Getty for SXSW
    Beneath the wild facial hair Danny grew during his time in the Andes (which led to him being called "The Yeti") is a sweet boyfriend who seems like a good fit for Rachel — that is, until she becomes suspicious of his too-close relationship with his sister. George Newbern has since acted (sans giant beard) in shows like Scandal and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

  10. Paul Stevens (Bruce Willis)

    Side-by-side of Bruce Willis then and now
    Bruce Willis Left: 2000; Right: 2019 Hulton Archive/Getty; Jim Spellman/WireImage/Getty
    Bruce Willis was already an A-lister when he appeared on Friends, as an older man who Rachel dates while Ross dates his daughter. Since appearing on Friends, Willis acted in dozens of action movies, but he sadly had to step away from Hollywood in 2022, following a diagnosis of dementia.

  11. Tag Jones (Eddie Cahill)

    Side-by-side of Eddie Cahill then and now
    Eddie Cahill Left: 2000; Right: 2016 NBC/Newsmakers/Hulton Archive/Getty; Mike Windle/Getty
    Rachel hired Tag to be her assistant — and though he was highly unqualified for the job, she was swayed by his good looks and they started dating. However, she soon realizes that he's not mature enough to date. In recent years, Eddie Cahill has been in shows like Conviction, NCIS: New Orleans and Blue Bloods.

  13. Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc)

    Side-by-side of Matt LeBlanc then and now
    Matt LeBlanc Left: 1998; Right: 2016 Mathieu Polak/Sygma/ Sygma via Getty; David M. Benett/Getty
    Fans thought Rachel might wind up with Joey when he accidentally proposed to her after she gave birth, but it wasn't meant to be. As two of the main characters, they had to try out a romance at some point, even though Rachel and Ross ultimately ended up together. Joey got his own spinoff show in 2004 and Matt LeBlanc has since starred in shows like Episodes and Man With a Plan. 

  14. Gavin Mitchell (Dermot Mulroney)

    Side-by-side of Dermot Mulroney then and now
    Dermot Mulroney Left: 2003; Right: 2023 NBC; Monica Schipper/WireImage/Getty
    Gavin Mitchell started out as Rachel's maternity leave fill-in at work and then briefly became her boyfriend. Dermot Mulroney already had been in many movies and shows before he was on Friends in 2003, and since then he's shown up in movies like Scream VI and shows like Hanna and Secret Invasion, among many other credits.   
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