The highly-anticipated Friends reunion is already in the works. But a tabloid claimed that it is not yet in the bag as the feud between stars Jennifer Aniston and Matt LeBlanc is putting the show in jeopardy.
It has been confirmed that HBO Max will air a special Friends reunion along with all the previous episodes of the sitcom. It was also announced that all six lead cast members of the show will return for the reunion.
However, New Idea published a story this week claiming otherwise. It alleged that there is an on-going rift between Aniston and LeBlanc. The actor is reportedly hesitant to reprise his role as Joey Tribbiani because of "tensions" with Jen.
The tabloid also recalled that rumors in the past that the two had an affair while filming the NBC sitcom. Then it cited a source as saying Jen and Matt have an "uneasy friendship" because the latter view The Morning Show actress as "snobby and above it all." It also suggested that maybe a "billion-dollar payday" could somehow persuade the actors to set their differences aside.
Gossip Cop dismissed the rumor, stressing that Aniston and LeBlanc remain as friends even after their show ended in 2004. A spokesperson for LeBlanc also dismissed the article.
Gossip Cop also noted that there is no truth in the rumor that Jen and Matt dated during the filming of Friends. Many have known that Aniston was dating Brad Pitt for the most part of her stint in the TV sitcom.
Aniston and Pitt started dating in 1998. They got married in July 2000 but ended their relationship in January 2005.
The publication also stressed that it wasn't clear what is the "tensions" between the stars that New Idea is talking about. Aniston, LeBlanc, and the other four cast members of Friends are close pals on and off the screen. When Aniston launched her Instagram account in October 2019, her first post was a photo of her and the five cast members of Friends.
It is also not true that the actors will receive a "billion-dollar" paycheck for the Friends reunion. According to The Hollywood Reporter, all six actors-Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer, and Matthew Perry-negotiated for their pay together. Apparently, they will be paid between $2.5 million to $3 million each for the special. During the original run of Friends, each of the six actors earned $1 million per episode.
The Friends reunion is expected to air at the launch of HBO Max in May 2020. Aside from the six lead cast members, series creators and EPs Marta Kauffman, David Crane, and Kevin Bright will once again produce the special.
