Welcome! To the first edition of my new weekly newsletter movies, etc., where I will be writing mostly about movies, but also about anything I want (books, TV, sports, etc.). For this first piece I decided to keep it simple and write about an obvious topic, the question at the top of all of our minds: which characters from Friends are the characters from Fast & Furious?
Since the release of the Friends reunion on HBO Max, I’ve been watching through the show for the first time. I had seen a few episodes here and there before, and tried to watch it on Netflix in high school but barely made it past the pilot. I won’t comment on my reaction to it now at length, as “it’s good and funny” is hardly a hot take for one of the most popular shows of all time. In anticipation of Fast & Furious 9 in a few weeks, I’ve also been rewatching the F&F movies in chronological order (1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 3, 7, 8, I have no interest in Hobbs & Shaw). As of now, I’m three movies into the series and 15 episodes into Friends.
My case for comparing the two is pretty much just that I happen to be watching them both, BUT there is more similarity than meets the eye. According to the producers of Friends, the original pitch for the show was that it’s about “that time in your life when your friends are your family,” which is arguably exactly what the Fast & Furious movies are about as well. Both also feature big, hot, ensemble casts. However, despite my extensive research, I was unable to find a single actor appearing in both series.
Now: time for the main event. There were some tough decisions here, and it’s important to note that I made them mostly arbitrarily. Both groups of friends center around a pair of siblings (Toretto, Geller), so I started from there.
Dominic ‘Dom’ Toretto is Monica Geller
Monica isn’t the “main character” of Friends (there isn’t one), but most of the show is set in her apartment. She is the glue that binds the gang together—Ross is her brother, Rachel is her friend from high school, etc. Likewise, Dom is not the main character of the original F&F movies but is the clear leader and heart of the crew. Both characters are the ultimate authority in their house: just like the green ottoman can’t be moved, at Dom’s you can have any brew you want—as long as it’s a Corona.
Mia Toretto is Ross Geller
I decided that Mia is Ross mostly because she is Dom/Monica’s sister. Mia is the least involved in criminal and racing activity in the series, as Ross is the only friend to live separate from the gang in his own apartment. Mia and Ross both have sons, and end up dating their siblings’ friends after a troubled previous love life.
Brian O’Connor is Rachel Green
Brian and Rachel are blonde. They are new additions to the friend groups in the first installment of both series, and of course end up with Mia and Ross, respectively. Additionally, both Brian and Rachel are kinda dumb and bad at their jobs.
Leticia “Letty” Ortiz is Chandler Bing
Letty is obviously Chandler because she is Dom/Monica’s girlfriend. Letty and Chandler both act like they’re better than everyone else, but below their snarky exteriors they have big hearts and care deeply about their friends. When I was a kid, I thought both Letty and Chandler were the coolest characters in their respective series. To be clear, Letty still is.
With those eight out of the way, that leaves us with Phoebe, Joey, and a slew of recurring characters in the Fast & Furious series. Since I’ve only rewatched The Fast and the Furious, 2 Fast 2 Furious, and Fast & Furious so far, Han and Gisele aren’t central yet (and I don’t care for the Rock), so two options remain.
Roman Pearce is Phoebe Buffay
As the “weird” one, Phoebe was hard to assign to a character, but ultimately Roman is the best choice. Like Phoebe, Roman has wildcard energy and a musical background, being played by Tyrese (granted, Ludacris is also in these movies and much more famous). Phoebe also loves to overshare, another thing she has in common with Tyrese.
Tej Parker is Joey Tribiani
Why is Tej Joey? Process of elimination (and they’re both horny).
And that’s a wrap! Thanks for taking the time to read this newsletter. You’re welcome for writing it. Stay tuned for another post next Thursday because Thursday is the day I finished writing this one!
Spot on, great piece mate