Emmy Nominations Received by Every Guest on Friends & Who Actually Won

Various guest stars appeared on Friends who got critical acclaim, and their performance resulted in earning Emmy Nominations, but some of them actually won.

Friends is a classic American sitcom released in 1994 on the NBC platform, consisting of 10 seasons. Friends series had a lot of pleasant reviews from many critics during its original run. Friends series earned 62 Emmy Nominations from the main cast’s performances and various guest appearances, but only 6 Emmy Nominations Friends won.

However, the Academy snubbed Courteney Cox from the options, and the rest of the cast earned one Emmy Nominations each, but Jennifer Aniston and Lisa Kudrow won. Besides the main characters, Friends Emmy Nominations were received by various popular guest stars who got recognition from The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

Guest Appearances on Friends Received Emmy Nominations

Christina Pickles

A British-American Actress, Christina Pickles, played the role of Monica Geller (Courteney Cox) and Ross Geller’s (David Schwimmer) mother Judy Geller, for which she received Emmy Nominations.

The popular actress not only received Emmy Nominations from of the Friends Series but also earned five previous nominations for the Outstanding Supporting Actress in another Drama Series, named St. Elsewhere. In the Drama Series, she played the role of Nurse Helen Rosenthal.

Christina Pickles received Emmy Nominations only for the first season of the classic sitcom Friends. But Cindy Lauper won against her, who performed one of the best roles of guest stars on the series Mad About You. Although Christina constantly appeared in the Friends series in almost 19 episodes but didn’t receive another nomination.

Marlo Thomas

Margaret Julia “Marlo” Thomas, a popular American actress and Television icon, another parental figure on the Friends, received Emmy Nominations. Marlo Thomas played the role of Rachel Green’s (Jennifer Aniston) mother, and she did a fantastic job in it.

Marlo Thomas was popularly known for the series That Girl, for which she received 4 Emmy Nominations. Marlo Thomas won an Emmy Nomination for the leading role in Nobody’s Child, a movie made-for-television.

Marlo Thomas took up the role of Sandra Green, who came to live with her daughter Rachel Green and was somewhat overbearing. Her performance in the classic sitcom in the episode “The One With The Lesbian Wedding” in season 2, she received an Emmy Nomination but lost over to Betty White for The John Larroquette Show.

Tom Selleck

An American actor and film producer, Tom Selleck, got the highest praise in the Friends series as the major guest appearance in the Friends Season 2. Tom Selleck was popularly known for the well-liked crime drama Magnum, P.I.

In the Friends Series, Dr Richard Bruke, a dentist, became the boyfriend of Monica Geller (Courteney Cox). The couple became popular throughout the series, and he was the much older boyfriend in season 2.

In the year 2000, Tom Selleck got nominated for an Outstanding Guest Actor in the Comedy Series, but another Friends’ guest actor, Bruce Willis, won the award. And Tom Selleck was an Emmy Winner in 1984 for his leading role in the crime drama Magnum, P.I.

Susan Saradon

In the 1990s, Susan Saradon, one of the most iconic actresses, appeared as a guest star in the Friends comedy series. Susan Saradon started her career in the 1970s and bloomed in the 1980s. Susan Saradon, an American actress and activist, is a kind who attracted loud applause when she first appeared in the Friends TV Show.

Susan Sarandon played the role of Cecilia Monroe, a co-star on the Days of Our Lives Show, with Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc). Because of Joey’s charms, Cecilia had an affair with Joey and stayed the night at Joey’s apartment.

In the year 2001, The Academy recognized Susan Saradon’s efforts with a nomination for Emmys, but Jean Smart won the award for the Fraiser Series. Till now, Susan Saradon didn’t receive any Emmy awards though she was nominated in six of them.

Gary Oldman

An English actor and filmmaker, Gary Oldman, has been known for the countless number of movies. Gary Oldman’s performance in the Friends Series made him all the more successful. Gary played the role of another co-actor working with Joey Tribbiani, Richard Crosby.

Joey Tribbiani loved Gary Oldman and was honoured to work with him on the set. Joey’s image of Richard as a respected actor got doubtful when he saw him drunk and not able to perform his role, and Richard’s drunken behaviour almost cost Joey lose his best-friends wedding.

The work of Gary Oldman on the sets was hilarious, because of which he was nominated for Outstanding Guest Actor from The Academy for Emmys. But Gary Oldman didn’t win the Emmy Nominations; instead, Derek Jacobi for the series Fraisier won the award. Shockingly, Gary Oldman hasn’t received any other Emmy Nomination since.

Brad Pitt

In the year 2001, Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt were the popular Hollywood Couple. During that time, the Friends series was on its way to success, because of which Brad Pitt took the role of Monica’s Friend to appear in the Friends Series.

The famous American actor and film producer Brad Pitt appeared in only one episode of the Friends Series, “The One With The Rumor”. He took the role of Will Colbert, who was a former classmate of Monica, Rachel and Ross. Ross and Will were best friends who started cruel rumours for Rachel, who was a mean girl.

Brad Pitt’s amazing performance in the series resulted in receiving Emmy Nominations in the year 2002. However, instead of Brad Pitt, the Award for the Outstanding Guest Actor was won by Anthony LaPaglia for the popular series Frasier.

Hank Azaria

An American actor and comedian, Hank Azaria, made his Friends Debut in season 1. Hank took on the role of a lovely scientist named David who falls in love with Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow). Throughout the series, Hank appeared for short moments, and Phoebe and David faced a lot of challenges in their relationship.

At the start of David and Phoebe’s relationship, their love abruptly ends as David has to go to Minsk for his research. In Friends Season 7, David returns to New York for only one day, and Phoebe spends the whole day with David, but then he has to go back.

The Academy chose Hank for a nomination of Outstanding Guest Actor in the Friends series in 2003. But the award was won by Gene Wilder, who appeared as a guest on Will & Grace. Nonetheless, Hank Azaria won Emmys six times, where he claimed five trophies for voicing the amazing characters in The Simpsons.

Danny DeVito

An American actor, film producer, director and screenwriter, Danny DeVito, became popular from his role as a taxi dispatcher in the famous series named Taxi. In the Friends Season 10, episode “The One With The Stripper”, Danny entered the comedy sitcom as a male stripper.

Danny DeVito’s hilarious role in the Friends sitcom as a male stripper for Phoebe’s bachelorette party was amazing. Because of it, Danny got nominated for Emmy’s Award in 2004. But John Turturro for Monk won the award. Danny DeVito has won Emmys Nominations for his role in Taxi in the year 1981.

Guest Actors Who Won Friends Emmy Nominations

Bruce Willis Emmy

A popular American actor, Bruce Willis, appeared in the popular sitcom because of Matthew Perry. Bruce and Matthew knew each other as the co-stars from The Whole Nine Yards. Both of them placed a bet on something, and Bruce lost the bet, so he had to appear in the Friends Show.

Bruce Willis was present in three episodes of the Friends series as Elizabeth’s father, Paul Stevens. Elizabeth, a young girl, was a student of Ross Geller (David Schwimmer) who became a couple for the time being in the series. Because of this, Ross met with Paul, who didn’t agree with their relationship. But Paul then met with Rachel and had an affair.

The Friends writers gave some of their best material to Bruce Willis, and he played it brilliantly. The Academy considered Bruce Willis for Emmy Nominations in the year 2000, and Bruce Willis won the award for The Outstanding Guest Actor in the comedy series. Bruce was already a winner of Emmys in 1987 for the main role in Moonlighting, another classic sitcom.

Christina Applegate Emmy

Friends Emmy Nominations were won by another guest actor from the comedy series, Christina Applegate. Christina Applegate, an American actress, made her Friends Debut in season 10. Christina came as Amy Green, Rachel Green’s sister, who came to learn something from her amazing sister.

Christina’s performance in the series was loved by all, and the Academy, in the year 2003, gave her an Emmy Award for the Outstanding Guest Actress in the Friends Series. Christina was again nominated for the same, but she lost it to Laura Linney for Frasier.