David Schwimmer Addressed The Rumors That He And Jennifer Aniston Are Now Dating In Real Life

If the whispers are to be believed, David Schwimmer and Jennifer Aniston are now an item. Ross and Rachel are probably one of the most iconic on-screen couples ever – and fans would go wild to see the actors get together in real life! But is it true? As the speculation continues to gather pace, Schwimmer has provided an answer.

Love off camera?

From the moment that Aniston and Schwimmer first appeared in Friends as Rachel Green and Ross Geller, people have wondered about their bond. Did it ever mirror that of their characters? Was love in the air away from the cameras? This sort of speculation arose almost as frequently as Ross and Rachel had the argument about being on a break!

The catalyst

What prompted the latest round of rumors about Schwimmer and Aniston’s relationship, though? After all, Friends ended in 2004 following a decade-long run on the small screen. Well, it ties back to their appearance on the hugely anticipated television broadcast Friends: The Reunion, which aired on HBO Max in May 2021.

One question

As the title suggests, this special brought the main cast back together again to reminisce about the program. They were joined by James Corden, who acted as the moderator. Anyway, Corden posed one question in particular that got fans very excited. He wondered if romance had ever blossomed between the stars away from the set.

“Major crush”

At that stage, Schwimmer responded, “I had a major crush on Jen.” Aniston then added, “It was reciprocated.” Wow! That alone would’ve been enough for all Hell to break loose on social media. Yet the duo didn’t stop there. As it turned out, they both had more to say on the matter in front of the cameras.

Poor timing

Schwimmer said, “At some point, we were crushing hard on each other. But it was like two ships passing because one of us was always in a relationship, and we never crossed that boundary. We respected that.” Oh, what could have been, right? We can only imagine how people would’ve reacted back then if it had actually happened.

First kiss

Following Schwimmer’s response, Aniston reflected on a personally significant moment. She recalled, “Honestly, I remember saying one time to David, ‘It’s going to be such a bummer if the first time you and I actually kiss is going to be on national television.’ Sure enough, [it] was in that coffee shop.”

Big bombshell

Then, Aniston went on to add, “We just channeled all of our adoration and love for each other into Ross and Rachel.” That whole exchange must’ve felt like a bombshell to long-time followers of the show – especially those mad for love to blossom. They had been so close to seeing their fantasies come to life!

Further gossip

And surprisingly, there was more to come on this juicy topic. You see, not long after Friends: The Reunion hit the small screen, Aniston made an appearance on The Howard Stern Show. The Hollywood actress dropped in with her former co-stars Lisa Kudrow and Courteney Cox in June 2021.

A hot topic

Given what had been said on the special, the subject of Aniston and Schwimmer’s feelings for each other was hotter than ever. Who wouldn’t want to dig for additional details? Luckily, the Friends star was more than willing to share them with the world when the conversation veered in that direction.

“It wouldn’t have worked”

Aniston said, “We were in relationships, and it was always never the right time, and it wouldn’t have worked. The beauty of that was that whatever feelings we had we just literally channeled everything into Ross and Rachel. And I think that’s maybe why it resonated the way it did.”

Concrete confirmation

“But no, we never, on my life [got together],” Aniston continued. “And Courteney and Lisa would know if it did because they would’ve heard about it. They can vouch for me. I would proudly say I [slept with] Schwimmer if that happened, but no.” But that was in the past. Is it a different story now?

New rumors

Regardless of what did or more accurately didn’t transpire in the past, rumors started to crop up again off the back of Schwimmer and Aniston’s comments in 2021. If we were to borrow the former’s analogy from earlier, it’s been strongly suggested that these two ships have finally come together in the water. Better late than never, some will say!

Romance stories

Mind you, speculation regarding the status of Aniston and Schwimmer’s respective relationships isn’t anything new. Yep, the stars often find themselves in the news when details about their various relationships come to light. We can only guess how many column inches have been devoted to those stories down the years.

Former partners

Just look at Schwimmer. According to Closer magazine’s website, the actor’s been in relationships with women including Tina Barrett, formerly of S Club 7, and Natalie Imbruglia. He was also married to Zoë Buckman for a spell. The couple welcomed a little girl into the world, before eventually splitting up.

Famed love life

As for Aniston, her love life always seems to be in the spotlight. The actress’ first marriage was as glamorous as they come: she tied the knot with heartthrob actor Brad Pitt. Then, after their highly publicized split in 2005, she went on to find romance again with another actor: Justin Theroux. But that relationship didn’t last, either.

Crossed paths

After becoming husband and wife in 2015, Theroux and Aniston confirmed they were no longer together nearly three years later. Yet here’s where things get really interesting. During a star-studded event in 2020, Aniston crossed paths with her ex-hubby, Pitt. The famous duo subsequently gave each other a cuddle that lit up the internet.

Together again?

Yes, people online started to wonder if this was a sign that Aniston and Pitt could get back together as a couple. And the speculation was only strengthened in September 2020. At that point, the pair took part in a table read via Zoom, flicking through the script of the 1980s classic Fast Times at Ridgemont High.

The table read

Aniston and Pitt ended up reading the parts of Linda Barrett and Brad Hamilton. If you aren’t familiar with the film, those two characters are involved in one of cinema’s most infamous romantic sequences. Unsurprisingly, that left fans in a state of pure bliss on social media. Could this really be happening?

“So sexy”

One piece of dialogue in particular was sure to be ringing in people’s ears long after the table-read concluded. Aniston recited the passage, “Hi Brad, you know how cute I always thought you were. I think you’re so sexy. Will you come to me?” You couldn’t help but ask – was she still talking about Brad Hamilton here, or her ex-husband?

Put to bed

Anyway, the growing speculation regarding Aniston’s connection to Pitt was eventually put to bed by the actress. As Closer reported, she stated she was “good friends” with her former hubby – nothing more. But after Friends: The Reunion, her followers were given fresh hope about Schwimmer. So, that brings us to August 2021.

Inside source

During that period, an informant got into contact with Closer claiming to have information on Schwimmer and Aniston. According to the anonymous person, a romance was potentially brewing between them. Plus, the magazine noted that neither of the pair were in relationships at that stage, either, which might’ve strengthened the validity of the statement.

Text dialog

The insider said, “After the reunion, it became clear that reminiscing over the past had stirred up feelings for both of them and that chemistry they’d always had to bury was still there. They began texting immediately after filming. And, just last month, David flew from his home in New York to see Jen in L.A.”

Growing bond

And that’s not all the source had to say to the magazine. Apparently, Schwimmer wasn’t just flying over for a casual visit at the time. The person continued, “They’ve been spending time at Jen’s home, where she’s cooked dinners in the evenings and have enjoyed quality time together, chatting and laughing.”

“Lots of chemistry”

The insider then added, “They were also spotted drinking wine, deep in conversation, as they walked around one of Jen’s favourite vineyards in Santa Barbara, where it was clear there was lots of chemistry between them.” That’s quite the picture they’ve painted, right? Talk about vivid insight! But is it accurate?

Signs of love?

Well, Schwimmer and Aniston fanned the flames somewhat with a pair of Instagram posts in August 2021. The stars both shared pictures on the same day, highlighting new Friends merch. The actor’s was first up, as he wore a “lobsters” shirt. The design included a shot of Rachel and Ross together.

Tagged Aniston

On top of that, Closer reported that Schwimmer tagged Aniston in the post. And as for the actress, she sported a sweatshirt and hat in her photo. The latter had one of the show’s most memorable quotes sewn into it – “We were SO not on a break!” Much like the “lobsters” line, that has ties to Ross and Rachel’s relationship.

The reaction

In the caption, Aniston also wrote, “For the record...we were SO not on a break.” Could these be subtle signs of a growing romance? One thing was for sure, though: the insider’s comments to Closer sparked a big response on social media. Yes, the joy was palpable in the posts that followed.

“Best thing that’s happened all year”

One user tweeted, “The world collectively losing their [mind] over Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer is honestly the best thing that’s happened all year!” They included a GIF of Rachel and Lisa Kudrow’s character Phoebe jumping up and down in excitement to drive home their point. There might’ve been a few fans doing the same in their own living rooms!

“Worldwide street parties”

Meanwhile, another follower of the show put this humorous idea forward in a tweet. They wrote, “Petition to have worldwide street parties if it’s confirmed that Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer are actually dating. [It’s] manifesting.” Something tells us there’d be lots of signatures on it if that were real.

The truth

But as people on social media continued to share their excitement about the rumors, a big question remained. Quite simply, was the source’s assessment correct? Schwimmer went on to provide an answer via one of his representatives, speaking to the BuzzFeed News website in August 2021. And it could come as something of a let-down for some of you.

Rumor quashed

Yep, Schwimmer’s representative confirmed that the stories regarding his relationship with Aniston “are not true.” We can hear the sobs of their fans from here! Just like that, whatever hope they may have had for a real-life love story had been crushed. Ah, the perils of living vicariously through celebrities...

Similar position

Mind you, Schwimmer and Aniston aren’t the only members of the Friends cast to have experienced this kind of speculation. Courteney Cox and Matthew Perry have also found themselves in a very similar spot down the years. As you’ll almost certainly know, they portrayed Monica Geller and Chandler Bing, and those characters were an item for much of the show’s run.

Perry and Cox

Anyway, OK! magazine’s website reported that many stories had swirled around Cox and Perry’s relationship away from the cameras back then. Plus, the situation was further complicated because the actress already had a husband: David Arquette. Yet nothing really came of the speculation as the show went on.

In love?

Cox stayed with Arquette for another few years, while she and Perry appeared to share a platonic friendship. Then again, a source told US Magazine that her co-star was harboring more romantic feelings. They said, “Matthew’s always been in love with her. Matthew has never fully been able to get over her.”

First contact

Is that true? Well, Perry’s never said it himself, so we’d file it with the rest of the rumors! But his bond with Cox can’t be disputed. For instance, when the Scream star’s relationship with her partner Johnny McDaid appeared to end in 2015, the media claimed she contacted Perry first.

“No surprise”

According to an insider speaking to Perez Hilton during that period, those claims didn’t come as much of a shock. They said, “It’s no surprise that Matthew was one of the first people Courteney called after Johnny left her. They’ve leaned on each other before.” That wasn’t the start of a new romance, though.

Different outcomes

Instead, Cox and McDaid eventually patched things up. As for Perry, he was in a relationship with a woman named Molly Hurwitz until June 2021. They were due to tie the knot, but he confirmed it was over in a message sent to People magazine’s website. “Sometimes things just don’t work out and this is one of them,” the actor revealed.

“Best friends”

So, it’s fair to say that Perry and Cox have had ups and downs in their personal lives. Still, much like Aniston and Schwimmer, their bond seemingly hasn’t faltered. That was highlighted in a lovely moment during Friends: The Reunion. The actress said, “It was an incredible time. We became best friends.” Her co-star then replied, “Yep, I’m going to cry now.”

Never again

On that note, we can’t help but ask – are we gonna get another reunion? This last one’s certainly generated plenty of drama! Not according to Cox. She said, “We’re not going to do this again in 15 more years.” Yet the star then followed that up by saying, “We’re not waiting so long to have a dinner.” Aniston concurred. “We will not wait that long to get together,” she added. Friends for life.

Cole Sprouse thinks otherwise

Having said that, Cole Sprouse remembers things rather differently. He found it almost impossible to be on the show – all because of Jennifer Aniston. It’s a bizarre reason, but Sprouse has explained it all. And he wasn’t afraid to dish the dirt on Jen on The Drew Barrymore Show.

Opening up

The actor was on the show to promote the latest season of the popular teen drama Riverdale. But, of course, the host couldn’t help but talk to him about his time on Friends. And while Sprouse was just eight years old when he landed the role of Ben, he remembers appearing in some of the sitcom’s most beloved episodes – particularly the ones with Aniston.

The pranks

If you’re a Friends fan – and let’s face it, who isn’t? – you’ll know “The One with the Truth about London.” In that classic episode, Ben and Rachel actually have lots of scenes together. There’s a moment when Rachel starts telling Ben about the childhood pranks she used to play. Like putting Saran wrap over the toilet seat “so the pee goes everywhere”!

Memorable moments

Only Ross doesn’t like pranks. So Ross and Ben decide to give Rachel a taste of her own medicine by pranking her. Remember that dummy Ross falling down the stairs? And given that Aniston made performing on the show so “difficult” for Sprouse, maybe part of him enjoyed this storyline too.

Cut from the show?

And maybe Sprouse’s issues with Aniston explain why Ben doesn’t appear in the show after season eight. We don’t even see him meet Ross and Rachel’s daughter, Emma. All very strange! Now that we’ve learned the truth from Sprouse, though, you have to think that there was something going on behind the scenes.

“MY SANDWICH!”

Before Sprouse had even spoken up, Friends fans had talked about this very subject. Some of their theories definitely add up, too. One Reddit user claims that, off-screen, Ross’ slightly crazy behavior led to him losing shared custody of Ben. Like in season five, when he’s forced to take a work sabbatical for screaming at a co-worker about a sandwich. Take a chill pill, Ross!

Ross' issues

The fan also mentioned Ross hitting on his first cousin in season six. Oh, and then there was the time he asked the self-defense instructor for tips on how to attack Phoebe and Rachel. And that’s not even to mention his blatant homophobia towards the male nanny in season nine. But could Sprouse’s struggles with the sitcom actually be linked to his character being phased out?

A lousy dad

Well, the star shared his thoughts on Ben’s disappearance in a video for GQ magazine. And he basically confirms the idea that his screen pop was a lousy dad. “Critics would agree that Ross was never really the most present father, and so it doesn’t surprise me too much,” said Sprouse.

The Holiday Armadillo

Ross does try to be a good dad, though. In “The One with the Holiday Armadillo”, he attempts to hire a Santa outfit in time for Christmas. Even when he ends up being dressed as “weird Turtle Man,” though, he still sits down to tell young Ben the Hanukkah story. But none of this explains just why Sprouse found it so hard to act alongside Aniston.

Sprouse’s rise to fame

It wasn’t because Sprouse was new to being in the spotlight. Along with his identical twin brother and fellow actor, Dylan, he started appearing in TV commercials at just eight months old. Talk about an early start... And the twins won their first regular TV role in 1993. They jointly played Patrick Kelly in Grace Under Fire for five years.

Big Daddy

The brothers scored their first major movie role in 1999, starring opposite funnyman Adam Sandler in Big Daddy. They shared the role of Julian, a five-year-old kid who gets temporarily fostered by Sandler’s slacker protagonist, Sonny. The pair get into all kinds of high jinks as Sonny tries to learn what responsible parenting is all about. The film did pretty well and ended up seventh on the money list for that year.

“We swore like sailors”

Sprouse has fond memories of making the movie. He told Variety about a time the fire alarm went off in the hotel the cast were staying at. “Adam Sandler carried me on his shoulder down 45 flights of stairs, which was really cute.” He also recalled, “We were taught every single bad word. So when my brother and I went back to school, we swore like sailors.”

Life in the spotlight

Other movie roles followed for the twin actors, including young Pistachio Disguisey in the 2002 family romp The Master of Disguise. But it was their next TV casting in Disney’s The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, that would catapult the brothers to stardom. With Dylan Sprouse as Zack and Cole playing Cody, The Suite Life centers on twins living in a hotel with their lounge-singer mom.

Continued success

The show also starred Ashley Tisdale – of High School Musical fame, and was a huge success. It’s the only Disney Channel series besides That’s So Raven and Kim Possible to feature more than 65 episodes. Impressive. It also led to spinoff series The Suite Life on Deck and a movie that was derived from the two shows.

Getting all nostalgic

In 2020 Dylan Sprouse took to Instagram to acknowledge the 15th anniversary of The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, which first aired in March 2005. The actor got all nostalgic about the show as he shared a photo from the first episode. He wrote, “It was so long ago that the cold open of the pilot episode was Cole searching for non-existent armpit hair on me.”

Memories forever

Sprouse continued, “We were both around 11 years old when we started filming. A lot had happened in our lives that was difficult then and this show, in a way, saved us. A thousand years of gratitude to all involved. I love you all, and I’m glad this show can still give families the nostalgia they once had when watching it. I’ll keep those memories forever.”

Where have the years gone?

In classic Dylan fashion, the actor shared a funny photo from the premiere episode of the show featuring he and his costar, twin brother Cole, caught in an awkward moment. Dylan paired the photo with a lengthy, heartfelt caption, beginning, “Yesterday marked the 15-year anniversary of when Suite Life first premiered on TV.”

Academics

Despite the success of these shows, the Sprouse twins nearly turned their backs on acting after The Suite Life on Deck ended in 2011. Opting to pursue their educations, both brothers enrolled at New York University. While Cole took photography classes and majored in archaeology, Dylan studied for a degree in video game design.

Recognize that voice?

Fun fact: Dylan Sprouse’s voice has actually featured in several video games, including Total War: Warhammer II in 2018, and Kingdom Hearts III in 2020. After college he returned to movie acting too, favoring fringe roles in indie flicks such as Banana Split and Tyger Tyger – made in 2018 and 2020 respectively.

Archaeology

His younger brother – by 15 minutes – Cole, meanwhile, was all set for a career in archaeology after graduating. He even landed a job working for a lab in Brooklyn, New York. “I was bagging artifacts,” Sprouse told Variety, “And I got a call from my manager, who begged me to come back and audition for pilot season.” The actor was hesitant at first but decided to give it a shot.

Back to acting

Sprouse recalled to Variety telling his manager, “If I don’t book anything, then I’m not going to do this anymore. And I gave her my word that if I did book something, I’d see it through. I booked ‘Riverdale,’ and it ended up tugging me back.” Winning the part of Jughead Jones in the hit teen drama couldn’t have been more perfect for Sprouse either.

A comic-book fan

As Riverdale fans will know, the show is based on characters from Archie Comics. It was developed by the brand’s chief creative officer, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. So it’s fitting that Sprouse, a huge comic-book fan, landed the role of Archie’s best friend, Jughead. The star is such a fan that he even worked at Meltdown, a store that focuses on comics in Los Angeles, for a while.

In disguise

Sprouse would also go to comic-book conventions as a kid. And he couldn’t resist exploring a Comic-Con event he and other Riverdale talent were guests at. “Cole put on a scarecrow mask,” the show’s creator, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, told Variety. “And he was walking around. The thing that was shocking: Even wearing the mask, people were like, ‘Oh, my God! That’s Cole!’ I was like, if he takes it off, he will get trampled.”

A different role

Interestingly, it wasn’t the part of series narrator Jughead that Sprouse originally went to audition for. In fact, he was invited to read for the show’s lead, Archie, but chose instead to audition for the social misfit. “I said this is a little bit more my style,” Sprouse told Variety. “And I just kind of read it like Rod Serling.” Serling, of course, was famed as the voice behind The Twilight Zone.

Six seasons later

Clearly the actor’s interpretation worked. And the rest, as they say, is history. Now about to enter its sixth season, the dark and compelling drama – like a Twin Peaks for millenials – has been a massive success. Not only has Riverdale won Sprouse a string of acting awards, it’s led him back into movies too.

Romantic weepie

In 2019 he starred in the romantic weepie Five Feet Apart, opposite fellow Disney Channel alum Hayley Lu Richardson. The pair play Will (Sprouse) and Stella (Richardson) – teenagers both suffering with cystic fibrosis, meaning that they must avoid close contact. Reviews of the movie have been mixed, but one thing’s for sure: it’s a tear jerker.

Good at everything

It seems Sprouse is a man of many talents. As well as being a TV and movie star, he’s a professional fashion photographer. The star’s agent, Glenn Wassall – representative of the great Annie Leibovitz, no less – told Variety, “Most of the people that I speak to initially don’t know him from his acting.” Good looking and multi-talented? Some people have all the luck!

Different hairstyles

Speaking of fashion, Sprouse’s ever-changing hairstyle was a topic of discussion during the actor’s appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show. Asked how he felt about his coiffure style garnering so much attention on the internet, the star responded, “I’m really glad that’s the auto-fit, and not gross Sprouse feet. Or something disgusting.” He added, “That seems pretty low-key in 2021. I’m glad it’s about hair.”

Bridgerton-esque

Some might say that Sprouse’s own hairstyle is not so very different to the trend of the period in which Bridgerton is set. And the actor had this to say about the Georgian-era vogue: “I do love the fashion and [putting on a plummy British accent] the hairstyling.” He grinned knowingly at this point, acknowledging Barrymore’s earlier comments on his hair.

Pandemic tattoos

The show host then brought up the subject of “pandemic tattoos.” In other words, the trend of DIY, or “stick-and-poke” tattooing at home, as a way to pass the time during lockdown. For those not already in the know: “stick-and-poke” tattoos are a form of permanent inking on the skin, done with a manually operated needle, rather than an electric one.

Staying entertained

So what did Sprouse think of this particular fashion? “I just don’t know if the origin story sounds too good,” he said. “You know, like, ‘Yeah, I got this tattoo because I was super bored, and I wanted to stick-and-poke my friends during one of the biggest pandemics in global history.”

Good advice from dad

The Riverdale star added, “My dad is covered in tattoos and he had a little saying which I take with me, which is, you should think about a tattoo for nine months. Because that’s the time it takes to have a child, and that’s a life-long decision.” Barrymore then brought up a time that the lead singer of Green Day, Billie Joe Armstrong, gave her a stick-and-poke tattoo. To which Sprouse responded, “That’s way cooler [of] an origin story!”

Sex and the City

Next topic of discussion was the hotly anticipated return of Sex and the City, the super-successful HBO comedy that first aired in the ’90s. Kim Cattrall – who played sex-obsessed Samantha – will be controversially absent from the reboot. So, Barrymore wanted to know, is it still Sex and the City without one of the main characters?

“Which one is Samantha?”

Sprouse responded, “Which one is Samantha?” He laughed, before continuing, “Reboots are a tricky thing, you know. The original shows when they become successful, sit within this golden little plate of nostalgia. And when you modernize it and go back to it, it has the potential to really disenfranchise the original fan base.”

A Suite Life reboot?

The actor added, “I’m asked all the time if Dylan and I are going to do a Suite Life reboot, and I say, ‘No. Absolutely not.’ Aw, sorry fans of The Suite Life. Looks like the Sprouse twins won’t be reprising their roles of Zack and Cody Martin any time soon.

Making chess exciting

Another hit Netflix show, The Queen’s Gambit, has seen a resurgence in the popularity of chess. Was Sprouse a fan, Barrymore wanted to know? “I know how to play,” said the actor. “But let’s be honest: it’s really cool to watch her play it on a Netflix show, you know? She makes it look fantastic. But when was the last time that you actually sat and played chess? It’s not the most exciting game.”

Childhood of gaming

The Five Feet Apart star added, “I grew up spoiled with video games. And that’s such an interactive medium. I can’t go from playing a man surviving the apocalypse to chess. I’m desensitized now.” Fair point. The Queen’s Gambit might have made chess cool again but probably not cool enough for hardcore video gamers.

Rumors about Aniston

Naturally, Sprouse’s time on Friends came up during the show. And Barrymore wanted to know if the rumor was true that Sprouse had been faced with one particular challenge while working on the smash-hit sitcom. Namely, that he had a crush on Jennifer Aniston. Who, for anyone not familiar with the show – seriously, where have you been?! – played glamorous Rachel Green.

Confession

Jen-An was lusted after throughout the ’90s and noughties, both for her gorgeous looks and trendsetting haircuts. So is it true that Sprouse also “like-liked” her? “Yeah I did,” he confessed to Barrymore. “It actually made it quite difficult to work in front of her, I must admit. I was a child; I would stammer a lot and forget my lines.”

Teased behind the scenes

“I feel like I’d maintain my composure a bit more effectively now,” the star continued, “But it was quite difficult when I was a kid. I was teased a little bit by the crew. Because they saw it, and I would just forget and be like, staring at her. But then, the whole world had a crush on Jennifer Aniston.” Truth.