The beloved sitcom ‘Friends‘ was a merry-go-round for celebrity cameos. From Julia Roberts to Robin Williams, the show blessed us with notable celebrities joining the Central Perk gang. One such moment for the collective audience was when Brad Pitt walked onto the set. No, this wasn’t some bit from a sketch comedy show.

Brad Pitt appeared in the episode ‘The One with the Rumor‘ during the show’s eighth season. While he wasn’t the movie star he is today, he did have an array of impressive films under his belt. Married to the show’s star Jennifer Aniston, he appeared as Will Colbert in an uncredited appearance. 

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Plot Details Of ‘The One With The Rumor’

In the Thanksgiving episode of ‘Friends,’ ‘The One With The Rumor,’ Pitt appeared as Will Colbert, Monica’s (Courteney Cox) school friend, coming to the Thanksgiving dinner. Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) is immediately smitten with Will, not recognizing he used to be the overweight kid she bullied in school. Will is dismissive of Rachel’s apology, telling her he and Ross (David Schwimmer) started an ‘I Hate Rachel Club’ in school. 

Will further announces he and Ross were the ones who started the rumor about Rachel being a hermaphrodite. Horrified by this revelation, Ross and Rachel argue until Monica straightens them out. They reconcile and get back to dinner. Meanwhile, Monica manages to make a meal suited to everyone’s dietary restrictions and requirements. 

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How The Brad Pitt ‘Friends’ Cameo Came To Be

Getting Bad Pritt to appear on a sitcom is a big deal. At the time, he often visited his then-wife Jennifer Aniston on the set. He often snuck around so as not to be a distraction. The show’s makers thought having him on the show would be a great idea. As a fan of the show, he was thrilled. He also thought it was the perfect opportunity to promote his movie ‘Spy Game.’

Brad Pitt was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for guest starring in the episode. However, his time on the show created controversy. The intersex communities were offended by the use of the term ‘hermaphrodite‘ as alienating and hurtful. They wrote a letter saying the comments on the show were “ignorant, insulting, degrading, and absolutely unprofessional.”

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