Do you ever wonder what it would be like if Joey and Phoebe from FRIENDS had been a couple in the show? Matt LeBlanc sure did!

The hit sitcom FRIENDS has been a part of pop culture for decades and will remain so for years to come. The six friends, living in New York and having a permanent seat on the Central Perk couch, along with their witty banters and soulful friendship, became a part of our lives and just never left. And even after decades since the show was aired for the last time, fans still can be found often quoting lines from the show, or humming to the theme song.
A still from FRIENDS (image credit: NBC)
Whether it’s the lobsters – Ross and Rachel, or the fan-favorite Mondler, aka Monica and Chandler, or our favorite duo – Joey and Phoebe, fans were able to relate to these characters and their stories. And while four out of the six ended up with each other, two characters had a different angle to their characters, but only slightly, if you ask Matt LeBlanc.

The Studio Did Not Heed to Matt LeBlanc’s Idea For FRIENDS

The characters of Joey and Phoebe were best of friends, but they never crossed the line to being something more. While Ross and Rachel had their on-again-off-again relationship from the very beginning till the end, and Monica and Chandler never let go of each other once they found their ‘one,’ it was Joey and Phoebe who remained just friends till the end. But according to Matt LeBlanc, they had actually pitched a relationship between Joey and Phoebe which never panned out.
Matt LeBlanc and Lisa Kudrow in FRIENDS (image credit: NBC)
Talking to PEOPLE, LeBlanc revealed:

Towards the end we actually pitched the idea that Joey and Phoebe had been having casual sex the entire time. We’d go back and shoot all the historical scenes and just before a moment that everyone recognizes, there’s Joey and Phoebe coming out of a broom closet together.

This would have completely changed the dynamic of these two characters for the audience. While many fans had hoped that they would get together someday because of the amazing chemistry LeBlanc shared with Lisa Kudrow, the execs did not think this relationship was needed for the show.

Joey and Pheobe’s Relationship Would Have Been The Biggest Surprise

Joey and Phoebe have always seemed to have an easy friendship in FRIENDS. When Phoebe was carrying triplets for her step-brother Frank and his wife, Joey asked her to marry him without a second thought. Even Phoebe had readily accepted his proposal. Their easy flirting, and how comfortable they were with each other also added to it.
Lisa Kudrow and Matt LeBlanc in a still from FRIENDS (image credit: NBC)
If the show had greenlit LeBlanc’s idea of making Joey and Phoebe casual lovers, who had been there this whole time, it would have been like a ‘How did we miss this? It was right in front of our nose!’ bit. The rest would have been none the wiser, as these two characters would be together all this time, and no one would have known.

But that’s not to say that what FRIENDS did do with these two characters was any less. Fans adored Mike and the relationship between him and Phoebe. And keeping Joey single, which is what he always wanted, also did not take anything away from the character. While we will never know what it would have been like to have Joey and Phoebe come together, the relationships they formed with others, and the friendship they shared with each other, was just as, if not more special.

FRIENDS is available for streaming on Max.