Friends: The True Story Behind Winona Ryder’s Cameo

Winona Ryder made a memorable cameo on the hit sitcom Friends, with the true story of her appearance coming at a notable time in her career.

[{"selector":"#anim-f4250ae2-669d-4db9-a4a0-afb78473abc2 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-55.408653994851434%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4a6f0540-cd6a-4c50-864d-e5e071f881ad","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e175922c-a565-4050-8a63-996c5b91aa3b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.87301%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Perhaps best known for her cult classic roles in the 1980s and Oscar-nominated performance in 1994’s Little Women,

[{"selector":"#anim-666ea979-5cc2-40c2-9325-950ca75ea547 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-15.390624789991655%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":5000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-23d1870f-9b46-4846-b421-bcde8963531f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.55696%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.2, 0, .8, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7c852fab-7288-4efa-9925-d6a0b0dd183a","keyframes":{"transform":["rotateZ(-180deg)","rotateZ(0deg)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.2, 0, .5, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] Winona Ryder was established as one of the most bankable actresses in Hollywood long before taking a leading role on Netflix’s Stranger Things.

[{"selector":"#anim-5ad0a81c-5202-4154-9516-b632b43e72d1 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-35.937499914669296%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8c810b4d-21ad-49c1-9139-c0715b971a6d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a6e4eeaf-3cab-469b-8762-4b7216036703","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.92356%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Ryder was even referenced on Friends as one of the celebrities on Ross’ “freebies” list four seasons before her cameo, highlighting her popularity.

[{"selector":"#anim-ae9c93f1-da98-4b04-b8dc-d1614f3ad1f6 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b86abd99-98b3-434a-b7d0-862d4774d08e","keyframes":[{"transform":"rotate(-540deg) scale(0.1)","opacity":0},{"transform":"none","opacity":1}],"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both","iterations":1}] Friends became a hit right off the bat in the 1990s, which meant the series had the opportunity to bring on some of the most popular stars of the era.

[{"selector":"#anim-39489400-420c-4e3b-939a-584265595b92 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-12.530241708118828%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b8fbc39d-cd4c-47e6-af88-e030540ab26e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.82278%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.2, 0, .8, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a4708454-c7f9-4157-be45-9cc9e6a9cde9","keyframes":{"transform":["rotateZ(180deg)","rotateZ(0deg)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.2, 0, .5, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] In just the first few seasons, Friends featured cameos from massive celebrities like George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Jean-Claude Van Damme, and Brooke Shields.

[{"selector":"#anim-f88bc944-ca5b-4ca1-be34-7e5470da105f [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(31.57751080524362%, 0, 0) translate(25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ac7f6d1e-a3db-4c8c-91df-bf216495e357","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.55696%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4064f386-71d4-42c9-bdd5-33922bc3a24d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b811818e-2c44-4da0-9809-c303415b0d3c","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] While Winona Ryder’s Friends season 7 cameo was surely memorable, the actress deserved a better slot on the sitcom than a role crafted specifically for higher ratings.

[{"selector":"#anim-1f8c772b-92d0-4bba-9a43-5a262f6a8516 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-13.17382790154022%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-26631849-fb36-4958-87b1-bb96fcb2bf39","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a5f75237-450a-47e6-85d5-37d7c2028853","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Friends would also mark the last TV cameo of Winona Ryder’s career, with the actress now enjoying a highly acclaimed role on Netflix’s Stranger Things.