Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer reminisce together about their beloved show

The six stars of Friends were overcome with emotion.

Walking back onto Stage 24 at Warner Bros. studios, the former castmates — Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer — were taken aback by the site of meticulously recreated sets of a world they hadn’t visited in 17 years: Joey and Chandler’s bachelor pad, Monica and Rachel’s apartment, even Central Perk, where the thrift-store-find orange couch was always reserved for them.

“I was flooded with 10 years of irreplaceable memories,” Cox, 56, tells PEOPLE exclusively in this week’s cover story.

By the end of its 10-season run, Friends was one of the highest-rated television shows of all time. Now, for only the second time since the finale aired in 2004, the six actors reunited for two days to film Friends: The Reunion — a non-scripted celebration of the NBC series premiering on HBO Max on May 27.

“It’s funny, when we do get together, it’s like no time has passed,” says LeBlanc, 53. “We pick up right where we left off.”

From reminiscing about the show and performing a table read of part of “The One with The Jellyfish” episode to even re-imagining the epic trivia game from season 4 when Joey and Chandler won Monica and Rachel’s apartment, the reunion special also features special guests — like Reese Witherspoon (who played Rachel’s sister), superfan Lady Gaga as well as David Beckham and Justin Bieber.

When the six stars first met up together on the soundstage, their initial mutual thought was “Oh God, how are we going to get through this alive, without just crying our faces off?” says Aniston, 52.

“It was kind of melancholy, I guess. Right?” asks LeBlanc. Kudrow, 57, agrees: “Yeah, emotional.”

While the special is unscripted, the cast members each have an idea of what their characters would be doing today. “I would like to have maybe started a clothing line of my own, and it’s sort of a small franchise,” says Aniston of Rachel. “Like a Nili Lotan. And I live in New York City on the Upper East Side.”

For Cox, “I always just feel like Monica would be doing something competitively with other mothers and trying to outdo them,” she says. “Whether it’s the bake sale at school or something. I mean, she’d be so annoying. She’d be at the head of the PTA or something.”

Kudrow thinks Phoebe “is living in Connecticut with Mike and their kids, and she‘s in charge of the arts program for the school,” the actress says. “And just … the advocate for her kids because they’re different like she was.”

Chandler “would be a wonderful father,” says Perry, 51. “And a wonderful comedy writer.”

LeBlanc says Joey “would have opened a chain of sandwich shops.” Adds Perry: “And eaten all the sandwiches.”

As for Ross, aside from “playin’ with the bones” as a paleontologist, Schwimmer, 54, says “he would’ve invested in Joey’s sandwich shop and lost a lot of his savings for his kids.”

“Dinosaur-themed sandwich shop,” adds LeBlanc. “Bronto-burger.”

While generations of fans have fallen for the sextet through syndication and streaming services, the actors recognize their chemistry working together “was like lightning in a bottle,” Cox says.

“It was a character-driven funny, not timely funny,” says Perry of why the show has found such a following. “They didn’t make timely jokes. They didn’t make jokes about O.J. Simpson. They made character-driven jokes about people — and people are going to come back time and time again and watch that.”

The chemistry that still exists between them all is “magic,” he insists.

“Awkward,” deadpans LeBlanc. “I would say awkward.” Adds Perry: “It’s awkwardly magic.”

Friends: The Reunion premieres May 27 on HBO Max

Joey: Oh, Monica and Chandler’s recommendation. I want it to sound smart but.. I don’t know any big words or anything, so…

Ross: Why don’t you use your thesaurus?

Joey: What did I just say?

Ross: Watch. Here, you uh, you highlight the word you wanna change. Go under Tools and the thesaurus generates… ‘gives’… ‘gives’ a whole list of choices. You can pick the word that sounds smartest.

Joey: Oh, my God, that’s great! I’m smart! No no, I’m… “brainy, bright, clever”, I love this thing!

—————————–

Joey: Hey, finished my recommendation. Here. And I think you’ll be very, very happy. It’s the longest I ever spent on a computer without looking at porn.

Chandler: I don’t… uh… understand.

Joey: Some of the words are a little too sophisticated for ya?

Monica: It doesn’t make any sense.

Joey: Well of course it does! It’s smart! I used the the-saurus!

Chandler: On every word?

Joey: Yep!

Monica: Alright, what was this sentence originally?

Joey: Oh, ‘They are warm, nice, people with big hearts’.

Chandler: And that became ‘they are humid prepossessing Homo Sapiens with full sized aortic pumps…?

Joey: Yeah, yeah. And hey, I really mean it, dude.

Monica: Hey, Joey, I don’t think we can use this.

Joey: Why not?

Monica: Well, because you signed it baby kangaroo Tribbiani. Hey, why don’t you stop worrying about sounding smart and just be yourself!

Chandler: You know what? You don’t need a thesaurus, just write from here, your full sized aortic pump.

Joey: … and hey, I really mean it dude.  

Can you translate these sentences into Hungarian?

1. Oh, my God.

2. I love this thing.

3. It doesn’t make any sense.

4. I don’t think we can use it.

5. Why don’t you stop worrying about sounding smart?

6. Just be yourself.

Key

1. Jaj, Istenem!

2. Imádom ezt a cuccot!

3. Egyáltalán nincs értelme.

4. Szerintem ezt nem tudjuk használni.

5. Miért nem fejezed be, hogy azon görcsölj, hogy okosnak akarsz hangzani?

6. Csak maradj/legyél önmagad!

Joey: Look, what am I gonna do? I’m not flirting but still, I’m drawing her to me like – like a moth to a flame! What the hell’s going on over here?!?!? Monica’s gonna kill you! Look I need your help, I have to do something to-to repel this woman! Wait a minute, wait a minute, you guys repel women all the time.

Ross: Hey, I’ve been married 3 times

Joey: No-no-no I’ve seen it happen, you-you get a rapport going with a woman but somehow you manage to kill it. What’s your secret?

Ross: Look, we do not repel women OK? That is completely untrue.

Chandler: Oh no, yes we do my man. Remember when we were back in college and we went to that spring dance and you walked right up to that girl you liked and you could not stop talking about the Irish potato famine?

Ross: Yeah, well what about you? You weren’t you know, so hot in college either. After everything he said, he’d go “ba dum bum chessh”

Chandler: Yeah, Monica doesn’t like that either, Maybe I should stop doing that.

Ross: Oh y’know what, girls don’t like it when I start talking about science.

Chandler: That’s not specific to girls.

Joey: This is great, this is great, what else, what else?

Ross: Uh, they don’t like it when you correct their grammar.

Chandler: And they don’t like it when you explain why your jokes are funny.

Ross: They don’t like it when you keep asking them if they like you.

Chandler: Man, I’m so lucky I have Monica.

Ross: I’m never gonna find love again.

Watch the scene once again and fill in the gaps, please.

Joey: Look, what am I gonna do? I’m 1. _________ but still, I’m drawing her to me like – like a moth to a flame! What the hell’s going on over here?!?!? Monica’s gonna 2. __________! Look I need your help, I have to do something to-to repel this woman! Wait a minute, wait a minute, you guys repel women 3. __________

Ross: Hey, I’ve been married 3 times

Joey: No-no-no I’ve seen it happen, you-you get a rapport going with a woman but somehow you manage to 4. __________. What’s your secret?

Ross: Look, we do not repel women OK? That is completely untrue.

Chandler: Oh no, yes we do my man. Remember when we were back in college and we went to that spring dance and you walked right up to that girl you liked and you 5. _____________ talking about the Irish potato famine?

Ross: Yeah, well what about you? You weren’t you know, 6. _______ in college either. After everything he said, he’d go “ba dum bum chessh”

Chandler: Yeah, Monica doesn’t like that either, Maybe I should stop doing that.

Ross: Oh y’know what, girls don’t like it when I start talking about 7. ________.

Chandler: That’s not specific to girls.

Joey: This is great, this is great, what else, what else?

Ross: Uh, they don’t like it when you correct their grammar.

Chandler: And they don’t like it when you explain why your jokes 8. ________.

Ross: They don’t like it when you keep asking them if they like you.

Chandler: Man, I’m so lucky I have Monica.

Ross: I’m never gonna find love again.

Key:

1.    not flirting

2.    kill you

3.    all the time

4.    kill it

5.    could not stop

6.    so hot

7.    science

8.    are funny

—————————————-

Amanda: Hello Monica. It’s Amanda calling again. I am in the neighborhood hoping I can pop by your flat!
Monica: You’re from Yonkers! Your last name is Buffamonteezi!
Amanda: Let’s see.. so should you get this directly, ring me back on my mobile.
Phoebe: Ok, don’t hold thy breath!

Chandler: Hello? Is someone on the line?
Amanda: Yes, I was looking for Monica.
Chandler: Hang on, she’s right here. Someone’s on the phone, for ya.
Monica: We weren’t picking up, it’s Amanda!
Monica: Hi Amanda! Actually now… it’s… is not a good time. Dinner tomorrow night? Phoebe and I will see you then!
Phoebe: Why, why, why didn’t you just say no!
Monica: Well, I said ’no’ to her coming over now! I couldn’t say ’no’ twice! I get this uncontrollable need to please people!

—————————————-

Phoebe: Hi!
Monica: Hi!
Amanda: Hi!
Amanda: Hello!

Amanda: It’s so nice to see you! Both of you! Look at me. Look how young I look! Oh gosh! We have so much to catch up on! But first things first: touch my abs, I don’t exercise at all! Oh gosh, so Monica, you’re married!
Monica: Yeah! Yeah! His name is Chandler and…
Amanda: Smell my neck! It’s not perfume! It’s me! It’s my natural scent!
Phoebe: Musty!

Monica: Hello? Chandler, what’s wrong? Oh my God, are you alright? Yeah, I’ll be right there. I’m so sorry, but Chandler was in a car accident.
Phoebe: Oh my God. Was Mike with him?
Monica: Nope!

—————————————- 

Monica: We are not friends with Phoebe anymore.
Chandler: If she asks, I protested a little, but ok! 

Phoebe: Oh Chandler! Thank God you’re alive. Monica, can I talk to you outside for a minute?
Monica: I have nothing to say to you.
Amanda: Wow, my flat is twice this size!
Phoebe: Please, Monica? In the hall?

Amanda: Ooh, that accident must have been terrible. You look positively ghastly.
Chandler: Well, aren’t you a treat.

Monica: Well, I guess we should go back in. When you gave me another chance, I guess we should do the same for Amanda.
Phoebe: Yeah, I guess you’re right.

Amanda: Can you believe it. I’ve never had any professional dance training.

to believe – elhinni
fake – hamis, ál, mű
British accent – brit kiejtés
machine (answering machine) – üzenetrögzítő
to cut someone out – megszabadulni valakitől
to ignore – mellőzni, figyelmen kívül hagyni
to dodge – kitérni valami elől, elkerülni, kicselezni
to get the point – megért valamit, rájön
harsh – kíméletlen, durva, nyers
to pop by – beugrani valakihez
don’t hold thy breath – arra várhatsz!
to hold one’s breath – lélegzetvisszafojtva várni
hang on – várj csak
it’s not a good time – épp rosszkor
to come over – átjönni
to please someone – valakinek a kedvére tenni
to catch up – behozni lemaradást
abs (abdominal muscles) – hasizom
musty – dohos
nope – dehogy
to protest – tiltakozni
ghastly – rettenetes
aren’t you a treat (sarcastic) – de jó fej vagy (pont ellentétes értelemben használva)
to guess – gondolni, hinni vmit
to give someone another chance – még egy esélyt adni valakinek