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

RACH: That was amazing. I can’t even send back soup.

ROSS: Well, that’s because you’re such a sweet, gentle, uh…Do you, uh, do you…Oh, hey, uh you must need detergent.

[Ross pulls out a huge box of laundry detergent.]

RACH: What’s that?

ROSS: Uberveiss. It’s new, it’s German, it’s extra-tough.

[Rachel starts to load her clothes.]

ROSS: Rach, do you uh, are you gonna separate those?

RACH: Oh god. Oh, am I being like a total laundry spaz? I mean, am I supposed to use like one machine for shirts and another machine for pants?

ROSS: Rach, have you never done this before?

RACH: Well, not myself, but I know other people that have. Ok, you caught me. I’m a laundry virgin.

ROSS: Uh, well, don’t worry, I’ll use the gentle cycle. Ok, um, basically you wanna use one machine for all your whites, a whole another machine for colors, and a third for your uh, your uh, delicates, and that would be your bras and your under-panty things.

RACH: [holds a pair of panties in front of Ross] Ok, Well, what about these are white cotton panties. Would they go with whites or delicates?

ROSS: [visibly nervous] Uh, that, that, that would be a judgment call.

laundry	washing machine	spin dryer/ tumble dryer	dryer
szennyes	mosógép	centrifuga	szárítógép
detergent	fabric softener	bleach	stain remover
mosószer	öblítő	hipó	folteltávolító

—————————————-

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