Friends and How I Met Your Mother are often compared to one another, but many viewers may have missed the number of actors who appeared in both sitcoms. The comedies are two of the most beloved titles to hit primetime in recent decades. Even though their broadcast runs have come and gone, they each continue to gain popularity thanks to streaming.
Friends, a series created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, first debuted on NBC in September 1994. It followed six close friends living in New York City as they faced the struggles of adulthood. It quickly grew into one of the most popular series on TV before coming to an end in 2004. A year later, CBS premiered a series about a group of five friends called How I Met Your Mother, which was also set in New York City. The sitcom, from Carter Bays and Craig Thomas, was often described as a Friends-type show, but it succeeded in building its own identity.
Considering that Friends spanned a decade and How I Met Your Mother lasted nearly that long, both titles acquired a large number of guest stars. There was also a very long list of actors who appeared in minor roles, and many worked on both series during their respective runs. The following list is every actor who could be found on Friends and How I Met Your Mother.
Christina Pickles
Christina Pickles was one of the most prominent actresses to have roles in both Friends and How I Met Your Mother. The actress first appeared in Friends as Judy Geller, the mother of Ross and Monica. Over the course of the series, Pickles appeared in 19 episodes total, with her last coming during the show’s tenth and final season. Six years later, Pickles joined How I Met Your Mother to portray Rita, Lily’s grandmother. The character appeared in two episodes within the sitcom between 2009 and 2011.
Christine Rose
Avid How I Met Your Mother viewers would recognize Christine Rose as Ted’s mother, Virginia Mosby. The character was involved in eight episodes in the series and notably married a hippie named Clint. Before that, Rose played the mother of a latecomer on Friends. She portrayed Bitsy Hannigan, the mother of Paul Rudd’s Mike Hannigan, who wasn’t too fond of her son’s future wife, Phoebe. Her stint lasted for two episodes on Friends.
Anne Dudek
Anne Dudek is another actress who appeared in both sitcoms and cleverly played similar characters two years apart. First, Dudek portrayed the role of Precious, the girlfriend of Mike in Friends season 10. Mike memorably broke up with Precious on her birthday but that wouldn’t be Dudek’s final time in that situation. The actress appeared in How I Met Your Mother season 1 as Ted’s ex-girlfriend, Natalie. He too broke up with her on her birthday, but the two later got back together for a brief time.
Maggie Wheeler
Friends fans certainly got to know Maggie Wheeler’s character, Janice. The character, recognized by her infamous voice, served as Chandler’s love interest for a period of time. Even after the two broke up, Janice would pop up from time to time. Wheeler appeared in every season of Friends, except for season 6 in which just her voice was heard. In How I Met Your Mother, Wheeler portrayed a real estate agent in the season 3 episode “Dowisetrepia” when Marshall and Lily were searching for a new apartment.
Sherri Shepherd
Sherri Sheperd once played Rhonda the tour guide at the museum that Ross worked at in Friends. The actress had a much larger role in How I Met Your Mother as Daphne, a woman that Marshall continuously argued with during season 9. After starting off on the wrong foot, Marshall and Daphne split the last rental car to drive back to New York together. Her arc lasted a total of eight episodes in the sitcom’s final season.
Other Actors That Appeared In Friends & HIMYM
Thomas Lennon: The comedic actor played a blackjack dealer in two episodes of Friends season 5 who also happened to be Joey’s hand double. Lennon also appeared in two episodes of How I Met Your Mother as Victoria’s ex-fiancée, Klaus, who she left at the altar for Ted.
Jane Carr: The English actress played the ticket agent in the Friends season 4 episode when Ross and the gang flew to London for his upcoming wedding. Carr then appeared in How I Met Your Mother season 8 as the elderly British woman, Mrs. Buckminster, that Marshall and Lily wanted to hire as a nanny but couldn’t afford.
Jamie Kaler: The comedian was in a Friends season 4 episode in which he played Chandler’s co-worker who was being set up with Rachel. For How I Met Your Mother, Kaler played Jim, a man who was in love with Ted’s ultimate “girl next door.”
Buck Kartalian: The professional wrestler-turned-actor played Frankie the tailor in Friends season 2 before portraying Henry, the carriage drive taking Robin around in the How I Met Your Mother season 1 episode titled “Return of the Shirt.”
Eva Amurri: The daughter of Susan Sarandon appeared as a fictional Days of Our Lives character, Dina Lockhart, in Friends season 7 before portraying Shelly, an old co-worker of Lily for two episodes of How I Met Your Mother.
Phill Lewis: The actor, best known for playing Mr. Moseby on The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, first appeared in Friends as Chandler’s boss, Steve, as well as a loan agent in the How I Met Your Mother season 3 episode “Dowisetrepia.”
Christopher Darga: The actor played the director in the Friends season 6 episode “The One Where Joey Loses His Insurance” before appearing in How I Met Your Mother‘s final season as a bus driver.
Lawrence Mandley: The actor appeared in Friends season 2 as a security guard and worked on How I Met Your Mother season 1 as a cab driver. Mandley also portrayed a different character in the Joey pilot episode.
Suzanne Ford: The actress played minor roles in both Friends and How I Met Your Mother. She can be seen as the female producer working on Joey’s audition in Friends season 9 “The One With The Mugging” and as a vet in How I Met Your Mother season 1 in the episode titled “Come On.”
Monique Edwards: The actress appeared in Friends season 9 during the episode “The One With Phoebe’s Birthday Dinner” as Claudia before serving as a producer at Robin’s workplace for a few episodes of How I Met Your Mother.
