Friends actress Aisha Tyler calls out beloved series for ‘lack of diversity’ among its popular cast

Another former guest star of Friends has weighed in on the long-debated issue of the sitcom’s lack of diversity.

Aisha Tyler, who appeared in Seasons 9 and 10 as a love interest for both Joey (Matt LeBlanc) and Ross (David Schwimmer), addressed the topic in an interview with The Independent.

Tyler was one of the few Black women to appear in the beloved ’90s show, which ran for a decade from 1994 to 2004. Other notable Black guest stars included Gabrielle Union, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’s original Aunt Viv, Janet Hubert, and Black-ish star Jenifer Lewis.

While Friends remains a cultural touchstone and continues to attract new fans, its predominantly white cast has been a point of discussion for years.

Given its setting in Manhattan, a city known for its diversity, many have pointed out the unrealistic representation of its population.

Tyler admitted that the issue of representation wasn’t just something that people noticed in hindsight—it was a discussion even when the show aired.

She explained, “It wasn’t like it was just something that people looked back at later and said, ‘Wait a minute.’”

“No, at the time, people talked quite a bit about the fact that, for a show that was set in the heart of Manhattan, it really lacked diversity,” she added.

“But we didn’t have social media back then, so it wasn’t the large-scale conversation that it became later.”

While she looks back fondly on her time in the show, Tyler recalled how some fans would refer to her as “the Black girl from Friends” rather than by her name. 

She added, “It was such a common refrain at the time.”

Despite the criticism, Tyler shared that Friends was largely a reflection of the industry at the time, noting that studios and networks often dismissed diverse stories. 

She said, “They’d say people won’t watch a show with these characters, and now we all know that’s not true.”

“But that perspective still persists, and there are still people who will say, well, that movie won’t sell overseas if it has a Black lead, and that movie won’t sell in these markets if it has a gay lead.”

She did, however, praise David Schwimmer for advocating for more representation on the show, saying he “really pushed” for diversity and was “wonderful.”

Tyler isn’t the only guest star to comment on the show’s shortcomings. Adam Goldberg, who played Chandler’s eccentric roommate Eddie, also shared his thoughts.

He shared, “In terms of diversity, looking back, it seems insane.”

He added, “I’ve heard Black people speak about this and it’s like, you never expected to see yourself, so when you didn’t, it was not a surprise, and you ended up identifying to characters, irrespective of their race.”

“It was just the norm that there was such a lack of diversity.”