“Friends” Stars Matthew Perry and Courteney Cox Are Distant Cousins, So That’s Awkward

They don't know that we know they know we know.

Strap in Friends fans ‘cos what we’re about to tell you is wild. Genealogists have discovered that stars of the show Matthew Perry and Courteney Cox are distant cousins.

My mind is officially blown.

According to ancestry experts, the two actors are 11th cousins that share a distant relative from 500 years ago.

Researchers from MyHeritage found that the two actors are related to William Osbern Haskell III and his wife Ellen Haskell, who lived in England in the 1600s.

In 1635 Ellen and her two sons jumped on a boat and moved to America. Cox is related to the first son Roger, and Perry is a direct ancestor of the second son William.

This is really taking the Friends reunion special to a whole new level.

For those playing at home, Cox and Perry got married in the show and had a child together in the final episode. If that happened in real life, well… just look it up.

This is how diverse the cast of friends is; two actors whose characters dated didn't even know they were REAL cousins. https://t.co/aTRu4Xl0n7

— jaybo the eNIGGmA (@jaybotheeniggma) May 26, 2021

Head of Research at MyHeritage Roi Mandel said they’re more than confident in the results.

“We went into this line very deeply; we checked every name. We found a lot of records that support it,” Mandel told CNN.

“This is not such a surprise. It makes sense that when you go so many generations back, the chances of people being connected are higher.”

Because we’re now deeply invested in the 'who’s related to who' game, here’s a few celebs who are also related:

Beyonce and Queen Elizebeth II are 11th cousins twice removed. (I always knew Queen B was royalty.)

The Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton shares blood with Dakota and Elle Fanning. They're 21st cousins to be precise.

Plus, Justin Bieber and Ryan Gosling are also 11th cousins once removed. Seriously, what’s with them all being 11th cousins?

Can’t wait to find out I’m related to Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The Friends reunion special featuring the original cast drops today in Australia on streaming service BINGE. (Affiliate disclosure: Student Edge may earn a commission if you click that link and buy a product from our partner's page.)

You can find out more about how to watch it here.

Header Image: Netflix