Joey featured surprisingly few Friends guest stars, but there’s a piece of trivia about Matt LeBlanc’s spinoff that makes the scarcity of cameos even stranger. Despite the massive success of Friends over ten seasons, almost none of the original cast appeared on Joey. While this wasn’t necessarily the reason the spinoff struggled, it may have played a part in its quick cancellation.
Joey premiered shortly after the Friends season 10 finale and lasted just two seasons. Critics often pointed out that it barely referenced its parent show or its beloved cast. There were, however, a few loose connections beyond LeBlanc reprising his iconic role. Some of these moments were pure fan service, while others flirted with what audiences had hoped to see—but never fully delivered.
David Schwimmer Directed Two Episodes of Joey—But Ross Never Appeared
Two episodes of Joey season 1—episode 5, “Joey and the Perfect Storm,” and episode 13, “Joey and the Taste Test”—were directed by a familiar face from the Friends universe. David Schwimmer, who played Ross Geller throughout all ten seasons of Friends and also directed ten episodes of the original show, returned behind the camera for his former castmate’s spinoff.
These two episodes represent the only official involvement of any main Friends cast member in Joey. Given how perfectly the spinoff could have accommodated appearances by any of the core six characters, it’s especially surprising that Schwimmer directed twice without ever stepping in front of the camera as Ross Geller.
Why David Schwimmer Likely Chose Not to Play Ross in Joey
It’s disappointing that Schwimmer only contributed to Joey as a director, but there are several reasons he may have opted not to reprise Ross Geller. When Joey season 1 premiered in 2004, Schwimmer was busy building his directing career. That year, he directed episodes of The Tracy Morgan Show as well as TV movies Americana and Nevermind Nirvana. Later, he directed Run Fatboy Run in 2007 and continued directing into the mid-2010s.
On top of his directing work, Schwimmer also stepped into the role of Melman in Madagascar, starting with the first film in 2005. The franchise grew into multiple sequels and media projects, giving him a successful career outside of Ross. This likely made it easier for him to leave the character behind and pursue new opportunities.
Since his final appearance as Ross in 2004, Schwimmer has worked steadily, proving that stepping away was a smart choice. Appearing in Joey as Ross would have mostly satisfied fan nostalgia, whereas directing and taking on other major roles allowed him to establish himself beyond the character that made him famous.
Joey’s Dad Was the Only Friends Character Besides Joey to Appear in the Spinoff
Ross may have been absent from Joey, but there were still a few Friends cameos. In season 2, episode 15, “Joey and the Dad,” Robert Costanzo returned as Joey’s father, Joey Tribbiani Sr. Compared to other potential cameos, this one was fairly minor. Costanzo had only appeared once in Friends, playing Joey’s cheating dad in season 1, episode 13, *“The One with the Boobies.” This makes him the only actor besides Matt LeBlanc to portray the same character in both shows.
