Unveiling Rachel's Dark Side: 10 Shocking Moments That Made Her the Worst Friend on Friends

The main characters in Friends were flawed, and although some were able to learn from their mistakes, others, like Rachel, revealed themselves to be less reliable friends than they believed. Despite the passage of many years since Friends ended, its availability on streaming platforms has attracted a new generation of fans and increased the show's popularity and influence. However, this larger audience has also led to a closer examination of Friends and its characters, exposing their flaws and inviting criticism – often for good reason.

While the main characters in Friends shared a strong bond, there were times when friendship was not their top priority, revealing their less kind and agreeable sides. While most of them experienced personal growth and learned from their errors, a few continued to display poor friendliness. Unfortunately, Rachel Green (portrayed by Jennifer Aniston) falls into this category, consistently proving to be the group's weakest link. Here, we present 10 instances from Friends that support this assertion.

10 Rachel Moved In With Monica Without Her Permission

Rachel made quite an impression in her debut appearance on Friends when she arrived at Central Perk wearing her wedding dress, having fled her own wedding. She was specifically in search of Monica and eventually found her at Central Perk, where Monica introduced her to her group of friends. Later that day, Rachel had a conversation with her father over the phone, revealing her decision to move in with Monica. It was noteworthy that Rachel never asked Monica if she could move in, considering they hadn't spoken to each other in years. This significant moment shed light on Rachel's self-centered nature.

9 Rachel Was An Irresponsible Roommate Throughout Friends

Rachel's decision to move in with Monica without her permission might have been forgiven if Rachel had proven to be a considerate roommate. Unfortunately, this was not the case. While it took Rachel some time to adjust to her newfound independence and break free from relying on her father's financial support, she continued to exhibit spoiled behavior long after settling in with Monica. Neglecting household responsibilities such as cooking, cleaning, and lending a hand was a regular occurrence for Rachel. However, one of her most egregious acts as a roommate was leaving her hair iron on at Phoebe's place, resulting in a fire that forced them to temporarily stay with Joey and Monica.

8 Rachel Hid From Phoebe For The Most Ridiculous Reason

Rachel's excessive concern for her public image often had a negative impact on her relationships, extending even to her friends. In the sixth episode of Friends season 6, titled "The One Where Phoebe Runs," Rachel and Phoebe decided to go for a run in the park as a way to bond as roommates. However, Rachel was taken aback by Phoebe's unconventional style of running. Despite Phoebe's carefree attitude and enjoyment of the activity, Rachel couldn't help feeling embarrassed by her friend's running technique. Consequently, she resorted to pretending to be injured as an excuse to avoid joining Phoebe on their run. Phoebe saw through her deception and confronted Rachel about it, prompting Rachel to finally let go of her insecurities and give Phoebe's running method a try.

7 Rachel Stole Monica’s Date With Jean-Claude Van Damme

Note: Placeholder

7 Rachel Stole Monica’s Date With Jean-Claude Van Damme

Another prime example of Rachel's betrayal as a friend in Friends is when she cunningly stole Monica's chance to date Jean-Claude Van Damme. During a group visit to the set of the movie where Marvel the monkey was working, Monica discovered her crush, Van Damme. However, overwhelmed by her own nerves, she enlisted Rachel's help to initiate a conversation. To Monica's dismay, Rachel shamelessly flirted with Van Damme and agreed to go on a date with him herself. Following a heated confrontation, Rachel eventually relinquished her date and allowed Monica to go out with Van Damme. However, before parting ways, Rachel audaciously informed Van Damme that Monica harbored desires for a threesome involving him and Drew Barrymore.

6 Rachel Ruined Ross & Emily’s Wedding In Friends Season 4

5 Rachel Constantly Tried To Sabotage Ross’ Relationships

One of the most iconic moments in the history of Friends occurred when Ross unintentionally blurted out Rachel's name during his wedding ceremony with Emily. However, the complications between Rachel, Ross, and Emily had already surfaced long before the wedding day. Rachel struggled to accept Ross and Emily's relationship and initially opted not to attend their wedding, finding the idea too emotionally distressing. Yet, at the last minute, she had a change of heart and hastily flew to London to be present at the ceremony. Rachel's intention was to confess her feelings to Ross, hoping it would deter him from marrying Emily. Although she never got the chance to confess, her mere presence alone had a profound impact on Ross, prompting him to inadvertently utter her name in front of all the guests.

Rachel didn't just ruin Ross' relationship with Emily; she also tried to sabotage two previous ones. The first was with Julie, whom Ross reconnected with during a work trip. Just as Rachel was starting to realize her feelings for Ross, he returned with Julie. Despite Julie being nice to everyone, Rachel's feelings didn't excuse her cruel behavior towards Julie in her attempts to break them up. Another instance was with Bonnie, Phoebe's friend who joined them at the beach house. Rachel convinced Bonnie to shave her head again to undermine their relationship. And if that wasn't enough, Rachel confessed her feelings to Ross, causing him to end things with Bonnie and reunite with Rachel. Unfortunately, their reconciliation didn't last long.

4 Rachel Tried To Mess With Joey & Charlie’s Relationship

At one point in Friends, Rachel developed romantic feelings for Joey and fell into the aforementioned destructive patterns. However, she refrained from expressing her emotions to Joey as he began dating Ross' coworker, Charlie. Despite Charlie's consistent politeness towards everyone, Rachel maintained a cold and rude attitude towards her throughout. Eventually, Joey and Charlie's relationship came to an end, leading to Joey and Rachel getting together. On the other hand, Charlie and Ross embarked on their own romantic journey. In a drunken state, Ross disclosed in front of the entire group that Charlie was not fond of Rachel, but at least she was mature enough to maintain a polite demeanor and refrain from interfering in Rachel's life.

3 Rachel Agreed To Marry Joey Right After Having Ross’ Baby

The rollercoaster romance between Ross and Rachel reached its climax with an unexpected twist. One fateful night of drunken revelry led to the birth of their precious daughter, Emma. Determined to co-parent without rekindling their relationship, Ross and Rachel found themselves facing an unforeseen obstacle when Ross' mother passed down his grandmother's engagement ring, intended for Rachel. In a heart-stopping moment at the hospital, fate intervened as the ring slipped from Ross' jacket, only to be seized by Joey. Unaware of the ambiguity, Joey innocently turned to reveal the ring to Rachel, prompting her to believe he was proposing. Caught off guard and still deeply connected to Ross, Rachel impulsively uttered a resounding "yes." This well-intentioned misunderstanding would prove to be the catalyst for a series of intricate problems for the trio, further complicating their already tangled web of emotions.

2 Rachel Lying To Her Father Ruined Another Friends Relationship

When Rachel discovered she was pregnant, she faced an immense hurdle in breaking the news to her father. Dr. Green had a volatile temperament, causing even Rachel to be afraid of him, so she anticipated his negative reaction. To avoid his wrath, Rachel fabricates an engagement to Ross, falsely claiming they were planning to marry. Unfortunately, when she later confesses the truth, Rachel worsens the situation by asserting that Ross rejected her due to her damaged state. This prompts Rachel's father to confront Ross in front of his girlfriend, Mona, ultimately leading to complications in Ross and Mona's relationship.

1 Rachel Stole Monica’s Thunder

Monica and Rachel shared a close bond, but Rachel often managed to overshadow Monica in various instances. Apart from the notorious Jean-Claude Van Damme incident, Rachel stole Monica's thunder by kissing Ross on the evening of Monica and Chandler's engagement party. Another instance was when Rachel revealed her pregnancy on the day of Monica and Chandler's wedding. She even went as far as snatching the name Monica had specifically chosen for her own future child. Although Rachel did evolve throughout the course of their friendship, she never truly grasped the essence of friendship. Fortunately, she had friends who forgave her for the hurtful actions she had committed against them.