The professional relationship between Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon dates back a quarter-century, when the latter was one of the most iconic guest stars on Friends in her role as Rachel’s sister Jill. Today, they are the executive producers and stars of The Morning Show, one of the best series on Apple TV+, so you’d think these two would know quite a bit about each other. Imagine their surprise when they realized they didn’t even know each other’s real full names.
Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon have been promoting The Morning Show Season 4, which premiered on the 2025 TV schedule this week, and Jennifer Aniston’s mind was fully blown when they played LADbible’s “Do You Even Know Me?” game. On a question about her middle name, Reese Witherspoon admitted it was “tricky” before revealing to her friend:
- Reese Witherspoon (RW): It’s Jean.
- Jennifer Aniston (JA): Jean?
- RW: That’s confusing. I’m Laura Jean.
- JA: Laura Jean?
- RW: That’s my real name.
- JA: Laura?
- RW: Laura Jean.
Jennifer Aniston’s confusion over “Reese” not being Reese Witherspoon’s actual first name is so hilarious. The madness continued as the Friends star exclaimed:
Who’s Laura? What? Who the hell’s Laura? Wait, Laura Jean? Like I’m not calling you that from now on. ‘Come on, Laura Jean!’
The Legally Blonde star went on to explain that her full name is Laura Jean Reese Witherspoon, but she’s always gone by Reese. Possibly in an effort to help Jennifer Aniston recover, Witherspoon turned the focus to her co-star's name, which led to more adorable banter between the two:
- RW: I don’t know your middle name.
- JA: Joanna.
- RW: What?
- JA: Joanna.
- RW: I was today years old.
- JA: Yeah.
- RW: No.
- JA: You were what?
- RW: I was today years old when I learned your real name.
- JA: You were today years old. You were right now years old.
- RW: Yes! Jennifer Joanna. JJ! Does anybody call you JJ?
- JA: Mm-mm.
- RW: Well, I do now.
Funnily enough, for two people who have been friends and sometimes colleagues for 25 years, that wasn’t the only thing that JJ has learned about Laura Jean recently. Reese Witherspoon also revealed to her co-star that she’s acted in front of a live studio audience exactly zero times since Friends.
She called being on those two Season 6 episodes one of her “scariest moments ever,” and admitted she has some regrets because Friends apparently asked her to come back on the show, but she declined because she was “too scared.”
If you want to rewatch their earliest interactions from back in 2000 — one year after Reese Witherspoon actually rocked “The Rachel” haircut — all 10 seasons of Friends can be streamed with an HBO Max subscription. You can also currently catch them on The Morning Show with an Apple TV+ subscription. New episodes drop each Wednesday.
