Summary
- Explore the unique personalities of Friends characters by matching them with Myers-Briggs types for a fun connection game.
- Supporting characters like Janice, Judy Geller, and Ugly Naked Guy can also be analyzed through MBTI types for insights.
- Coincide Joey's ESFP, Chandler's ENTP, and Ross' ISTJ personalities with their on-screen behaviors for a deeper understanding.
Friends is an all-time favorite sitcom with an iconic ensemble which makes exploring the Friends MBTI personality types even more interesting. The Myers-Briggs® Type Indicator offers a set of sixteen different personality "types" and highlights the traits associated with each of these distinct personalities. Examining the breakdown of each category of personality type, it is possible to find connections to several of the Friends characters and see which ones fit into which category the best.
The heart of the show is, of course, the group of six friends, each of whom has an interesting, quirky personality that often gets them into all kinds of hilarious situations. Throughout the 10 seasons of Friends, fans got to know these personalities quite well through the characters' various ups and downs, their romances, and their interactions with their other friends. Along with the main cast, Friends also includes some standout supporting characters that can also be identified using the MBTI® types.
Friends Cast: Where The Actors Are Now
Though the six main actors in the Friends cast have had successful careers since the sitcom ended, they'll always be remembered for their characters.Janice - ESTP
Played By Maggie Wheeler
Janice can be categorized as a friend-adjacent and is certainly one of the most memorable supporting characters on Friends. She was involved with the group through all 10 seasons of the show. She was initially seen as Chandler's girlfriend in season 3, but would subsequently show up in the most poorly-timed situations, such as when Rachel was giving birth or Chandler and Monica were house hunting.
Brash and loud, the stereotypical New Yorker, she's also kind and loving. The reason for Janice's ESTP personality type is she's outgoing, action-oriented, and certainly dramatic, whether it be breaking up with Ross after a short fling or attempting to hold onto her relationship with Chandler. All of these fit her like one of her shiny jackets. Though the main gang may not enjoy having her around as much as she manages to be, she is always energetic and spirited to see them.
Judy Geller - INFJ
Played by Christina Pickles
As one of the many parent characters on Friends, Monica's mother is a woman of layers. She definitely cares and supports her children, with Ross the undeclared but obvious favorite. However, Judy's toughness on Monica could be due more to the fact that she is idealistic rather than meanspirited. She sees a future where Monica has a stable life with a good husband, beautiful children, and a house near hers on Long Island.
While this is a lovely sentiment, her delivery of this request is acerbic. This is why Judy's personality type is INFJ - The Advocate. In addition to being caring and creative, she also judges others without knowing them or hearing about their lives. These qualities help to make her a mother who can be frustrating at times, but is undoubtedly loving.
Christina Pickles was nominated for an Emmy for her performances as Judy Geller in season 1.
Ugly Naked Guy - INTP
Only Ever Seen From Behind
Though viewers only saw Ugly Naked Guy (UNG) once during the show, and that was only from the back, the gang's descriptions gave viewers a good idea of who he was. He was the unidentified neighbor in the apartment building across the street who was not shy about walking around naked with his windows open for all to see. Even with his life on the show taking place entirely in his apartment, his INTP personality shines through with his artistic endeavors, his attempts to stay active, and his surprising romantic side.
It's true he's introverted, but he also perceives others are experiencing his life remotely.
This is all observed by the gang as they see him attempting to exercise at times as well as seeing him playing the cello and dancing on his own. Though the gang has their own relationship dramas throughout Friends, Ugly Naked Guy was also seen romancing a partner on at least one occasion. It's true he's introverted, but he also perceives others are experiencing his life remotely. If not, he wouldn't have kept the windows open all the time.
Friends: The Characters' Ages (& How They Get It Wrong)
The Friends cast's ages don't align with the age of the Friends characters, making working out how old the Friends cast is in each season tricky.Richard Burke - ENFJ
Played By Tom Selleck
Richard was Monica's season 2 boyfriend, played by Tom Selleck on Friends. While there were some uncomfortable moments in the relationship as Richard was not only a much older man but also friends with Monica's father, he endeared himself as a great partner. Richard was suave, passionate, and deeply in love with the youngest Geller. It seemed like he and Monica would experience a happy life.
The one thing standing in their way was that Monica wanted kids and he didn't. Despite this, Richard is clearly an ENFJ personality type, extroverted with the ability to bring people into his orbit, he has a strong value system. This is seen when he becomes friendly with Joey and Chandler and the two immediately try to start acting like Richard. Yet, he can also be judgy, as shown when he and Monica debate about children.