A keen-eyed Friends fan has spotted a man who looks suspiciously like a young Matt Damon in the background of an episode of the iconic sitcom. The question of whether the Hollywood star once appeared as an extra has been “driving them crazy” for years. After some sleuthing, it turns out the man is not the A-lister at all.
The scene in question
In season two, episode five, “The One with Five Steaks and an Eggplant,” the group is divided by income, with Joey, Phoebe, and Rachel unable to keep up with their richer friends. By the end of the episode, which aired in late 1995, they are back at Central Perk, arguing while other patrons try to enjoy their coffee in peace.
Sitting behind Chandler are a woman and a man in a blue shirt, intensely chatting. The man, from a side-on angle, resembles Matt Damon from the mid-90s, with shaggy blonde hair falling on either side of his face—full-on Good Will Hunting era.
The truth revealed
However, this is not the Matt Damon currently starring in the blockbuster Odyssey. Not only does the credit not appear on his IMDb, but when seen from another angle, it’s clear this is just a doppelganger.
There are, of course, plenty of stars who have appeared in Friends, especially early in their careers. A young Cole Sprouse played Ross’s son for several seasons, Ellen Pompeo appeared as a college crush in a flashback in season 10, and Craig Robinson had a cameo as a clerk in the same season.
Matt's early credits
As for Matt, he may not have appeared on Friends, but he had early credits like most actors, including two unnamed ones in The Good Mother and Field of Dreams. His first-ever credit dates back to 1988, when he played Steamer in Mystic Pizza.
