The essence
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Countless celebrities have formed friendships with their co-stars.
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Famous duos like Steve Martin and Martin Short, and Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox, first bonded while working together on screen.
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Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams grew up together while filming «Game of Thrones» , becoming platonic "soulmates.".
Work in Hollywood long enough, and you'll discover it's a surprisingly small world. (After all, actors are only six handshakes away from Kevin Bacon.) Add to that the months co-stars spend together during filming and press conferences, and it's easy to see why so many celebrities form lifelong friendships after working together.
Actors of the series «Modern Family» — a prime example: after 11 seasons of playing a family, the stars continue to act like a united family, supporting each other in real life. Eric Stonestreet, who played Cameron Tucker, told the magazine People In 2025, the cast still had an active group chat. "We all talk to each other," he said.
Another group chat born from on-set friendships? The one with Blake Lively, Alexis Bledel, America Ferrera, and Amber Tamblyn, the lead characters of the 2005 coming-of-age film. «Talisman Jeans» . "We have a chat- community , which has been around for 20 years,» the star shared. «"Barbie » Ferrera with People magazine in 2024, adding: "We all have children. We've all gotten married. We've been to each other's weddings. We've been through a lot together.".
Below you'll see a few more stories about celebrity friends who started out as co-stars and then became inseparable.
01 of 08
Meryl Streep and Viola Davis
Meryl Streep and Viola Davis at the Screen Actors Guild Awards cocktail reception in January 2017. Photo: Getty Images
Having met while filming a drama «"Doubt"» In 2008, Viola Davis and Meryl Streep quickly became friends. The legendary actresses have nothing but positive things to say about each other. When Davis received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2017, Streep praised her highly, calling the Oscar winner, according to AP , "perhaps the most compassionate and considerate artist I've ever worked with." That same year, Davis, introducing her former colleague at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards, told Streep, "You make me proud to be an artist.".
02 of 08
Michelle Williams and Busy Philipps
Busy Philipps and Michelle Williams attend an event for "Hamilton" the Musical on September 3, 2025. Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Disney
Friendships that last 25 years are rare, but graduates the TV series "Dawson's Creek"« Michelle Williams and Busy Philipps formed a strong bond after meeting on the set of the '90s teen drama. The secret to their long-lasting friendship? "We just know each other and understand each other on such a deep, fundamental level," Philipps told the publication. Page Six in March 2025, adding later in an interview: "When you have a friend like that, you're lucky. That's all you can hope for in this life.".
03 of 08
Brad Pitt and George Clooney
Brad Pitt and George Clooney at the Los Angeles premiere of "Wolves" in September 2024. Photo: Amy Sussman/WireImage
Brad Pitt and George Clooney are two of Hollywood's most famous actors, but their friendship began early in their careers. In 1990, both auditioned for the role of J.D. in the film «Thelma and Louise» , but Clooney didn't get the role. However, the filming of the franchise «Ocean» brought them together in the 2000s. "We've been friends for a long time," Clooney said of Pitt in an interview. GQ in 2024. "And it's great because we also check in with each other every now and then, which is an important part… it's always about making sure everyone's doing okay.".
04 of 08
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande at the premiere of "Wicked: For Good!" in New York City on November 17, 2025. Photo: Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic
Thanks to their acquaintance, their relationship changed for the better. Although their friendship was relatively new, the bond between the co-stars« The Evil Witch »"Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo is very deep. In an interview Variety In 2026, Erivo revealed that they texted almost every day and "really tried to take care of each other" during the intense, multi-year press tour to support the musical film and its sequel.
05 of 08
Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox
Courteney Cox and Jennifer Aniston at the 2018 AFI Lifetime Achievement Award Gala for George Clooney. Photo: Steve Granitz/WireImage
They played best friends in the series «"Friends"» and found a friendship off-screen (try saying that five times in a row). Jennifer Aniston continues to be the Rachel to Courteney Cox's Monica, and the two are both successfully working on the franchises and hit series they led after the end of their star-studded '90s sitcom. "Being friends with Courteney is being family with Courteney," Aniston said in her 2023 acceptance speech when Cox received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, according to People . "[Courtney] is responsible for all of this. From the very beginning of our acquaintance, she was very open, warm, loving, interested in everything that was going on with you.".
06 of 08
Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams
Maisie Williams and Sophie Turner at the Game of Thrones Season 8 premiere in New York City in 2019. Photo: Getty Images
Celebrity friends Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams grew up together while starring in the HBO fantasy series «Game of Thrones» from 2009 to 2018. In a 2019 interview for Vogue France and fellow actress Jessica Chastain Turner gushed about her Westerosi best friend, saying they have "a really strong friendship, like I haven't had with any of my other friends." She joked that they'd like to write a film about "a friendship where you're kindred spirits, but you're friends, and it's a beautiful bond, but it can also be quite destructive.".
07 of 08
Steve Martin and Martin Short
Steve Martin and Martin Short at the 2026 Golden Globe Awards in January. Photo: Frazer Harrison/WireImage
Before becoming partners in solving crimes in the series "« "Only murders in the building"» , Steve Martin and Martin Short starred together in the 1986 comedy «"Three amigos!"» , the project that marked the beginning of their long-standing friendship. But in reality, they only met briefly behind the scenes. «"New Show"» in 1984, Short said InStyle publication in 2021 (via People ) . "Steve was guest hosting that week—it was in '84—and Catherine O'Hara, an old friend of mine, co-hosted the show with Steve," Short explained. In 2024, the comedian recounted People, that the secret of their 40-year friendship with Martin is «constant laughter, respect for each other and love for each other, but laughter.».
08 of 08
Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet
Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio at a special screening of "Lee" in 2024. Photo: Eric Charbonneau/Roadside Attractions via Getty Images
Kate Winslet's character may have had to break up with Leonardo DiCaprio's Jack Dawson in «Titanic» , but in real life, the Oscar winners have maintained a friendship for nearly three decades. After meeting on the set of James Cameron's epic blockbuster, they began frequently appearing together at awards ceremonies. As reported People edition , DiCaprio jokingly referred to Winslet as a "girlfriend" at the 2016 BAFTA Awards. In 2025, Winslet said in an interview Access Hollywood named the star of the film "« One battle after another"» «"one of the funniest people I've ever met in my life.".
Read the original article on InStyle.