Overview

• Speaking while promoting Darren Aronofsky’s 1998-set film Caught Stealing, Kravitz said mainstream ’90s TV included “super homophobic jokes” and cited Friends as a clear example.
• Co-star Austin Butler reacted with surprise, asking “Wow, even in Friends?” before agreeing such material should stay in the past.
• Critics have long pointed to the Carol–Susan storyline and repeated jokes about Chandler’s transgender parent as emblematic of the show’s shortcomings.
• Co-creator Marta Kauffman has acknowledged misgendering Chandler’s parent as a mistake, and Kathleen Turner has said the series hasn’t aged well.
• Other cast viewpoints remain mixed, with Lisa Kudrow and David Schwimmer noting the show’s context and perceived progressiveness for its era as Friends continues to reach new viewers through syndication and streaming.