Joey Tribbiani is a ladies’ man to the core, and that’s no coincidence. True fans of Friends know this character feels so comfortable around women because he grew up with SEVEN sisters. (Points if you can remember all their names!) Gina, Tina, Dina, Mary-Angela, Mary-Therese, Veronica, and Cookie all appear in early seasons of Friends before two of them were recast and featured in the short-lived spin-off, Joey.
Think any of the Tribbiani sisters look familiar? You might have seen a few of them on other hit TV shows and movies over the years – but for some, it’s a “moo point” to even bring up their acting careers since then.
Veronica, Tina, and Dina #1 Retired
Three Tribbianni sisters walked away from show business in the ’90s. According to IMDB, ‘Tina’ was played by Lisa Maris, and she retired from acting after doing a few made-for-TV movies around the time that her Friends episode aired.
The actress who played ‘Veronica’ was maybe the most minor Tribbiani sister featured on Friends. She didn’t get any lines, and her only other acting credit is appearing as Rosie O’Donnell’s body double in The Flintstones. Veronica’s real name? DENA. We’re starting to feel like Chandler here.
Dina #2 Is A Celebrity Blogger
The second time viewers saw ‘Dina,’ she was played by TV regular, Marla Sokoloff. She was already a familiar face to anyone who watched Full House (as Stephanie’s rebellious friend Gia), and she’s since reprised that role on Fuller House.
On Friends, she had her moment in the spotlight when she got “knocked up” by someone who was “missing a shoe” and Joey tried to host an impromptu wedding ceremony for her and the baby daddy. These days she’s a mom IRL who works as an IG influencer and a celebrity blogger for People Magazine.
Mary Angela, Mary Therese, and Cookie: Still On TV
Mimi Lieber played ‘Mary Therese,’ the sister who made out with Chandler in the hallway of Joey’s grandmother’s house. Before Friends, she was hitting it big on shows like Beverly Hills, 90210, and The X Files. Since then, she’s had recurring roles on Law & Order and Judging Amy, and even had jobs on Broadway as a dancer and choreographer.
Both Ginas Stay Busy
‘Gina’ wasn’t a standout sister in Friends, but she was still one of the original seven. She was played by actress K.J. Steinberg, who has since stepped behind the cameras as a top TV producer. According to MTV, she’s produced the (possibly soon-to-be-rebooted) show Gossip Girl, The Nine, State of Mind, and currently, Mistresses. She’s also written for This Is Us and Lawless.
‘Cookie’ might be the most memorable original Tribbiani sister. She’s the one who punched Chandler after he kissed Mary Therese, and who told Phoebe she shot her husband. These days you can see her as Maureen Bennett in Why Women Kill, or as Katherine in Jane The Virgin and Isabella in Telenovella. Work it, Cookie.
