'Friends' on-screen couple Matthew Perry and Courteney Cox are distant cousins

Cox and Perry are related to a married couple that lived in England in the 17th century, and their family tree also includes Lady Gaga.

"Friends" star Matthew Perry and Courteney Cox, who played Chandler Bing and Monica Geller on the show respectively, are actually distant cousins.

A new report, published just a day before "Friends: The Reunion" aired on HBO Max on Thursday, has revealed that Cox and Perry who went from long-term friends to romantic partners to a married couple on the TV sitcom are related in real life. The discovery was made by the researchers at the genealogy website MyHeritage, reports CNN.

As per the findings, Cox and Perry are 11th cousins, connected through Cox's mother, Courteney Copeland, and Perry's father, John Bennett Perry. Both actors are related to William Osbern Haskell III and Ellen Haskell, a married couple that lived in England in the 17th century. Ellen migrated to America in 1635 with her two sons, Roger and William. Cox is a direct descendent of Roger, while Perry is a direct descendent of William.

Roi Mandel, the head of research at MyHeritage, told the outlet that they have full faith in their discovery as they have done extensive research. He said: "We went into this line very deeply, we checked every name. We found a lot of records that support it, and we have confidence that they are related."

Mandel also explained that the family connection between the two beloved "Friends" characters, who are friends in real life as well, "is not such a surprise."

"It makes sense that when you go so many generations back, the chances of people being connected are higher," he said.

In fact, Perry and Cox are also faintly related to Lady Gaga, though researchers didn't give details of the exact linage. The musician was recently seen with the actors when the special reunion episode aired, along with other "Friends" stars Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, and Matt LeBlanc.

A number of other A-list stars ranging from Justin Bieber to David Beckham also featured in the 105-minute special, hosted by James Corden. The episode featured interviews with the stars of the iconic sitcom, a trivia quiz similar to the one they played on the show, and some other recreations.