More than costars? Celebrity duos who became real-life best friends

Hollywood friendships are often thought to exist only on screen. However, some famous on-screen duos and costars have ditched this myth and shown that some of the best friendships can be found anywhere, unaffected by work competition.

Here is a list of actors who developed a strong bond with their costars:

Ariana Grande and Liz Gillies:

Ariana Grande and Liz Gillies first met as teenagers in 13: The Musical on Broadway in 2008. Their bond only became stronger when they starred together on Nickelodeon’s Victorious.

Since then, the pair have kept their friendship booming through career support and shared fun on several occasions.

Gillies told PEOPLE about her friendship with Grande, saying, "We make a real effort to see each other. We laugh, we reminisce and we make new memories. I think a lot of the time, when you have friends from childhood, you need to make new memories to keep a friendship going. Otherwise, you're just reminiscing about the past."

She further added, "I see Ariana all the time, and we're constantly doing things, having new experiences and adding chapters to our book. I'm so grateful that we've been able to share in this wild ride together."

Jennifer Garner and Victor Garber:

Jennifer Garner and Victor Garber’s became friends on the set of Alias, where the two played father and daughter roles. Their on-screen bond quickly turned into real life friendship.

Garber even took charge of Garner’s wedding to Ben Affleck and remained a steady presence during her life changes. 

Meanwhile, Garner has supported Garber through countless stage productions.

In 2023, the two reunited for the Apple TV+ drama The Last Thing He Told Me, a moment Garner described as "full circle".

"We've wanted to work together again, obviously, forever," Garner told Entertainment Weekly.

"The only problem was, I couldn't stop smiling at him. I was just grinning ear to ear. I was so happy he was there,” she added.

Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul:

Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul made on Breaking Bad made one of television’s most iconic partnerships. But off-screen, their bond has been equally unbreakable.

From Cranston acting as Paul’s mentor to the two becoming business partners with their mezcal brand Dos Hombres, their connection has only deepened over time.

"Bryan, he is my mentor, one of my best friends on the planet," Paul told PEOPLE in 2022. "I've learned so much from this guy. To be able to tackle something yet again with him, that was really our own brainchild — a dream come true."

Sophia Bush and Hilarie Burton:

Sophia Bush and Hilarie Burton played best friends Brooke Davis and Peyton Sawyer on One Tree Hill. However, in real life their friendship is just as strong as the on-screen bond.

The two have supported one another in both career milestones and as well as through personal challenges. As Burton sweetly put it on Instagram, "Showing up for each other in fun random ways… that’s real love, babes."

Together, Bush and Burton now co-host the One Tree Hill re-watch podcast Drama Queens with former costar Bethany Joy Lenz. 

They’re also working on developing a potential reboot of the show, this time from a more empowering “female lens.”

Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox:

The Friends cast notably lived up to their show’s title, but Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox have remained particularly inseparable since the series wrapped in 2004.

The duo has shared everything from holidays together to heartfelt charity reunions. In 2022, Aniston shared a video of the two wearing Friends-themed shirts.