Ben Geller is the son of Ross Geller and Carol Willick. He is born in "The One With The Birth", and lives with his mother and her wife, Susan Bunch. Ben is played as an infant by Michael Gunderson, by brothers Charles Thomas Allen and John Christoper Allen from Season 3 to 5, and by Cole Sprouse from Season 6 to 8.

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Background

Ben is Ross's only son from his first marriage. He is raised by his mother Carol and her lesbian partner, Susan, so Ross only gets to 'babysit' Ben on occasion. Ben is rarely seen with the other Friends, who were present at (or very near) his birth. This causes him to sometimes mix up their names, like calling Rachel Phoebe. The gang all adore Ben, but prove pretty unreliable babysitters, not just Joey and Chandler (who lose Ben on a bus while Joey does his babe-magnet act) but even devoted and domestic Aunts Monica and Rachel, who teach Ben pranks that end up being pulled on his parents. Being spoiled by three rivaling parents, and bright by nature, Ben grows up as an amusing rascal. Although he seems to get on with the other Friends, as well as his father, Ross, he was once both bemused and frightened by Phoebe when he witnessed her losing her temper over an arcade game in Monica's apartment. Apart from that one incident, there is no evidence of him ever becoming upset with any of the Friends.

According to Jane Sibbett, in 2019, Ben is in college, where his mothers frequently worry about him (source).

Trivia

Appearances