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Matt Damon and Ben Affleck at the 1998 Oscars, where they won the Best Original Screenplay award for Good Will Hunting© Getty

Hollywood BFFs: Drew Barrymore & Cameron Diaz, Ben Affleck & Matt Damon, more – best throwback photos

See famous BFFs' best throwback photos, from Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen to Victoria Beckham and Eva Longoria, in honor of International Friendship Day

Beatriz Colon
Beatriz Colon - New York
New York WriterNew York
July 30, 2023
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Whether it's a lifelong friend, a new, instant best friend, a work friend, or even a sibling or family member, make sure to celebrate your friendships today, as it is International Friendship Day!

The International Day of Friendship was first proclaimed back in 2011 by the UN General Assembly, in an effort to "inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities" across various countries.

In honor of the day, revisit some of our favorite celebrity friendships, including Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, and more, that have stood the test of time (and the difficulties of Hollywood and fame) with their best throwback photos.

Drew Barrymore & Cameron Diaz

Cameron Diaz and Drew Barrymore during "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle" New York City Premiere in 2003© Getty
Cameron and Drew in 2003

These two met back when Drew was 14 years old and Cameron was 16 at a Los Angeles coffee shop, instantly hit it off, and have been affectionately calling each other "Poo Poo" ever since.

They are both best friends and co-stars, and one of their most iconic photos together is of them walking to the Charlie's Angels premiere – which they starred in alongside Lucy Liu – after the limo they had rented out broke down.

Salma Hayek & Penélope Cruz

Salma Hayek and Penelope Cruz during 72nd Annual Academy Awards in March 2000© Getty
Salma and Penélope in 2000

Salma and Penélope have been each other's biggest supporters since the two first started their respective careers in Hollywood. They first met when Salma was already living in Los Angeles and Penélope was just starting out.

The latter had planned to film a movie for two months and they had only met through the phone, but Salma insisted on not only picking her up at the airport, but she insisted her future best friend stay in her house too, telling her: "You're not going to a hotel, you're coming to my house because this is hard at the beginning and you're going to feel very lonely," Penélope recalled to Ellen DeGeneres.

Matt Damon & Ben Affleck

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck at the 1998 Oscars, where they won the Best Original Screenplay award for Good Will Hunting© Getty
Matt and Ben at the 1998 Oscars

Matt and Ben grew up together – they both hail from Massachussetts – after they met at ages ten and eight back in 1980. They began their acting careers together, one of their first roles being as uncredited extras on Kevin Costner's Field of Dreams.

They have since become both co-stars and filmmaking partners; in 1998, they won their first Oscars together, taking home the Best Original Screenplay award for Good Will Hunting, and they have since started their own production company, Artists Equity.

Eva Longoria & Victoria Beckham

Eva Longoria and Victoria Beckham attend THE COSTUME INSTITUTE GALA: "SUPERHEROES" with honorary chair GIORGIO ARMANI at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 5, 2008 in New York City© Getty
Eva and Victoria in 2008

Eva and Victoria met back in 2007 through Eva's ex-husband Tony Parker and his friendship with Victoria's husband, David Beckham.

When the Spice Girls alum's youngest daughter, Harper, was born in 2011, she made Eva her godmother, and when Eva married José Bastón in 2016, Victoria designed her wedding dress and was her bridesmaid.

Madonna & Debi Mazar

Madonna and Debi Mazar filming the video for 'Papa Don't Preach' in New York City, 1986© Getty
Madonna and Debi in 1986

Madonna and Debi have been each other's best friends for over four decades. They first met in the 1980s at New York nightclub Danceteria, and Madonna, who was just starting her career, then hired Debi to do her make-up for the 1983 music video for her song "Everybody."

Debi has since appeared in her music videos for "Papa Don't Preach," "True Blue," "Deeper and Deeper" and "Music," and in 2022 she told People: "It's a very personal relationship," adding: "She inspires me. She's relentlessly creative and smart. I'm always happy for her."

Jennifer AnistonCourteney CoxLisa Kudrow

Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox and Lisa Kudrow pose for a portrait during an NBC Press Tour Party on January 9, 1995 in Los Angeles, California© Getty
Jennifer, Courteney and Lisa in 1995

These three have been true friends since they first met in their early 20s and were on-screen best friends for ten years on Friends.

Their friendship has also stood the test of time, and they continue to champion each other decades after their iconic show's ending in 2004. Jennifer is Courteney's daughter Coco's godmother, and earlier this year, when the actress earned her Hollywood star, she had both Jennifer and Lisa by her side.

Leonardo DiCaprio & Tobey McGuire

 Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire attend the game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 7, 2003 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California© Getty
Leo and Tobey in 2003

Leo and Tobey met as teenagers and first co-starred together in 1993's This Boy's Life, and they went on to be part of the infamous "Pussy Posse," a crew once led by Leo comprised of some of his closest friends, including Lukas Haas, Kevin Connolly, Harmony Korine, Ethan Suplee, and David Blaine.

In 2014, Leo recalled to Esquire of meeting Tobey: "I was like, 'Tobey! Tobey! Hey! Hey!' And he was like, 'Oh, yeah – I know you. You're... that guy.' But I just made him my pal. When I want someone to be my friend, I just make them my friend." Today, you'll see the two continue to star in movies together, and wearing matching necklaces representing their new friend group, the "Wolf Pack."

Martha Stewart & Snoop Dogg

Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart attend The Comedy Central Roast of Justin Bieber at Sony Pictures Studios on March 14, 2015 in Los Angeles© Getty
Snoop and Martha in 2015

The lifestyle guru and rapper in recent years have become Hollywood's most unlikely, but favorite, pair.

The two met on Martha's cooking show in 2008 and have since teamed up for many more on-screen appearances, including on Martha & Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party, and Snoop and Martha's Very Tasty Halloween.

Oprah Winfrey & Gayle King

Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King attend First Anniversary Party for O Magazine on April 17, 2001 at Cipriani in New York City© Getty
Oprah and Gayle in 2001

These two veteran television hosts have been friends since they were first starting their careers, when Oprah, at 22, was working in Baltimore, Maryland, as a news anchor at WJZ-TV, and Gayle, who was 21, was a production assistant and writer at the radio station.

Speaking with People last year, Oprah said: "People will find this hard to believe, but we've never had a serious argument, and Gayle said one of the best compliments she gets is when fans come up to them with their own best friends, and tell them: "This is my Oprah," or: "This is my Gayle."

Anderson Cooper & Andy Cohen

Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper at Watch What Happens Live in 2014© Getty
Andy and Anderson in 2014

Does working in news and television make for lifelong friendships? Anderson and Andy have more than proven it! These two were first connected in the early 1990s when a friend tried to set them up on a blind date – Anderson worked for ABC and Andy for CBS – and though the date never happened, they reconnected in the early 2000s. 

They've been the ultimate duo ever since, supporting each other throughout career highs and their journey into fatherhood later in life, and famously host CNN's New Year's Eve broadcast each year.

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