After over 10 years of being off the air and over 20 since it premiered, "Friends" is still one of the funniest and most-quoted television shows of all time. We’re all familiar with the characters (Ross, Rachel, Joey, Phoebe, Chandler and Monica) and the actors who play them (David Schwimmer, Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry and Courtney Cox, respectively). They have all had moderately successful careers since the show ended in 2004, but surprisingly, some of the guest stars that cycled through the show have become even more successful than the stars.

1. Paul Rudd.

He needs no explanation, but I’ll give one anyway. Most recently the star of the hit Marvel movie "Ant-Man," Paul Rudd played the role of Mike Hannigan from 2002 to the finale in 2004. Ever since then, Rudd has been on a nonstop career high. He’s stolen the spotlight in hit after hit: "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy," "Knocked Up," "I Love You, Man," a brief stint on "Parks and Recreation" and even the upcoming "Captain America: Civil War."

2. Mae Whitman.

Mae Whitman appeared on "Friends" in 1996 as Sarah Tuttle, the Girl Scout whose leg Ross breaks in Season 3. As she grew older, she scored roles like Ann on "Arrested Development," Katara on "Avatar: The Last Airbender" and most famously, Amber on "Parenthood."

3. Jim Rash.

In a nameless role on the very last episode of the series, Jim Rash plays a nervous man on a plane. Since then, he went on to act on "Community" as Dean Craig Pelton and even went on to win an Oscar for co-writing the George Clooney film "The Descendants" in 2012.

4. Ellen Pompeo.

No stranger to the small screen, Ellen Pompeo plays Ross and Chandler’s former high school crush in a Season 10 episode before she went on to land the lead role on "Grey’s Anatomy" as the titular Meredith Grey.

5. Brad Pitt.

Even though he already was seen in the movies "Se7en" and "Fight Club," there was definitely an increase in popularity after Brad Pitt guest starred as Will, who was once the president of the I Hate Rachel Club. He then went on to star in such Oscar-nominated films as "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "Moneyball," "12 Years a Slave" and most recently "The Big Short."

6. Craig Robinson.

Strangely enough, Craig Robinson went on to appear in "Knocked Up" with Paul Rudd after appearing as a clerk in a Season 10 episode. Robinson is now most known for his roles on "The Office" and in the "Hot Tub Time Machine" movies.

7. Reese Witherspoon.

Before being nominated for an Oscar for her role in "Wild" or winning an Oscar for her role in "Walk the Line," Reese Witherspoon was Rachel’s sister Amy. Not long after, she went on to play Elle Woods in "Legally Blonde," and the rest is movie history.

8. Ben Stiller

Ben Stiller definitely must have made a strong impression appearing as Rachel’s boyfriend Tommy in Season 3, because he is now a household name. "There’s Something About Mary," "Zoolander," "Dodgeball" and "Tropic Thunder" are all classic comedies starring Stiller, not to mention hit family movies like "Night at the Museum" or "Madagascar" (oddly enough, also starring David Schwimmer).

(All photos courtesy of NBC.)