Former Westworld co-stars Ben Barnes and Evan Rachel Wood are teaming up once again, and this time it’s for something much different and much less deadly. The two actors, who are also musicians, collaborated for the music video to Barnes’ latest music single, titled “11:11,” and they've given fans lots of anticipation build-up via behind-the-scenes clips and images, and that including one particularly excellent reference to Friends.
The Punisher vet and Shadow and Bone star Ben Barnes celebrated his buddy Evan Rachel Wood's recent birthday the only way he knew how: by posting a dubsmash on Twitter of the two of them delivering their A+ reference to Friends. (Why, do you celebrate your friends' birthdays differently?) In the video, the Westworld alums pay tribute to the iconic reveal of Monica and Chandler in bed together in London, just before Ross’ wedding. Check out Wood and Barnes also sharing a bed together for the video below:
Ben Barnes was only on Westworld through the end of the second season, while Evan Rachel Wood's Dolores Abernathy will presumably return to form in Season 4. Despite Barnes departing from the series back in 2018, it looks like his friendship with Wood has only grown in the years since. The music video seems to mark the first time they’ve worked together in three years, so I can only imagine what it was like putting together something that's quite unlike what fans are used to seeing from them. At least judging from the teases.
Even though their music video collaboration is temporary, maybe this could be the start of more projects for them to star in together, whether that’d be in music, film, or TV. Now I'm kinda into seeing a Friends parody with Barnes' Jigsaw and Wood's Dolores as Chandler and Monica, respectively. Or with reversed roles. I'm not picky.
Ben Barnes and Evan Rachel Wood aren’t the only ones recreating Friends moments on social media. Friends star Courteney Cox took to Instagram last year to give fans a little tender reminder to not send her more gifs of a turkey on her head from one of the many iconic Thanksgiving episodes the series did. Which obviously wasn't a legitimate warning, but rather a callback to one of the show's most memorable holiday moments. And Friends references have been especially plentiful in the months after HBO Max's reunion special turned heads and earned Emmy nods, and also re-sparked debates about Ross and Rachel, and about Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer themselves. Will we see any more nods in the actual video for "11:11" when it's released?
Although Ben Barnes doesn’t seem to be returning to Westworld any time soon, fans can still see him and Evan Rachel Wood together in the new music video for “11:11,” which will be released in the second week of September 2021. This will surely keep fans satisfied until the two share another project together that lasts longer than four minutes. But in the meantime, head to our 2021 Fall TV schedule to see what other new and returning shows are popping up soon, and keep your eyes and ears out for Barnes' first EP, Songs for You, when it releases on October 15.
