'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Every character in the most-loved sitcom Friends is unique in their own way, but there's one character that constantly stands out, it's Phoebe Buffay.
Phoebe is quirky, silly yet witty, and leads somewhat of a bohemian lifestyle, but what makes her special are her stories about her family. From her mother killing herself to her evil twin sister Ursula, Phoebe has a handful of a family.
Phoebe Buffay and her complicated family in Friends
Phoebe Buffay might come off as the weird one in Friends, but she has had a tough time growing up. From going homeless at the age of 14 to finding her parents' truth, Phoebe learned a lot about her complicated family throughout the show.
Here are five things viewers should know about Phoebe Buffay's complicated family in Friends.
1) She has an evil twin sister Ursula
Phoebe has an estranged twin sister Ursula, with whom she parted ways after their mother killed herself. Ursula is like Phoebe's complete opposite - a ditzy, selfish, self-absorbed person who sometimes seems to forget she even has a twin sister.
In the episode The One Where Chandler Can't Cry of Friends, it is revealed that Ursula not only works in the adult entertainment industry, but she uses Phoebe's name as her official alias. Phoebe gets back to Ursula by cashing all the checks written out to Phoebe Buffay. Their estrangement is rather painful, considering neither has any other family.
2) She was a surrogate mother to her half-brother
Phoebe also has a half-brother, Frank Buffay Jr., who discovers his existence in The One with the Bullies episode of Friends, where she meets her father. She also learns that he had abandoned his second family as well.
However, when the two siblings met, they immediately hit it off. She later agrees to be a surrogate mother to Frank's children as he and his wife are facing problems with having their own. These children turn out to be triplets: Frank Buffay Jr. Jr., Chandler Buffay and Leslie Buffay, who she gives birth to in The One Hundredth episode of Friends.
3) Lily was not Phoebe's biological mother
Phoebe has a very complicated family history, especially regarding the parents. Her biological mother and father are Frank Buffay Sr. and Phoebe Abbott, but she was abandoned by Phoebe Abbott when she was born. She was left with Frank and Lily, whom Phoebe called her mother.
It was later revealed that Phoebe Abbott, Lily and Frank Buffay Sr. were in an intimate relationship, which got Abbott pregnant. However, Lily and the twins were abandoned by Frank, which led her to remarry a man who went to prison.
In The One With The Jellyfish episode of Friends, finds gets to know the truth about her biological and adoptive mother.
4) Frances was Phoebe's non-biological grandmother
Mother to Lily Buffay, Phoebe's non-biological grandmother Frances Buffay took her in young after Lily killed herself. Frances first appeared in The One With Phoebe's Dad episode of Friends, where she tells Phoebe about the pictures around the house not being her father.
She also claims that it was Lily's idea to tell her children about the man and later shares Phoebe's father's real photo and address. Phoebe shares her apartment with Frances before her death in episode The One With Joey's Bag of Friends. Frances is very close with Phoebe but not so much with Ursula.
5) Her adoptive mother killed herself
In the episode, The One with the Mugging of Friends, viewers learn that Phoebe's mother took her own life. Lily committed suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning, having her head stuck in the oven when Phoebe and Ursula were just 14, which caused the two to part ways.
In that episode, Phoebe says:
"Okay, I wasn't rich like you guys, okay? I didn't eat gold and have a flying pony. I had a hard life! My mother was killed by a drug dealer."
To which Monica exclaims:
"Your mother killed herself!"
Though the act itself is disturbing, Phoebe has no problem using the information to get whatever she wants, like a blueberry muffin.
Learn more about Phoebe's weird family in Friends, available to stream on Netflix.
