Friends actor Cosimo Fusco is unrecognizable 27 years after playing Paolo, Rachel’s boyfriend

COSIMO Fusco played Paolo, Rachel Green’s boyfriend in Friends almost three decades ago – and he looks completely different these days.

Paolo was introduced in the first season and although he spoke very little English, he and Rachel – do Jennifer Aniston – quickly defeated it, much to Ross Gellar’s annoyance.

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But things didn’t last long and Rachel dumped Paolo after he made a pass to Phoebe Buffay while she was massaging him.

Paolo appears one more time in season two, as Rachel tries her best to get over Ross and ends up having a one-night stand with him.

Cosimo previously revealed about the scene between him and Lisa Kudrow, who plays Phoebe, revealing he initially had problems with the way it portrayed Italian men.

“He told The Guardian: ‘There was a scene where I was getting a massage and I had to be this fat guy touching Phoebe’s ***.

“I have a problem with how it portrays me, as if guys from Italy are.

“What they wanted me to do was quite disrespectful. But I remember we were able to find a compromise, so I felt comfortable.”

Cosimo also revealed that he mostly speaks his lines in Italian. He said: “I was asked to improvise, and I was a bit skeptical because my English wasn’t as good as it is now, let’s face it.

“But I was told not to speak English: ‘Just say whatever you want in Italian’.” I made most of the Italian spoken by Paolo. As I stood next to Jennifer, I said, “Look at the moon. Look at the stars.'”

Since appearing on the sitcom, Cosimo has ditched Paolo’s long hair and his natural black hair color has turned silver.

His most recent television appearance was as Angelo in the Spanish mystery horror series 30 cents.

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