From Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell, to Emma Thompson and Meryl Streep, these are the friends we look to for inspiration.
Female friendships don't always get a good rap. They're frequently shown as being complicated, competitive and fraught with insecurities. And sometimes, they are. But despite the common (and oh so boring) proclamations from our male counterparts that women are continually bitching and fighting with one another, we know the truth: they're just jealous. Because having, and being, a good girl friend is one of the best things there is.
The unlikely one
One found fame with her role as the insatiable Samantha Jones in Sex and the City, the other is a comic from South Shields. It may seem that the only thing Kim Catrall and Sarah Millican have in common is their hair colour (and potty mouths), but the pair appear to have struck up a close friendship. Kim was spotted leaving one of Sarah’s gigs back in 2012, which may have been where this beautiful, if unlikely, friendship first blossomed. The two often engage in friendly chit chat over Twitter, and when Sarah revealed that she’d married her partner in a secret ceremony, Kim was quick to respond. 'WHAT? I must be the last to know. Now I know what to buy you as a wedding gift. So happy for u,’ she wrote. We’d love to know what that wedding gift was. Or, actually, maybe we wouldn't.
The enduring one
No survey of famous female friendships would be complete without these two. While we’re often disappointed that TV friendships don’t translate into real life ones – is there a betrayal greater than finding out leading ladies can’t stand to look at each other once the cameras have stopped rolling? – Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox seem to be as close as their on screen personas were. Despite rumours the couple fell out following Courteney’s split from David Arquette, things appear to be back on track now. In fact, Jen reportedly shunned her partner Justin Theroux on her 45th birthday last week, deciding to spend it instead having dinner with her bestie. This is one relationship that can really a weather a storm. [Insert Friends theme tune here].
The competitive one
Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss’s friendship has often been portrayed as a spiky one. The press is keen to highlight the competitiveness of two of the world's most famous supermodels, and Naomi isn’t exactly known for her genteel nature. But the fact is, the two have known each other for 25 years, and have seen a lot together – probably (no, definitely) more than we’ll ever know. Whether they're competitive or not, they're still great pals. Naomi Campbell paid testament to their enduring friendship in an open letter to the Evening Standard on the occasion of Kate’s 40th birthday. ‘Kate and I have seen each other through the good and the bad. Kate has stood by me through it all. You can count on your hands the friends who’ll be there for you in the tough times, and she’s one of them.’ Naomi wrote. Telling the nation how much your mate means to you – if ever proof was needed that these two were best buds, it’s this.
The proud one
Pretty much no one dislikes Emma Thompson. She’s funny, intelligent, and doesn’t give a damn about what she looks like when she's collecting awards on stage. Or if she's had a drink beforehand. So when Meryl Streep made a ten minute speech about how great Ms Thompson is, and then read a poem she had penned herself about her chum to an audience full of Hollywood bigwigs, we were pretty much blubbing at our desks. And, of course, Emma’s reaction was just as eloquent and moving. 'Bloody hell, Meryl. What greater love hath no woman, really, that she should don a frock and heels for her friend, write a poem,' Emma said. 'My God, I’m nauseous with gratitude! It may, in fact, be guilt, because I know I did ask. I’m so sorry. Thank you so much.' This is one mutual appreciation society we want membership to. And while we wait for it, we're going to write a speech for our best mate that we'll deliver in the pub later. Just because.
Did that make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside? Here are more celeb BFFs that make us smile...