Friends remains a beloved sitcom, yet not every actor involved was seen as humorous – a bit awkward, right?
Let’s be honest, most of us have watched the iconic American series countless times, becoming familiar with its lines, yet the humor endures with every viewing.
Still, no matter how often you’ve revisited Friends, you might not have noticed that a particular guest star was seen as difficult by one of the show’s directors because he didn’t find them ‘funny.’ Quite the judgment call, isn’t it?
Fans of the 90s sitcom are well aware of the numerous famous guest stars who delivered memorable cameos throughout its ten-year run.
From Ben Stiller’s intense role as Tommy to Brad Pitt as the rumor-spreading Will Colbert, not to mention appearances by Robin Williams and Bruce Willis, many guest stars left a lasting impression on the series.
Nevertheless, director James Burrows found one guest star challenging to work with—Helen Baxendale.
Baxendale portrayed one of Ross Geller’s (David Schwimmer) numerous girlfriends.
As the British Emily Waltham, she appeared in 14 episodes, with her relationship with Ross ending when he mistakenly said Rachel’s (Jennifer Aniston) name at their wedding in London—a moment that still makes viewers cringe.
Although Baxendale’s brief time on Friends was partly due to her pregnancy, Burrows noted that other actors found it difficult to ‘bounce off her’ on set.
In his memoir, he reflected on the episode ‘The One with All the Rugby’: “She was nice but not particularly funny. Schwimmer had no one to bounce off. It was like clapping with one hand.”
Burrows elaborated: “In sitcoms and any type of romantic comedy, the funny is just as important as the chemistry. We discovered that any new girlfriend for Ross needed to be as funny as Rachel.”
“Often, you can’t recast, because of tight shooting deadlines or other logistical considerations. You don’t cast anyone to be a straw man, unless it’s for one episode.”
The director emphasized the need for actors who can deliver laughs.
He remarked: “Sometimes you start an arc and it ain’t working out, so you have to get rid of that person. If it’s a day player, it’s a quick goodbye.”
“The reverse is also true. If there’s chemistry, the writers go to work to figure out some way of keeping the actor.”
Baxendale has previously spoken about her time on Friends, describing it as a ‘surreal little blip’ in her life.
In a 2012 interview with The Mirror, she reflected: “I look upon it as a strange surreal little blip in my life almost like a dream.”
Despite this, she spoke positively of the Friends cast, saying: “They were all very nice and professional. We were never great mates though.”
“People expect because it is called Friends that everyone was great friends, but they were real professionals. They’d been doing it for years and I was one of many guest stars to appear.”
So, there you have it.