While Friends was the quintessential comedy of the 90s, not everyone on set was naturally inclined to make people laugh, including one guest star who was perceived as challenging by the directors.
For dedicated fans of Friends, the New York ensemble feels like their own group of friends. Many have watched the series repeatedly to the point where they have memorized the punchlines.
No matter how many times the series is revisited, it remains as humorous as ever. Iconic moments like Ross’s “PIVOT!” or Joey wearing all of Chandler’s clothes never fail to amuse.
However, some may not know that a certain guest star who appeared on the Central Perk sofa wasn’t seen as ‘funny’ by the show’s directors.
Throughout its ten-year run, Friends featured numerous famous guest stars who delivered memorable comedic moments.
Ben Stiller portrayed a loud, assertive Tommy, who briefly dated Rachel (played by Jennifer Aniston).
Brooke Shields played an obsessed stalker, convinced that Joey (Matt LeBlanc) was Dr. Drake Ramoray, while Julia Roberts’ character Susie Moss took revenge on Chandler (Matthew Perry) by abandoning him in a restroom wearing only women’s undergarments.
Fans were treated to Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders learning “Smelly Cat” from Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow), and Bruce Willis humorously dropped his tough-guy facade as Paul, calling himself a “love machine” in the mirror, while Ross (David Schwimmer) hid under a bed.
Other notable guest stars included Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, Danny DeVito, Reese Witherspoon, Hank Azaria, and many more renowned Hollywood personalities.
Director James Burrows mentioned one guest star he found challenging to work with was Helen Baxendale, who portrayed one of Ross’s many girlfriends.
Playing British Emily Waltham in 14 episodes, her romance with Ross was cut short when Ross accidentally said Rachel’s name at the altar.
Burrows remembered in his memoir: “She was nice but not particularly funny. Schwimmer had no one to bounce off. It was like clapping with one hand.
“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.”
He further explained, “You need someone who gets laughs,” and noted, “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.”
Fans voiced their disagreement with the director’s comments, defending Emily’s character and praising Baxendale’s performance.
Baxendale herself referred to her experience on Friends as a ‘surreal little blip’ in her life.
In an interview with The Independent, she described the experience as ‘bonkers.’
“I think you need a certain character to be able to deal with it.. Attention and press still doesn’t sit well with me, but… I suppose I’ve been quite prepared to deal with it to get good parts,” she shared.