Friends nearly recast major star as director makes brutal comparison to Jennifer Aniston
The popular sitcom made stars out of its main cast members, including Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer, but one major supporting character was almost given a complete overhaul.
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Friends director James Burrows had some harsh words to say about supporting star Helen Baxendale.
The English actress portrayed Emily, the wife of Ross Geller (played by David Schwimmer), in several episodes of the hit NBC sitcom throughout seasons four and five.
Although she played a pivotal part in Ross’s slow-burn romance with Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston), Burrows was concerned they didn’t have the same level of chemistry as the show’s most iconic pairing.
“She was nice, but not particularly funny,” the director wrote in his new memoir, Directed by James Burrows.
He claimed Schwimmer and Baxendale had nearly zero chemistry together, and heavily suggested that the show wanted to recast.
“Schwimmer had no one to bounce off,” Burrows went on. “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.”
It would have been impossible to recast the role, however, due to Friends’ incredibly strict deadlines.
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“Often, you can’t recast, because of tight shooting deadlines or other logistical considerations,” the director explained.
“You need someone who gets laughs. 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.
However, Burrows clarified: “If there’s chemistry, the writers go to work to figure out some way of keeping the actor.”
Ross and Emily went on to tie the knot in season five, but fans will remember the ceremony ended in disaster - as Ross said Rachel’s name by mistake during their vows.
When Emily gave her husband an ultimatum not to see Rachel anymore, Ross refused, and the marriage quickly dissolved to make way for more will-they-won’t-they.
Baxendale has since gone on to have a relatively successful acting career in the UK, appearing opposite Greg Davies in Cuckoo and most recently in the BBC’s adaptation of Noughts + Crosses.
Friends is available to stream on Max.
