Although first aired in 1994, the TV show Friends remains one of the biggest television hits of all time. Everyone knows someone who says it’s their favorite thing to watch on a Sunday.
It makes it hard to imagine a time when those on the set of Friends struggled to find it funny. But a director has admitted there was one actress he struggled to work with for her lack of humor.
BURBANK, CA – SEPTEMBER 12: (EXCLUSIVE, NO U.S. TABLOID SALES) The cast of the hit NBC series “Friends” (L-R) Courteney Cox Arquette, (Monica), Matthew Perry, (Chandler), Jennifer Aniston, (Rachael), David Schwimmer, (Ross), Lisa Kudrow, (Phoebe ), Christina Pickles, (Monica’s mom), Elliott Gould, (Monica’s Dad), and Matt LeBlanc, (Joey) performs during one of their last shows on the Warner Bros. lot Sept. 12, 2003 in Burbank, CA. “Friends,” which is in its ninth and final season, debuted in 1994, has won 44 Emmys, and is one of the biggest successes in television history. (Photo by David Hume Kennerly/Getty Images) This image is not included in any subscription deal. Use of this image will incur a charge.
Friends is known, among other things, for the many cameos it featured.
The show ran for 10 seasons, and featured a whole bunch of amazing actors we know and love like Julia Roberts, Christina Applegate, Reese Witherspoon, and Bruce Willis.
Filming cameos can be tricky
UNIVERSAL CITY, CA – MARCH 5: Matt LeBlanc, Jennifer Aniston, Matthew Perry, Lisa Kudrow, Courtney Cox and David Schwimmer of the TV show Friend’s attend the 21st Annual People’s Choice Awards on March 5, 1995 at the Universal Studios in Universal City, California. (Photo by Ron Davis/Getty Images)
Because of the many cameos in the show, new actors are often introduced on set to work on the plotlines with the cast of main characters.
This means that for however many episodes, actors, and directors must learn to cooperate with the camera.
A director admitted one cameo was hard
Actress Helen Baxendale poses for media before joining activists from Friends of the Earth and Christian Aid as they take the Eurostar train to Copenhagen to call for a strong and fair climate deal at St Pancras station, London. (Photo by Anthony Devlin/PA Images via Getty Images)
While different cameos can be challenging, for director James Burrows, who worked on many episodes of the show, Helen Baxendale’s cameo was a difficult one to film.
The director had trouble building the right chemistry on set between Baxendale and the actors.
Baxendale played Emily Waltham
1998 David Schwimmer and Helen Baxendale of “Friends.”
The British actress, now 54 years of age, appeared as the Friends character Emily Waltham, one of Ross Geller’s fiancées on the show.
The actress would stay on for 14 episodes, portraying Emily and Ross’ relationship up until their wedding day when they break up.
The actress is known for playing Emily
Actress Helen Baxendale speaks to media as she joins activists from Friends of the Earth and Christian Aid as they take the Eurostar train to Copenhagen to call for a strong and fair climate deal at St Pancras station, London. (Photo by Anthony Devlin/PA Images via Getty Images)
The British actress Baxendale is maybe best known for her role here as Emily Waltham and her character Rachel Bradley in the comedy-drama back home, Cold Feet.
While she didn’t stay on Friends for long, some had struggled to work with her.
She had to leave for her baby
BURBANK, CA – SEPTEMBER 12: (EXCLUSIVE, NO U.S. TABLOID SALES) Matt LeBlanc and Lisa Kudrow crack each other up on the set of the hit NBC series “Friends” during one of the last shows filmed on the Warner Bros lot Sept. 12, 2003 in Burbank, CA. “Friends,” which is in its ninth and final season, debuted in 1994, has won 44 Emmys, and is one of the biggest successes in television history. (Photo by David Hume Kennerly/Getty Images) This image is not included in any subscription deal. Use of this image will incur a charge.
Baxendale had a short stay on the show as she was expecting her first child with husband David L. Williams.
Although her stay was short, the director James Burrows said it was hard for him to work with her.
He spoke about it in his memoir
James Burrows at the IndieWire & Paramount + Consider This FYC Event at Studio 10 on June 8, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto Rodriguez/IndieWire via Getty Images)
The director spoke about the experience in his 2022 memoir titled, Directed by James Burrows: Five Decades of Stories from the Legendary Director of Taxi, Cheers, Frasier, Friends, Will & Grace, and More.
He recalled the episode ‘The One with All the Rugby’ from 1998.
The actors couldn’t bounce off each other
BURBANK, CA – SEPTEMBER 12: (EXCLUSIVE, NO U.S. TABLOID SALES) David Schwimmer, who plays Ross on the hit NBC series “Friends,” performs during one of their last shows on the Warner Bros lot Sept. 12, 2003 in Burbank, CA. “Friends,” which is in its ninth and final season, debuted in 1994, has won 44 Emmys, and is one of the biggest successes in television history. (Photo by David Hume Kennerly/Getty Images) This image is not included in any subscription deal. Use of this image will incur a charge.
In his book, Burrows spoke about working with Baxendale saying, “She was nice but not particularly funny. Schwimmer had no one to bounce off. It was like clapping with one hand.”
He explained that things had to remain funny and spontaneous on set.
The director explained sitcoms
BURBANK, CA – SEPTEMBER 12: (EXCLUSIVE, NO U.S. TABLOID SALES) Jennifer Aniston makes a funny face as she sits with co-star Matthew Perry in between takes on the set of hit NBC series “Friends” September 12, 2003 on the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank, CA. “Friends,” which is in its ninth and final season, debuted in 1994, has won 44 Emmys, and is one of the biggest successes in television history. (Photo by David Hume Kennerly/Getty Images) This image is not included in any subscription deal. Use of this image will incur a charge.
“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,” Burrows continued.
They couldn’t recast Emily because of schedules but he added, “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.”
Burrows spoke about the writing
Cast members of “Friends” presenting the Best Supporting Actor and Actress for a Comedy Series at the 54th Annual Emmy Awards (Photo by Michael Caulfield/WireImage)
“The reverse is also true. If there’s chemistry, the writers go to work to figure out some way of keeping the actor,” Burrows added.
While the set of Friends may have witnessed a little tension, many fans still love the character Emily, so it seems it wasn’t all so bad in the end.
