Friends' Lisa Kudrow Originally Wanted To Play A Very Different Character

It’s hard to imagine any of the Friends cast playing roles in the show other than their own, but Lisa Kudrow has admitted she originally had eyes on the part of Rachel Green. 

The Phoebe Buffay actor has said she initially identified with the character who would go on to be played by Jennifer Aniston much more than the eccentric massage therapist went on to bring to life. 

During an appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, Lisa said: “When I first read the script, and I was going to be auditioning for Phoebe, I saw [the pages for] Rachel, and I just went, ‘...that could be hilarious, I can identify with that more.’

“But they said, ‘No, no. Phoebe.’”

Lisa still clearly has an affinity with Rachel, however, as she also revealed that she recently took an online quiz that suggested she was most like the character in real life. 

She said: “I thought I was answering questions that would bring me to Phoebe – you know, ‘Favourite colour? Yellow!’ And it said Rachel!”

Of course, Lisa is not the only one of the main cast who has a previous link to the role of Rachel.

It’s a well-known fact hat Courteney Cox was originally asked to audition for the part, but she pleaded with producers to consider her for Monica Geller instead, as she was more drawn to the character.

Jane Sibbett, who played Ross Geller’s ex-wife Carol Willick-Bunch, also recently revealed she was originally lined up to play Rachel. 

However, because Jane was pregnant at the time the show was being cast, things did not end up working out. 

She told News.com.au: “I asked them [her agents] if they’d told the producers I was pregnant [at the time] and they said, ‘Oh no, we thought we’d tell them later.’ And I said, ‘No you’ve got to tell them now.’

“So obviously [the producers] said it wouldn’t work out.”

The main cast are set to come together on the much-anticipated Friends reunion, which debuts in the US next week on streaming service HBO Max. 

It’s still not clear exactly when or how British fans will be able to watch, but HBO productions typically come to Sky Atlantic and NOW in the UK.

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