Today it’s impossible to imagine Joey, Monica, Chandler, Ross, Rachel and Phoebe portrayed by other stars, and yet when it comes to TV series like Friends the behind the scenes is always ready to offer anecdotes and “what if” scenarios. Can you picture another actress in the shoes of Jennifer Aniston as Rachel? At the outset, during the casting phase, the production considered several alternatives for all six actors involved, and below we’ll recount some names that could have forever changed Friends.
Friends, the alternative cast: who are the 6 stars who narrowly missed the cult series
Jon Favreau as Chandler
Even though today Jon Favreau is known mainly as a behind-the-scenes talent (for example in the Star Wars universe with The Mandalorian), he began primarily as an actor and there was a moment when he could have played Chandler. In fact, Favreau later appeared in Friends portraying Pete Becker, Monica’s fiancé, a tech-savvy guy interested in becoming a martial arts champion. Yet, initially, Favreau aimed for the role of Chandler Bing, as reported by Screen Rant, but he would have refused the part to focus on Swingers.
And it seems that Jon Favreau was not the only one interested in the role that eventually went to Matthew Perry. It appears that Jon Cryer, before becoming Alan Harper on Two and a Half Men, had shown interest in Friends.
Kathy Griffin as Phoebe
The Seinfeld star Kathy Griffin could have taken on the role of Phoebe Buffay in an alternate universe of Friends. The actress took part in the auditions, but ultimately did not land the part that went to Lisa Kudrow. Two years later, however, Griffin joined the cast of another sitcom, Susan, which lasted four seasons.
Vince Vaughn as Joey
Today Vince Vaughn is a well-known name on the big screen. He’s unforgettable in films such as Swingers, Wedding Crashers, Psycho, Old School, and more recently Freaky, Nonnas, and Mike & Dave Need Wedding Dates. On TV, he has appeared in True Detective and Bad Monkey, but he could have played Joey Tribbiani as well, if only he had landed the part. Casting director Ellie Kanner told HuffPost long ago about the actor’s audition, recalling his talent, but indicating he wasn’t as suited for the role as Matt LeBlanc.
Téa Leoni as Rachel
Several actresses sought to play Rachel Green in Friends, and Téa Leoni appears to have been the first choice for that role. So Jennifer Aniston wasn’t the first star considered for Rachel: the producers were initially interested in Téa Leoni. However, the actress declined so she could participate in another sitcom, The Naked Truth, which nevertheless did not achieve the same level of TV success.
Eric McCormack as Ross
Today it’s hard not to associate Eric McCormack with Will & Grace, another highly successful sitcom broadcast from 1998 to 2006, which later returned for a revival from 2017 to 2020. Yet, a little earlier, the actor had his sights on Ross Geller, Monica’s brother and Rachel’s love interest played by David Schwimmer. At the time of the audition, he didn’t know the role had been written with Schwimmer specifically in mind.
Nancy McKeon as Monica
Courteney Cox had to compete with Nancy McKeon for the role of Monica. Both, in fact, were among the favorites. McKeon had already proven her acting chops on the series The Apple Tree from 1979 to 1988. The casting director Lori Openden told Vanity Fair that McKeon offered “an excellent interpretation” of Monica, but in the end Cox was chosen, who at the time was considerably less well known.
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