Here's What Paul Rudd Really Thought About Starring On 'Friends'
Of course, Paul Rudd would go on to become a massive star, thanks to films like 'Ant-Man'. However, the road wasn't always smooth and in fact, his time on the iconic show 'Friends' was met with mixed emotions. At first, Rudd was only slated to appear in two episodes, "I only ever signed on for two episodes but they kept writing more and had more ideas for that character,” he told Metro. “It was certainly exciting – but it was a strange phenomenon to work with this very well established and highly regarded group of people known all over the world.”
Rudd learned quickly that his role wasn't as important as the others on the cast. Behind the scenes, things weren't as smooth either, especially during the final episode. He'll always remember the experience given what a force that show was, though his time on the NBC juggernaut wasn't the most memorable of his career.
Rudd Was "A Prop" On The Show
Rudd was well aware that the show revolved around the others and not his character. Because of that, he felt like merely a prop in the episodes, “In something like Friends, the show was about them. I was only in it for just a blip. I felt, ‘I’m like a prop on this show. It’s not about Mike Hannigan,” he added. But there’s a very interesting feeling to be a part of something that has that kind of profound impact on pop culture.”
He didn't feel too useful on-screen and as it turns out, he wasn't comfortable behind the scenes either, especially given some encounters with Jennifer Aniston. He recalls an awkward encounter with Jen, "I was on the set for my first episode and Jennifer was on a Segway because she had broken her toe, and everyone was marveling at it. Matt LeBlanc (who played Joey) asked to have a go and immediately knew how to do it. I then asked to try it too. I spun round and rolled it right over Jennifer’s foot!” he admitted. “The producers look of panic was as if to say, ‘Is it too late to fire him? Has his character been established yet?’ I felt awful. Such an inauspicious start.”
Somehow, Rudd managed to make things even worse during the final episode. Aniston was emotional alongside Marta Kauffman - Rudd decided to lighten the mood but his joke ultimately fell flat. "I thought, I’m not supposed to be there. So to break the ice I went over and just went, ‘We did it, huh? What a ride.’ The joke inevitably fell flat,” he revealed.
Just being a part of the show was great for Paul's resume but ultimately, the experience did not live up to expectations, for both Paul and what the fans might've expected.
Sources: Radio Times, Cheat Sheet & Grazia Daily
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