Another Actress Almost Played Rachel in Friends Instead of Jennifer Aniston

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Regardless of their diverse acting roles since the end of Friends two decades ago, which includes some of them in the 2025 TV lineup, it’s clear that Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, and the rest will always be synonymous with their iconic characters. It’s intriguing to ponder how different the show might have been if other actors had played Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Chandler, Joey, and Ross. Interestingly, it was Jane Sibbett, who was almost cast as Rachel, who shared her experiences on this subject matter.

As it turns out, I, Jane Sibbett, ended up playing Carol Willick on “Friends,” Ross’ second ex-wife, in a rather unexpected twist. Interestingly enough, I had initially auditioned for the role that eventually went to Jennifer Aniston. It was quite a complex scenario, as I was pregnant at the time, and I shared this anecdote during my appearance on the British morning show “Sunrise.

After departing the audition for Rachel, I received a call from my manager, excitedly announcing, “They adore you! They need you! They want you! You have to return next week, but they’re eager to have you!” To which I inquired, “Have you mentioned my pregnancy?” He replied, “No, no, no, just proceed with the test, it’ll be okay.” Consequently, when they found out about my pregnancy, they expressed their concerns, and I suggested, “Ask them if I could portray a pregnant lesbian,” to which they responded that the timing was still not suitable. Upon returning home from the hospital following the birth of my child, I received that anticipated call.

As a movie enthusiast, I can’t help but appreciate the brilliant decision of the casting team when it came to Rachel. However, what truly intrigues me is how the producers foresaw Jane Sibbett as an ideal fit for the series from the very beginning.

In my mind, only Jennifer Aniston fits the role of Rachel Green perfectly, but there’s no denying the outstanding chemistry between Sibbett and David Schwimmer, particularly in their portrayal of Carol and Ross. This dynamic is what keeps Carol among the cherished secondary characters from “Friends” even today. Jane Sibbett herself acknowledges that the correct actor was cast for the role of Ross’ love interest, as she stated.

No one ever could have played that part of Rachel besides Jennifer. No way.

It appears that no other actress might have embodied the character of Rachel Karen Green quite like the one we know – the self-centered older sister, the fashion enthusiast, and Ross’ long-term love interest, affectionately known as his “lobster.” However, it doesn’t mean that an abundance of other talented actresses weren’t vying for a spot on the show. Over time, we’ve discovered that Tiffani Thiessen from “Saved by the Bell,” Leah Remini who was invited to audition but declined due to not seeing herself fitting any of those characters, and even William Stanford Davis from “Abbott Elementary” once tried out for a minor role.

After Jennifer Aniston secured her audition for “Friends”, she quickly landed the role, as stated by the actress herself within just a few hours. If you’d like to rewatch some of Rachel’s (or Monica’s) iconic scenes, you can do so by streaming all 10 seasons of “Friends” with a Max subscription.

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2025-01-20 16:37