For ten seasons, Friends dominated television. To this day, the cast continues to make millions off reruns and merchandise, that won't be ending any time soon... Along with its popularity, the show had a plethora of memorable guest-stars. Some were viewed as iconic, including Bruce Willis, Christina Applegate, Reese Witherspoon, Brad Pitt and so many others. However, that wasn't always the case. We'll also take a look at failed cameos, while showcasing Winona Ryder's time on the show and why it was frowned upon by fans and media.
The Guest-Stars On Friends Were Generally Well-Received
Friends wasn't short on iconic actors appearing throughout its ten seasons. For the most part, fans loved what the outsiders were able to bring. Billy Crystal and Robin Williams went completely off the script during their opening dialogue, something that was loved by the writers on the show.
Among the more memorable, included Bruce Willis, who showed a completely different side of his acting chops, portraying the role of Paul.
In terms of success, few were better than Christina Applegate, playing the role of Rachel's sister, Amy. Not only did she have a blast on the show but in addition, she walked away with an Emmy from the experience. Applegate was taken back by the award.
“It was shocking that I was nominated for the episodes I did because it honestly didn't feel like work,” she said. “And it didn't feel like I was doing anything special in any way. I was just having so much fun. I really was in shock when that happened. It was one of those moments of, like, ‘why ... what, me?"
That was the good, though like other sitcoms, there was bound to be some 'bad' along the way... Even for an iconic show like Friends.
Certain Guest-Stars On Friends Completely Missed The Mark With The Cast
Given that it was still so new during season 1, Fisher Stevens might've overlooked his cameo on Friends. He played Phoebe's annoying know it all boyfriend for an episode. In truth, his role on the show was just fine, however, he wasn't in the greatest mood behind the scenes with the cast.
Jennifer Aniston opened up alongside Howard Stern, discussing the actor's troubling ways on-set.
"It was as if they were just too 'above' this, to be on a sitcom. And I remember when we were doing a network run-through, the network and the producers would just laugh."
"And this person would be like, 'Listen to them, just laughing at their own jokes. So stupid, not even funny."
Fisher did react to the news, claiming he apologized to Aniston. He would further reveal that he wasn't sure about the sitcom at the time and in addition, he wasn't in the best mood given that his lines were changed at the last second.
"At that moment in my career, I had never done a sitcom before. I had never heard of Friends because it was just the beginning of the show and I didn't watch TV at the time much."
As for the next failed cameo, the star was just fine with the cast - the problem took place on-screen...
Winona Ryder's Appearance Was Labeled As A Desperate Way To Boost Ratings
Getting a big name like Winona Ryder was supposed to be a huge get for the sitcom. However, given what the writers had in store for Ryder, it came across as desperate for certain fans and media.
Ryder appeared in the episode, 'The One With Rachel’s Big Kiss'. It is said that at the time, ratings were starting to fall for the sitcom and Friends needed a ratings boost.
In order to get more viewers, a kiss was planned between Jennifer Aniston and Winona Ryder. Again, it was desperate for some in order to entice viewers.
Not only that but according to Fandom Wire, the moment received a troubling reaction from the LGBTQ+ community as well.
"The LGBTQ+ community criticized the particular episode as well. They declared it insensitive on the series’ part for their subverted attempt at showing a lesbian relationship as a crutch for regaining mainstream viewership and popularity."
Given that Ryder's cameo is rarely discussed, there might be a lot of truth to this criticism.
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