Back in the ‘90s and early aughts, there were few things bigger in the world of television than Friends. While its ensemble cast skyrocketed to the A-list, the sitcom was also known to feature some huge guest stars, and many actors have spoken out about getting the coveted opportunity to make a cameo appearance. However, it’s not hard to imagine how that experience could be terrifying, and British actress Olivia Williams has opened up about some not-so-great moments on set that she called “alarming.”
Olivia Williams Describes ‘Harrowing’ Experience on Friends Set
In Season 4, the Friends production packed up and headed across the pond to film on location in London for what would be Ross and Emily’s wedding. Several recognizable British faces popped up across the episodes, including Olivia Williams (of The Sixth Sense and The Crown fame). She played Felicity, one of Emily’s bridesmaids who has a fling with Joey (Matt LeBlanc), and she spoke with the Independent about why she has described the experience as “harrowing.” Williams recalled:
Gosh, well, just as an example, I was taken to the studio in a shared car with a wonderful actress whose character, I think, was called ‘Old Woman’ … At one point, a producer – who shall remain nameless – just yelled at her: ‘You’re not funny!’ And she didn’t come back the next day. So that was alarming.
It’s pretty disappointing to hear about the unprofessional and unproductive way some of the actors were treated on set, and I can’t imagine that made Olivia Williams or any of the others feel very confident in what was likely already a high-stress situation.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t all, as the actress said the hair and makeup team had a problem with her appearance. She continued:
Oh, and Friends was a brand, and you had to fit the brand. You go into hair and make-up and you’re told, ‘There’s a look here, this is what we do.’ And that involved, essentially, plucking off all of your eyebrows. [She begged them.] Literally, ‘please don’t take my eyebrows off, I might need them in another job!’ But yes, that’s the sense in which it was harrowing.
Apparently the crew had an idea of what they wanted Joey’s bridesmaid to look like, and fuller eyebrows were not in style back in the late ‘90s, unfortunately for Olivia Williams.
Reese Witherspoon And Others Have Shared Their Own ‘Scary’ Experiences
Many actors have spoken about what the Friends guest-starring experience was like, and it does sound pretty universally terrifying — albeit not for the same reasons that Olivia Williams experienced. Reese Witherspoon — who continues to work with Jennifer Aniston to this day on The Morning Show — called it “one of my scariest moments ever” because of the natural rapport between the main cast, but ultimately it blew her mind to be a part of it.
Alison Sweeney similarly said her time on the Friends set was “totally intimidating,” and Tom Selleck has admitted to being “scared to death.”
Of all the celebrities who have spoken out, it might be Jennifer Grey who had the experience most relatable to Olivia Williams, as she guest-starred as Rachel’s best friend Mindy. Grey said she had a lot of anxiety because the script changed multiple times, and she ultimately refused to return to the show, forcing Friends to recast the role of Mindy.
That’s not to say the opportunity was a negative one for all of its guests. Marlo Thomas, who played Rachel’s mom, has sweet memories about Matthew Perry giving her encouragement and of the way Matt LeBlanc handled their big kiss. Full House star John Stamos recalled an embarrassing moment in front of the live audience during his Season 9 appearance, saying Perry jumped in to save him.
As a Friends fan, you want to hope that the positive experiences outweighed the negative, but it’s troublesome to hear stories like Olivia Williams’ and to know that not everyone was given the same friendly treatment. If you want to relive any of the classic sitcom, all 10 seasons are available to stream with a Max subscription.
