‘Friends’ Writer Makes Shocking Claims About Aggressive Work Culture, Says The Actors Gave Them A Tough Time & Had Nothing Positive To Say: “Novelty Of Seeing Big Stars Up Close Wore Off Fast”
Friends writer has now made some claims about the aggressive working culture in the sets of the sitcom. Read on to know more.
Friends Writer Has Detailed The Alleged Aggressive Nature Of Working On The Hit Sitcom (Photo Credit: IMDb)
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While we marinate ourselves in the era of streaming where a new shows drops on some or the other platform almost every week, there are always those days when we go back to the roots for comfort and tune into the most revered sitcoms of all times, Friends. Even after two decades of going off air, the sitcom that brought a group of 6 pals navigating life in Manhattan still intrigues and captivates us. But did you ever think there will be someone who was suffering each day on the sets?
Friends is an emotion for everyone who have seen the show for 10 seasons. Over the years, the recall value and fandom have only increased making Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matthew Perry, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer, and Lisa Kudrow not just became household names but family members who would be welcomed in each home if they decided to visit.
But while the fairytale reception of the show is something that is always enjoyed, did you know the writers had a tough time dealing with the cast, who thought they were guardians of the characters they were playing? Writer Patty Lin has now detailed her struggle on the set and said how the excitement of working with big stars wore off pretty soon. Read on.
As per Screenrant, Friends writer Patty Lin said, “But the novelty of seeing Big Stars up close wore off fast, along with my zeal about breakfast. The actors seemed unhappy to be chained to a tired old show when they could be branching out, and I felt like they were constantly wondering how every given script would specifically serve them. They all knew how to get a laugh, but if they didn’t like a joke, they seemed to deliberately tank it, knowing we’d rewrite it. Dozens of good jokes would get thrown out just because one of them had mumbled the line through a mouthful of bacon. David and Marta never said, “This joke is funny. The actor just needs to sell it.”
She added, “Once the first rewrite was finished, we’d have a run-through on the set, where the actors would rehearse and work out blocking with the director. Then everyone would sit around Monica and Chandler’s apartment and discuss the script. This was the actors’ first opportunity to voice their opinions, which they did vociferously. They rarely had anything positive to say, and when they brought up problems, they didn’t suggest feasible solutions. Seeing themselves as guardians of their characters, they often argued that they would never do or say such-and-such. That was occasionally helpful, but overall, these sessions had a dire, aggressive quality that lacked all the levity you’d expect from the making of a sitcom.”
