Summary
- Jane Sibbett enjoyed playing Carol on Friends, a woman who fully loved & embraced her character's journey.
- Sibbett was genuinely emotional filming her final scene with David Schwimmer, showcasing their tender chemistry.
- Jessica Hecht also had a positive experience playing Susan on the show, embracing the character's self-realized nature.
Not only was the main cast of Friends a talented group with tremendous chemistry, but at the same time, the show had some great guest stars. That included Jane Sibbett, who was there from the start, playing the role of Carol Willick.
In the following, we're going to take a closer look at how Sibbett felt about playing a gay character on the show. We'll reveal her thoughts, and how she felt about a certain kissing scene with David Schwimmer during season one.
We'll also take a look at Jessica Hecht's thoughts on appearing on the show, and how she felt about playing Susan, another character that was introduced very early on.
Jane Sibbett Went Off The Script On Friends With Legitimate Tears During Her Scene With David Schwimmer
Jane Sibbett couldn't hold back her tears following David Schwimmer's brilliant take on Friends.
Jane Sibbett Loved That Her Character's Goal Was To "Fully Love"
Especially during the first seasons of Friends, Jane Sibbett was an important part of the show, playing the role of Carol Willick. She appeared in 15 episodes. Sibbett played a gay character on the show, though she was not gay in real-life. Nonetheless, Sibbett was more than comfortable with the role, especially given Carol's goal, which was to find love.
During an interview with Today discussing what it was like being on Friends, Sibbett said about her character Carol, “Carol is a woman who followed her own heart,” Sibbett said of Ross’ ex-wife and the mother of his son, Ben. “She was in love with her husband, and then she fell in love with a woman. She wasn't any kind of stereotype. She was just a woman who fully loved.”
Sibbett went on to discuss how happy she was with the way Friends handled her character.
"We were never poking fun at being gay,” she said. “We were poking fun at a person who didn't get it, who was uncomfortable with the concept of us being together. And that was the great beauty; the great truth in that the joke's on the people that don't get it, that this is all about love.”
How David Schwimmer Really Spends His Colossal Net Worth
David Schwimmer's salary from 'Friends' and his other acting roles have afforded him a net worth that allows him to never have to work again.
Sibbett was truly perfect for the role, and admits that after watching the pilot, she just couldn't turn down the show, despite the fact that she had just had a tough pregnancy at the time. It all worked out in the end.
Jane Sibbett Admits She Was Genuinely Emotional During Her Final Kiss With David Schwimmer On Friends
It is an episode Friends fans could not forget during season 1, titled, The One with the Candy Hearts. On Valentine's Day, Ross ended up at the same restaurant as Carol and Susan. Ross and Carol end up enjoying their final emotional moment together. For Sibbett, it was very difficult to shoot behind the scenes as she was genuinely emotional.
“It was the sweetest, sweetest scene and we had to kiss,” she said. “It was so emotional and he made me cry. My eyes welled with tears as we were doing the scene because he was so tender and so loving and just ‘Can we make this work again?’ You know, when you're in it, the acting kind of dissolves away. And he kissed me and the thought that went through my mind is ‘He's really sweaty right now,' 'cause he was so nervous.”
Stephen Colbert Revealed He Was Jealous Of David Schwimmer's Early Success In Hollywood Because Of Their Past
Stephen Colbert's Late Show conversation with David Schwimmer wasn't Friends related as the two discussed there lengthy past together.
As was the case with other guest stars, Sibbett had plenty of praise for David Schwimmer and his brilliant timing.
"I saw David Schwimmer do the most incredible take,” she said. “I'd never seen anybody do comedy like that. He literally took the longest take with his comedy. I just thought, oh my goodness, I have to work with this man. He is brilliant.”
Jessica Hecht Also Had A Blast Playing A Gay Character On Friends
Similar to Sibbett, Jessica Hecht had a positive experience playing Susan, and especially enjoyed what the character stood for.
“I think that was a joy, of playing an iconic gay character, because there was no artifice,” Hecht said. “And also, she's kind of just a great, funny person. I think she was self-realized in a way that not a lot of people are.”
She added, “I always loved Susan's line when Ross is looking at the bookshelves and he says, ‘Wow, you got a lot of books about lesbians.’ And I think Susan says, ‘Well, they make you read a lot of books. Otherwise, they don't let you do it.’”
Hecht also loved the fact that she was able to see the cast at the start of the show, and later on when their popularity reached next level heights.
“Nobody was famous yet, so everybody was super nice — not that they ever changed — but I've had this brilliant experience of doing a bunch of shows before they became huge successes,” she said. “I had the same experience with ‘Breaking Bad,’ for instance, and there's something kind of amazing to be there the first day and then the last day.”
Playing the role of Susan Bunch, the actress appeared in 13 episodes.
