Jessica Hecht: The Only Actor Who Appeared in Friends Before Seinfeld

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Everyone knows Friends had a talented cast, and the show borrowed a lot from the style of NBC’s Seinfeld, especially the idea of following a group of young, single people in New York City. However, only one actor appeared on Friends before joining the cast of Seinfeld. Interestingly, their first episodes in both shows aired within just a few weeks of each other.

Generally, actors moved from Seinfeld to Friends, not the other way around. The most famous example is Courteney Cox, who played Meryl on Seinfeld – one of the few women Jerry seemed to like. This episode aired only a few months before she began playing Monica Geller on Friends, the role she’s best known for.

Before appearing on Seinfeld as one of George Costanza’s girlfriends, Lindsay had already started playing a recurring role on Friends. Her later Seinfeld scenes, particularly one involving her mother, were so awkward they made viewers thankful they weren’t George’s friends!

I was relieved to see Lindsay leave after “The Gymnast” – it also marked the end of Jessica Hecht’s run on the show. But honestly, along with Friends, Seinfeld was what really kicked off her TV career. After those two sitcoms, she became a truly celebrated actress, one of the best on television in her generation.

Jessica Hecht Starred In Episodes Of Both Friends & Seinfeld In 1994

Jessica Hecht originally auditioned for the role of Monica on Friends, but Courteney Cox got the part. However, the show quickly cast Hecht as Susan Bunch, the partner of Ross Geller’s ex-wife, Carol. She played Susan for six seasons, appearing in 12 episodes, and often stood out with her witty and sharp remarks directed at Ross.

Hecht made her first appearance on Friends in the show’s second episode, which originally aired on September 29, 1994. Just under a month later, on October 27th, she was on Seinfeld in an episode called “The Couch,” playing George’s girlfriend, Lindsay. Her storyline with Jason Alexander, who played George Costanza, wrapped up a week after that when his character embarrassed himself in front of Lindsay’s mother.

Friends & Seinfeld Were Hecht’s 1st Major Screen Roles

Although Jessica Hecht didn’t get a leading role on Friends, appearing on the show was a turning point in her career. Before playing Susan Bunch on Friends and Lindsay on Seinfeld, she had only been in one other TV show – a small, uncredited part in an episode of Lois & Clark.

Before landing roles on two NBC sitcoms, she was virtually unknown. However, her portrayal of Susan, especially, opened doors to over 100 more acting jobs in movies and television. Had she not played both Susan and Lindsay within a month in 1994, her successful career might never have taken off.

Since Friends & Seinfeld, Hecht Has Become A Celebrated Dramatic Actor

Over the past thirty years, Jessica Hecht has consistently demonstrated her impressive acting skills in television. She’s played leading roles in three sitcoms, including The Single Guy, a New York comedy reminiscent of Seinfeld, and the highly praised series Special created by Ryan O’Connell.

While she’s known for many roles, she’s particularly celebrated for her dramatic work. This includes her parts as Harry Ambrose’s girlfriend in The Sinner, Carol Mannheim in The Boys, and the disliked character Gretchen Schwartz in Breaking Bad. Her performance as Sonya Barzel was critically acclaimed and earned her an Emmy nomination.

Both Friends and Seinfeld helped launch the actor’s television career. However, Friends took the lead in this instance, as casting Jessica Hecht as Susan Bunch turned out to be a brilliant choice.

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2025-11-09 16:58