Friends Alum Reveals Why She Lost Monica Role to Courteney Cox!

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There are certain actors who become synonymous with a specific character, and in the case of the Friends cast, they all fit this description perfectly. However, one might wonder if the series would have still been among the greatest sitcoms ever made if Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, and the others hadn’t landed their roles. It turns out that a recurring actress on the NBC comedy even auditioned for the part of Monica, and she has her own thoughts on why she didn’t get it.

To fans of the popular show “Friends” (available with a Max subscription), Jessica Hecht is a familiar face – her characters Susan Bunch and Carol Willick (mainly portrayed by Jane Sibbett) are among the cherished secondary characters from the series. In an interview with Parade, Hecht revealed that she knew the show’s casting director, Ellie Kanner, from their shared hometown of Bloomfield, Connecticut, which led to her auditioning for the role of Monica Gellar. According to Hecht, this is how she became part of the “Friends” cast.

In Los Angeles, my agent informed me that my photo had been submitted to a casting director for Friends. They were unsure if the original actor would accept the part, so they wanted to consider other options as well, including someone who might know me from high school. Excited to meet Ellie Kanner, I went in for an audition and ended up being read for the role of Monica.

Without a doubt, everyone’s aware that Courteney Cox eventually secured the part, and it seems like fate played a hand in it. When the role of Monica arrived at her doorstep, Cox was teetering on financial instability. It’s said that after filming the pilot, she felt so certain Friends would be successful that she splurged and bought a Porsche!

Jessica Hecht, meanwhile, thinks she has an idea of why she was passed over, as she continued:

Reflecting on my past self, I towered over most people due to my height and larger build. In retrospect, I can’t help but admire Courteney – she embodied the essence of a Lisa, not only in her physical appearance, but also in her vibrant energy.

Regardless of why things turned out this way, it’s likely fair to conclude that everything unfolded as it was meant to, with Jessica Hecht leaving a significant impression despite appearing in fewer than 16 episodes across Friends‘ ten seasons. The irony lies in the fact that Jane Sibbett originally auditioned for the role of Rachel.

Enjoy 10 hilarious seasons of “Friends” exclusively on Max. Their affordable ad-supported streaming plan is available for just $9.99 a month, or you can opt for a yearly subscription and save up to 20%! Check out the deal here.

For quite some time, it’s been known that several other performers have attempted to secure a place in the enduring sitcom. Leah Remini was invited to try out, yet declined, stating that she felt the parts weren’t suitable for her.

In the story of “Abbott Elementary,” it’s shared that William Stanford Davis encountered a challenging moment when, following his audition, a casting director suggested to his representative that he should leave acting. Thankfully, he chose not to, and we’re fortunate for it because Mr. Johnson on Abbott is simply outstanding!

It’s intriguing to ponder how much Friends might have changed if different actors had played characters like Rachel, Ross, Monica, Chandler, Joey, and Phoebe. Although Jessica Hecht demonstrated she was a good fit for the series, I believe it was the right decision to cast her as Susan instead of Monica.

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2025-06-15 20:38