ladbible homepage
ladbible homepage
  • iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK
    • US
    • World
    • Ireland
    • Australia
    • Science
    • Crime
    • Weather
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV
    • Film
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • Netflix
    • Disney
  • Sport
  • Technology
  • Travel
  • Lifestyle
  • Money
  • Originals
    • FFS PRODUCTIONS
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Archive
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content Here
  • SPORTbible
  • Tyla
  • GAMINGbible
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • FOODbible
  • UNILAD Tech
Friends guest star reveals ‘harrowing’ experience filming as she details treatment of actor on set

Home> Entertainment> TV

Published 16:46 16 Apr 2024 GMT+1

Friends guest star reveals ‘harrowing’ experience filming as she details treatment of actor on set

The Crown star revealed her experience filming Friends in London was more 'harrowing' than a hoot

Olivia Burke

Olivia Burke

google discoverFollow us on Google Discover

Plenty of famous faces joined the Friends cast for special episodes of the 90s sitcom throughout it's ten seasons.

Celebrities including Jennifer Coolidge, Sean Penn, Winona Ryder, Brad Pitt and Bruce Willis have all had cameos on the legendary show, and as far as we're concerned, they all had a ball in the process too.

However, that isn't the case for all of the people who were lucky enough to bag a gig as a guest star on Friends.

Advert

Take The One with Ross's Wedding, for example - Friends fever was well and truly gripping the UK in 1998, so stars who were hoping to get in on the action which unfolded in the two-part season finale were forming an orderly queue.

Ross Geller was set to get hitched to his blushing bride Emily Waltham in London and the rest of the gang were just dragged along for the ride.

Friends fanatics may remember that the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, made an appearance in the episodes, as well as Virgin tycoon Richard Branson and Stuart Little star, Hugh Laurie.

As well as this interesting trio, Olivia Williams offered up her acting talents to the sitcom and starred as the flirty bridesmaid and friend of Emily's, Felicity, who comes on to Joey Tribbiani.

Although it sounds like a right laugh, the actress said it was 'harrowing' rather than a hoot.

Olivia Williams opened up about her experience guest starring on Friends (Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images)
Olivia Williams opened up about her experience guest starring on Friends (Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images)

The Sixth Sense star, 55, revealed that she realised things didn't run quite as smoothly behind-the scenes as they appear to do on TV.

Speaking to The Independent, Olivia recalled how she was left particularly uncomfortable by the treatment of a fellow actress who was also guest starring on Friends at the same time as her.

She explained: "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’."

Describing the unknown celeb as 'distinguished' and 'very good', the Brit then went on: "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."

The actress starred as a flirty bridesmaid who fancied Joey Tribbiani (NBC)
The actress starred as a flirty bridesmaid who fancied Joey Tribbiani (NBC)

Olivia - who portrayed Camilla Parker Bowles in Netflix's The Crown - then opened up about the beauty standards she felt were forced upon female actresses on set.

The actress 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."

The 55-year-old said she had to beg the crew not to completely butcher her brows, telling 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," Olivia concluded.

Harrowing indeed.

Featured Image Credit: DANIEL LEAL/AFP/Getty Images/NBC

Topics: Celebrity, Friends, TV, London, UK News, TV and Film

Olivia Burke
Olivia Burke

Olivia is a journalist at LADbible Group with more than five years of experience and has worked for a number of top publishers, including News UK. She also enjoys writing food reviews (as well as the eating part). She is a stereotypical reality TV addict, but still finds time for a serious documentary.

X

@livburke_

Recommended reads

750,000 people are owed around £2,200 from HMRCGetty stockDavid Haye wants ‘way more than £10 million' as he breaks silence on I’m A Celeb legal battle(Instagram)Experts explain heartbreaking reality after trapped whale finally released in £1.3 million rescue missionEPAUK Government issues chikungunya virus warning to holidaymakers with three high risk groups named(Getty Stock Images)

Advert

Choose your content:

an hour ago
3 hours ago
4 hours ago
  • (Instagram)
    an hour ago

    David Haye wants ‘way more than £10 million' as he breaks silence on I’m A Celeb legal battle

    David Haye confirmed that he is pursuing legal action against ITV over his portrayal on I'm A Celeb

    Entertainment
  • (ITV)
    3 hours ago

    Father speaks out after daughter faced one of the worst Who Wants to be a Millionaire losses in show's history

    Contestant Jen Essery Lillikakis missed out on £186,000 after a gamble backfired

    Entertainment
  • YouTube/Eva zu Beck
    3 hours ago

    Woman who ended marriage and booked one way ticket to travel 60+ countries reveals unexpected best place she's visited

    She spoke on This Morning about why she gave up her 'perfect' life to go travelling across the world

    Entertainment
  • Cindy Ord/MG26/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
    4 hours ago

    X-rated meaning behind Kim Kardashian’s controversial Met Gala outfit explained

    Kim sought inspiration from a 1975 erotica for her 2026 Met Gala look

    Entertainment
  • Lisa Kudrow lifts lid on 'brutal' Friends filming sessions and consequences if they forgot their lines
  • Another I'm A Celeb feud surfaces after filming as star accused of 'leaking stories to the press’
  • I'm A Celeb star reveals ‘moment that wasn't shown’ on TV in bust-up between Adam Thomas and Jimmy Bullard
  • Reality star James Argent's ex releases details of his domestic violence against her in lengthy statement