The cast of Friends is less than friendly.
Edited by Mary Bruno.
Edited by Mary Bruno.
Sure, they've become rich and famous as the stars of TV's friendliest sitcom. But just how nice are the Friends? Based on what we're hearing, not very. Five of the six regulars (Lisa Kudrow is the only exception) have been caught in some pretty cranky moments lately. Take the recent Hollywood party for Desperado director Robert Rodriguez. David Schwimmer silently sipped his beer and talked to no one while a little old woman tried over and over again to snap his picture. Schwimmer kept turning his back on her until his bodyguard finally warned the persistent fan, "You do that again and we'll have you thrown out." Turns out she was related to Rodriguez. Whoops! Snap away.
Meanwhile, Jennifer Aniston has stopped talking to the press, and started evoking comparisons to that other tight-lipped starlet, Greta Garbo. "She's really ruffling some feathers," said a source, who added that she's rarely seen in public without her publicity entourage. At the American Comedy Awards in February, Jennifer avoided all contact with the media, mumbling, "No, no, no," to anyone who asked for a word with her. "I have access to everybody," complained one frustrated paparazzo, "but there's no snapping Jennifer."
Matthew Perry is Mr. Crabby Pants lately too. A reporter who approached the handsome actor at the Comedy Awards was rebuffed with rolled eyes and a terse "I'm off-duty" refusal. And a guest at the recent Friends wrap party came away unimpressed with Courteney Cox: "She was just ice, very cold, and stuck-up. Very banal."
Of all the Friends, Matt Le Blanc has the best reasons to be grumpy. After all, he was upstaged by a chimp in Ed, his big-screen debut, and last year, Mr. Showbiz readers indicated--overwhelmingly--that if forced to choose, Matt would be the Friend they'd be willing to do without. So we weren't surprised to learn that, like his colleagues, Matt isn't all smiles all the time either. Sources described a recent taping where he stormed off the set because a script called for him to appear in his briefs. Seems after all those years as an underwear model, Matt's sick and tired of doing beefcake. And really, who can blame him?
That leaves Kudrow, the show's ditsy neo-hippie, who has managed to remain friendly after all this time in the spotlight. "Lisa is very well-liked, with a sense of humor about herself, " said one entertainment reporter. "She's the most level-headed one of the bunch."
Scott Roesch.