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Friends director James Burrows never found Helen Baxendale, who played Ross Geller’s wife, “particularly funny” and felt she lacked chemistry with actor David Schwimmer.
That’s one of the revelations in his new memoir, “Directed By James Burrows,” a collection of memories from the 82-year-old director.
Burrows suggests that Baxendale, who played Ross’ wife Emily, was almost recast in the ’90s sitcom.
“She was nice, but not particularly funny,” Burrows wrote of Baxendale.
Burrows believed that Baxendale, 53, and Schwimmer, 56, lacked natural on-screen chemistry compared to Ross and Rachel, Jennifer Aniston’s characters.
“Schwimmer had no one to bounce off of. It was like clapping with one hand. In sitcoms and any type of romantic comedy, funny is just as important as chemistry. We figured out that any new girlfriend for Ross has to be as fun as Rachel.”
What saved Emily was the show’s tight deadlines.
“Recasting is often not possible due to tight filming schedules or other logistical considerations,” he wrote. “You need someone to make you laugh. Sometimes you start an arc and it doesn’t work out, so you have to get rid of that person. If it’s a day player, it’s a quick goodbye.”
Burrows noted that the opposite is true, adding, “If the chemistry is right, the writers go to work to find a way to keep the actor.”
Emily of Baxendale was first introduced in Season 4 and appeared in a total of 14 episodes. Emily and Ross got married in Season 5. But Ross almost screwed it up when he said Rachel’s name instead of hers during the vows.
Emily was eventually written out of the series. Which worked out well for her since she was pregnant.