In “Friends” there was Monica, Rachel, Phoebe, Ross, Chandler and Joey. But also Emily who only appeared in fourteen episodes. Why did the heroine only make a short appearance in the hit series?
Not easy to replace Rachel in Ross’s heart. In season 4 of the cult series “Friends”, a certain Emily entered the gang, becoming the girlfriend of Monica’s brother. But this character straight from London and interpreted by Helen Baxendale, only appeared in fourteen episodes.
“She was nice, but not particularly funny,” director James Burrows reveals of the actress in his newly released memoir. As reported by the site Deadline, the producer and filmmaker says that “in sitcoms or romantic comedies, humor is just as important as the chemistry” between the protagonists. An alchemy which, according to him, did not exist between Helen Baxendale and David Schwimmer, who played Ross.
helen baxendale was expecting a child
Fans of “Friends” therefore did not really have time to get attached to this female character who threatened to overshadow the great love of Ross, played by Jennifer Aniston. As he was about to put the ring on his finger, he mistakenly pronounced Rachel’s first name instead of Emily, which left the assembly speechless. Needless to say, after an aborted honeymoon in Greece, the newlywed (and already estranged) has moved to London, only briefly appearing on screen in Season 5, before disappearing forever.
An ending that suited Helen Baxendale perfectly. Now 53, the Briton was pregnant at the time and could therefore no longer appear in front of the camera with her rounded belly.