Friends star details abuse she received over famous role

As a dedicated fan of Friends, I can’t help but feel a deep appreciation for Jane Sibbett’s portrayal of Carol Willick, a character who broke barriers and paved the way for LGBTQ+ representation on television. Her courage to bring such a groundbreaking role to life is truly commendable, especially considering the backlash she faced.


Friends star Jane Sibbett has detailed the abuse she received over her famous role in the show.

In the show, the actress portrayed Carol Willick, Ross’s former spouse who later revealed her sexuality as a lesbian after an affair with Susan, her future wife. Later, Carol had a child named Ben, who was half-shared with Ross (played by David Schwimmer).

In a recent conversation with The Sun, Sibbett – famously known for portraying a lesbian character on a popular sitcom – disclosed that she encountered significant criticism regarding her on-screen sexual orientation.

She mentioned that there was almost unanimous backing, except for an incident during her trip to Canada where she was filming a Disney movie; a child from a school window yelled at her.

Friends star details abuse she received over famous role

He was yelling, “‘Leave, fake American’ and I simply responded, ‘Wow, there are so many things wrong about that, buddy. Come talk to me instead.’ Later on, a woman from my former church phoned me, sharing her belief that I was destined for eternal damnation.

The actress shared that her devoutly religious father abstained from watching “Friends” for numerous years following Carol and Susan’s wedding. On the contrary, he opted to conduct Bible studies during the episodes’ airing instead.

She remembered it as a source of tension within her family. There was a significant issue regarding her father, who initially refused to watch the program. Fortunately, his stance changed over time.

As a gamer, I felt a pang of disappointment when he chose not to watch it with me. He organized a Bible study session during the airing time to make sure his friends wouldn’t catch it too. My godfather’s letter expressing pride in me over the wedding scene was what finally swayed my father to change his mind.

Friends star details abuse she received over famous role

In a moment, he pondered, “Ah, I won’t be criticized for this, and it might prove beneficial. It was comforting that this hurt could be resolved before my father departed.

In the course of the interview, Sibbett disclosed that she originally tried out for the role of Rachel Green – a character now synonymous with Jennifer Aniston.

She shared that it was a great joy for her to be selected to tell Carol’s revolutionary tale on-screen.

Jennifer was simply the best fit for playing Rachel, and Carol served as an exceptional role model,” she commented. “Her portrayal of a lesbian character on television was revolutionary, particularly in how Carol and Ross navigated their divorce and co-parenting without constant conflict. It was truly a blessing.

Friends star details abuse she received over famous role

In honor of the 30th anniversary, US streaming service Max is producing a four-episode contest to find the most dedicated “Friends” fanatic.

At The “Friends” Experience in New York City, they’ll be shooting the reality show “Fast Friends“, where a bunch of competitors will engage in a sequence of tasks on a duplicate of the original sitcom’s set.

Tasks for the competition encompass trivia quizzes, engaging puzzles, and various games that allow participants to “experience again the cherished scenes” from the program. The team completing tasks most swiftly will be crowned as the supreme fan of Friends.

In the United Kingdom, “Friends” is available for streaming on Netflix and is aired daily on Comedy Central. In the U.S., viewers can stream the series on Max.

Read more Friends news on our dedicated homepage

If you’ve ever been a victim or observer of a hate crime, please report it to the police by calling 101, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously at 0800 555 111. In urgent situations, dial 999 immediately. Alternatively, you can visit the True Vision website to file your report.

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2024-09-24 13:19

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