Jennifer Aniston is arguably one of the most underrated parts of FRIENDS. Although her character can be quite taxing at times, the actress single-handedly pushed a few seasons simply by her wit. On top of having one of the most interesting character arcs out of all of the others, she often also ended up creating some of the most hilarious moments in the series.
While there is no denying that the series had a lot of personality from all directions, Aniston’s contribution often seemed to get lost in the mix. However, there is one scene that perfectly showcases how well the actress was able to blend into her character.
One where she worked alongside her ex-boyfriend in a manner completely unlike herself.
Jennifer Aniston and Tate Donovan—Ex-Partners and Colleagues
During a recent interview with The Independent, comedian, and actor, Tate Donovan talked about what it was like for him to be a part of the legendary series, FRIENDS. Having played the role of Joshua Burgin, he was a part of the series for five episodes but ended up bringing forth quite an interesting side of Rachel’s character.
While many are aware of the role he played in the series, fans may not know that he was involved with Jennifer Aniston in the past, and the pair ended up splitting when those episodes were being made. During his interview, he mentioned that he and the actress were involved with each other for a very long time, with his appearance on set becoming almost like a ritual.
I’d been dating Jen for years, and I knew the cast. Every Friday night it was just like a ritual – I’d go over there and watch the taping, and it was always such a blast. Then Jen and I broke up, but we didn’t really tell anyone.
After their breakup, they did not tell anyone. Due to this, production believed that they were still together and had approached him with the idea of playing such a character in the series. While many would have said no immediately and ran for the hills, Donovan seemed to have had a different idea.
We were just breaking up and I, for some weird reason, thought that maybe working together would ease the breakup. Maybe we’d become friends quicker. I just wanted to go gently into the good night – we both did.
He mentioned that he thought playing a temporary love interest in the sitcom would make the breakup easier for him. Due to this, he ended up taking the role. Although we do not know if being a part of the series helped him in his moving-on process, Donovan seemed to have learned quite an interesting fact about Aniston.
Rachel Green’s Most Embarrassing Moment
It is safe to say that Rachel Green has had several embarrassing moments throughout the course of FRIENDS. However, none seem to be as cringe-worthy as when she was approaching Joshua Burgin. Having become used to always being pursued, when fans get to see this dynamic switch for Rachel’s character, it very quickly turns into a train wreck.
However, the arc that took place with Burgin took it to a completely different level. From her getting on her knees to kiss his leg, to putting on her cheering costume to cheer for him at a crowded gathering, terribly maneuvering her bra, and even asking him to marry her, it is safe to say that the five episodes that Tate Donovan was in were, at times, difficult to watch.
I had always mentioned to the producers that it’s always hilarious when Jen, who’s this gorgeous woman, is madly in love with somebody and the guy just doesn’t see it. It cracked me up.
I’d seen it when we first started dating – she did an episode where Rachel was on a date with a guy and the guy was just not into her, and she was falling all over herself. It works because that’s not really how she is in life, but she can act it so well.
During the interview, the actor revealed how he felt about the entire arc of Rachel’s character. He mentioned that when something similar happened with Jennifer Aniston’s character in the past, he found it to be quite entertaining. The reason for this was the fact that she was completely different in real life, according to the actor.
And so, the producers came to me and said, “Hey, we want you to do a five-episode arc where you guys are dating and you’re not really that into her.” And I was like, “Oh, so you’re gonna do that thing.”
With this in mind, when he was asked to play in a similar arc, only a lot worse, he found the idea to be quite entertaining.
