The one where Carol and Susan tell all
These two are still there for us 23 years on…
Friends may have ended 13 years ago, but, like Ross repeating “We were on a break!”, we just can’t seem to let it go. Thanks to Comedy Central playing re-runs on repeat, we can still obsess over the six New Yorkers and pretend we were really one of their gang. But what was it really like to be part of the Friends phenomenon?
Well, much to our delirious excitement, heat got the chance to sit down with “lesbian life partners” Carol and Susan (real names Jane Sibbett, 54, and Jessica Hecht, 52 – and not actual lesbians) before the closing party of Friendsfest – a touring festival that gives fans the chance to see the sets – to get all the gossip…
Does it surprise you that
Friends is still so popular? Jessica: I don’t think it’s surprising. When I think about those other iconic shows, like Cheers and Seinfield, it’s very hard to make a sitcom work. When filming, did you ever feel left out by the “big six”?
Jane: The big six was the big six. But the beauty was that because we were part of the originals, we became the big eight! Maggie Wheeler, who played Janice, was also part of that pack – she was there from season one. It was never an exclusive thing, though, we were always invited in. Do you still speak to them? Jane: I haven’t actually
seen anybody since the wrap party, where I embarrassed myself massively. Ooh! Tell us about that…
Jane: After having my daughter Violet, who’s now 16, I brought her on set, and as I was walking past Jennifer’s dressing room, she said to me, “Jane, come in and meet my fiancé!” So I walk in and I see Brad Pitt there. Of course, I was hyperventilating. I see him and I just go, “Hhhhhhi-i-i-i-i-i, I’m… so glad you’re going… to marry…me?” I just completely lost my shit. Jennifer was like, “What the hell is going on?” The next time I saw him was at the wrap party and I was feeling pretty sick, I was also high on flu medication. So I get to Brad and I put my arms around him – he had the softest coat on – and I was like, “Ahhhh, ssssoooooo sooooft.” They literally had to peel my arms off him, I just lost it again.
‘I massively embarrassed myself in front of Jen’ Jane
Oh dear. Would you be up for a reunion?
Jane: In a heartbeat, but they keep saying no. And the more they say no, the more people ask.
Where would Carol and Susan be now? Jane: They’d want to leave America because of Trump, so I think they’d be in London. Would they have more kids? Jane: Definitely! But Susan would have had the next one as Carol had Ben [with ex-husband Ross] – we’d go back and forth. But they’d also want to adopt. Would Ross and Rachel still be together?
Jessica: I don’t think they would. Monica and Chandler would, though. Maybe not solid, but definitely together.
Jane: I’d want everyone to stay together, like us. We’re rock solid. And Joey? Well, you know…
Did you have a favourite episode to film?
Jane: The one where Carol gave birth to Ben was fun. But when we filmed the delivery scene, I started crying. It was so emotional for me, but I don’t know why. I was only delivering a doll!
Jessica: There were some early parts of the show where the audience would roar with laughter and I wasn’t sure why. I remember being in the living room and Ross says, “Wow, you’ve got a lot of books about being a lesbian.” And I say, “Yeah, you’ve got to take a course.” It was such a funny commentary on being a lesbian.