Friends actress recalls producer 'yelling' at co-star on set: "You're not funny"
Olivia Williams guest starred in Friends for the season 4 finale.
It's the sitcom that may have aired its final episode back in 2004, but Friends remains one of the big comfort watches and comedies of our time.
Lasting 10 seasons and with an iconic cast that included the likes of Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer and the late Matthew Perry, Friends holds a sweet spot in many people's hearts – aside from guest star Olivia Williams.
Known for her portrayal of Camilla Parker Bowles in The Crown, Williams also guest starred in Friends as Felicity in the two-part season 4 finale but called her time on the show "harrowing" and "alarming".
Speaking to The Independent, Williams opened up about her experience on the set of the hit comedy, saying: "Well, just as an example, I was taken to the studio in a shared car with a wonderful actress whose character, I think, was called 'Old Woman'.
"At one point, a producer – who shall remain nameless – just yelled at her: 'You're not funny!' And she didn't come back the next day. So that was alarming."
She continued: "Oh, and Friends was a brand, and you had to fit the brand. You go into hair and make-up and you're told, 'There's a look here, this is what we do.' And that involved, essentially, plucking off all of your eyebrows."
Williams revealed that she politely "begged" in the make-up chair, saying: "Literally, 'Please don't take my eyebrows off, I might need them in another job!'
"But yes, that's the sense in which it was harrowing."
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Williams starred in the well-known season 4 finale as one of Emily's bridesmaids in The One With Ross's Wedding. The double episode saw Ross and Emily about to get hitched but infamously, Ross said Rachel's name at the altar, resulting in the ending of Ross and Emily's relationship.
Aside from her role in Friends, Williams is known for her roles in Emma, Counterpart and of course The Crown as Camilla Parker Bowles. Williams is also set to star in Dune: Prophecy, a television spin-off of Denis Villeneuve's Dune film franchise where she will star as Tula Harkonnen.
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Authors
Morgan Cormack is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering everything drama-related on TV and streaming. She previously worked at Stylist as an Entertainment Writer. Alongside her past work in content marketing and as a freelancer, she possesses a BA in English Literature.
