Have you ever wondered what really happens behind the scenes of your favorite television show? Olivia Williams, a guest star on the hit NBC sitcom Friends, recently opened up about her “harrowing” time on set.

Even though Friends’ last episode aired in 2004, the sitcom is still a popular choice for comfort and comedy in today’s world. Getting cast as a guest star, thus, must have been a huge thrill back in the nineties. It meant getting closer to the main stars and also becoming more widely recognized. Some actors, though, have been candid about their less-than-refined experiences.
Olivia Williams in Friends (Credit: NBC)
The Crown actress recently spoke about her time in an interview with The Independent, shocking fans by saying she had nothing good to say about it. Williams made guest appearances in two episodes of the NBC show.

Olivia Williams Shares Insight into Her Time on the Set of Friends

Olivia Williams detailed the not-so-happening experience of appearing on Friends in an interview with The Independent, along with a few negative aspects.

Fans of Friends, who probably imagine the sitcom set as a loving and encouraging place, will likely find Williams’ account of verbal abuse from a producer surprising. After all, this was a cast of six leading stars who were always talking about how much fun they had together.
Olivia Williams in Friends (Credit: NBC)
Williams witnessed a Friends producer yelling at an actress. The next day, the other star, who shall remain nameless, did not show up. Even though the former omitted to mention whether the actress resigned or was fired, it sounds like this was an upsetting encounter.

According to The Crown actress:

“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.”

It is terrible to hear that this happened on Friends, even though seeing it on any TV show or movie would have been terrible. For Williams, who was young and just getting started, it must have been difficult as well. Rather than enjoying herself on an exciting TV screen, she was forced to witness someone being made fun of.

Friends, aside from guest star Olivia Williams, holds a special place in the hearts of many people. The show ran for ten seasons and featured an iconic cast that included the late Matthew Perry, Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer.

Olivia Williams Further Exposes ‘Harrowing’ Friends Set Details

Olivia Williams in Friends (Credit: NBC)
David Crane and Marta Kauffman’s acclaimed show, Friends, was “harrowing”, according to Olivia Williams, who also mentioned feeling compelled to look like the main cast members. Fans may not have realized this, but this is undoubtedly a somber and alarming detail.

Williams, 55, narrated one incident in the same interview:

“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.”

The Independent was informed by the quirky and humorous actress that she wished to preserve her sense of humor while making sure she had eyebrows for a future project. But given that she refused to alter her appearance, it sounds like she was upset at the time.

Despite her unsatisfactory tenure on Friends, Williams has had a fulfilling career. She declared herself to be happier than ever with the direction her career was taking. Speaking about her thrilling career, the actress said the following in an interview with Harper’s Bazaar:

“The astounding amount of interesting work for women in their fifties! Fortunately, if you imagine it like an eclipse with a shadow travelling across the land, I’ve been walking in the light throughout my career. I’m so, so lucky. You don’t have to be a young, alluring teenager to get interesting roles as a woman now – that’s been amazing.”

She will next be seen as Tula Harkonnen in a science fiction production: the television series Dune: Prophecy, created by Diane Ademu-John.