In 1994, Jennifer, who is now 51 years old, landed the role of Rachel Green on Friends. Little did she know that this iconic role would change her entire life and turn her into one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. At the tender age of 25, she reached the highest tier of stardom. However, there was a time when she almost walked out on Friends.
In an interview that has resurfaced, Jennifer revealed that she believed it was best for her to say goodbye to Rachel, Joey, Chandler, Monica, Phoebe and Ross. Speaking to host Matt Lauer on NBC news, she explained that leaving the show at the pinnacle of its success would be a smart move.
Jennifer revealed that she was having some "issues" and wanted to leave the show while people still loved and adored her. She feared that her die-hard fans might get bored of her and her co-stars, Courtney Cox, Matt Le Blanc, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry, and David Schwimmer.
The actress admitted that the impulse to leave came from a place of wanting to exit on a good note rather than being hated. "I had a couple of issues that I was dealing with. I wanted it to end when people still loved us and we were on a high.
And then I also felt like, how much more of Rachel do I have in me? How many more stories are there to tell for all of us before we're just now pathetic?" Thankfully, with some persuasion from her fellow stars, Jennifer changed her mind and stayed until the tenth and final season of Friends.
When Friends wrapped, Jennifer was overwhelmed with bittersweet emotions. "It was one of the saddest days of my entire life. I am so grateful to have been a part of that show. I can't believe I ever wanted to leave it looking back now," she added.
Recently, the entire Friends cast announced that a reunion is in the works. Although it was supposed to air in May 2020, the launch was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, the special is still set to happen. Rumors of a reunion have been rife since the last episode aired in May 2004. The show's executive producers, Kevin Bright, Marta Kauffman, and David Crane, will all return.
