Casting Jennifer Aniston as Rachel Green was incredibly risky for Friends, but it ended up paying off massively for both the show and Aniston.

It’s hard to imagine Friends without Jennifer Aniston as Rachel Green, and though the casting definitely paid off, it was one of the show’s biggest risks. Since it’s release in 1994, Friends has become an entertainment and pop culture staple. The sitcom’s premise is simple: six 20-something friends living in New York City and navigating their adult lives. Despite what seems like a classic premise, Friends was able to become one of the most watched TV shows of all time.

Ross and Rachel’s relationship, Chandler and Joey’s goofy antics, Monica’s type-A personality, and Phoebe’s eccentric qualities all contributed to making the show what it has become. The show managed to capture the young adult experience, while still making audiences laugh time and time again. It is undeniable that the Friends cast played a huge part in its success, which justifies the huge risk that was taken in this regard.

Friends Was Almost Forced To Recast Rachel After Jennifer Aniston Filmed Several Episodes

As confirmed in Max’s Friends reunion, Jennifer Aniston was signed on for a show called Muddling Through. The creators of Friends still wanted her, despite her commitment to the other show. Friends’ producers decided to shoot the first three episodes with Aniston as Rachel, knowing that if Muddling Through got picked up, they’d have to recast Rachel.

This would have required the entire cast and crew to redo the first batch of episodes. This decision was definitely a major risk, but it ended up paying off. Muddling Through ended up getting scrapped, and Aniston was able to play Rachel Green, who grew to be an iconic character that fans love decades later.

Why Muddling Through’s Cancelation Helped Friends & Jennifer Aniston

Though quite unfortunate for those involved with Muddling Through, the show’s cancelation is a huge reason why Friends was able to see such massive success. Jennifer Aniston as Rachel was one of the best parts of the sitcom, and it’s hard to imagine the show without her. Her chemistry with the entire cast, specifically with David Schwimmer’s Ross and Courteney Cox’s Monica, was undeniable and was a huge reason viewers turned in week after week. Rachel was also meant to be this fashionable, beautiful, and slightly ditzy “it-girl”, which is actually who Jennifer Aniston was able to bring to life.

Not only did Aniston’s casting help Friends but also her own career. Friends made Aniston a household name, and its unlikely that Muddling Through would have been able to become nearly as popular and beloved. She was able to earn a Primetime Emmy and a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Rachel, and it catapulted her career making her one of the world’s highest-paid actresses.