Last Thursday, HBO Max dropped the anticipated Friends: The Reunion special, featuring the show’s original cast members. Fans are still going up for the famous sitcom decades later, but many can’t help but point out the overwhelmingly white cast with more calls for diversity in the entertainment industry.
Though Black actresses Aisha Tyler and Gabrielle Union had small roles on the show in later seasons, critique continues to surround the series and its unrealistic depiction of New York City.
When asked about backlash concerning the “all-white, heteronormative cast,” executive producer of Friends Kevin Bright told the Hollywood Reporter last week, “It’s important for today’s shows to be reflective of the ways society truly is. But for our experience, the three of us, that may have been our experience when we were young and in New York.”
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“But we didn’t intend to have an all-white cast. That was not the goal, either. Obviously, the chemistry between these six actors speaks for itself.”
Union, who played a love interest to Ross (David Schwimmer) and Joey (Matt LeBlanc) on the sitcom, was featured on the show’s seventh season as Kristen Lang, a new person in the building. But in a resurfaced clip, the Bring It On star revealed that her experience on set was less than favorable.
According to the Atlanta Black Star, the resurfaced clip is taken from a 2017 sit-down the actress had with the Free Library of Philadelphia. Union was largely discussing her new memoir at the time, We’re Going To Need More Wine: Stories That Are Funny, Complicated, and True, but also discussed being condescended to and treated like an amateur during her brief time on Friends.
Gabrielle Union talking about her time on FRIENDS pic.twitter.com/8HHVbWYVMI
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“That dual consciousness, though, is what prepares me to go then do an episode of Friends after being on City of Angels. And they’re like, ‘Nicki, er, Gabby! Do you know what a mark is?’” Union stated in a condescending tone.
“Uh, yeah. I’m an actor,” she continued, adding, “But the man talked to me in sing-song voice for the whole week. But I’ve been there. ‘Do Buckwheat. We love it when you entertain us.’ That’s where I’m most comfortable.”
“Assimilate. Disappear. Be complacent where you’re nice and safe.”
Clearly, Friends has more issues than once believed. So far, neither the show’s cast nor crew members have commented on Union’s claims.
