Highlights
- Friends was a groundbreaking show that tackled intimate topics with a casual attitude, resonating with audiences.
- Despite its success, the show faced controversy over the years, including criticism for its handling of the Ross and Susan storyline.
- Actress Jessica Hecht, who played Susan, embraced the opportunity to play a gay character and focused on making the role realistic and funny, even amidst controversy.
Today, the actors from Friends recognize their place in sitcom history, reflecting back on the cultural impact their show made and continues to make. Years after the show ended, it still lives on, not just on streaming services but in the minds and hearts of viewers. However, some controversy still lives on, too.
The biggest controversy was undoubtedly Ross and Rachel’s “break,” but there was a significant plot line also involving Ross that garnered criticism. But to hear one of the other actresses involved in the situation, it was more important to tell the story than to pay attention to the controversy. In the end, things turned out well for Jessica Hecht, AKA Susan.
Friends Was A Big Hit, But It Also Had Some Controversy
Friends was innovative for its time, treating topics like intimacy with a very casual attitude, something that resonated with audiences.
Still, it did have controversy over the years, especially as times changed; today, even Jennifer Aniston suggests that the show would be offensive in the present day.
Regardless, the show still has a passionate fan base, even if it made missteps with its handling of one important storyline.
Ross’ baby mama winding up with a same-gender partner was a unique storyline and one that cemented Friends as one of the most unique shows of its time.
For Jessica Hecht, who played Susan, the role was really an opportunity of a lifetime, even though it wasn’t her capstone project by any means.
Jessica Hecht Had No Qualms About Playing A Gay Woman On Friends
Jessica Hecht may be most recognizable as Susan from Friends, but she also played a character on Seinfeld. While her experiences on the two shows were very different, she didn’t have a negative thing to say about her time on Friends.
Though the character of Susan was ahead of its time, Jessica reflected during an interview that she never really minded the controversy.
Instead, she focused on making the unprecedented character the best she could possibly be, which meant both realistic and funny.
As the partner of Jane Sibbett’s character Carol (Carol was briefly played by Anita Barone for a single episode), Jessica Hecht wasn’t a new actress at the time, but her work on Friends became iconic.
Hecht’s favorite line in the show was when she got to tell Ross that lesbians had to ‘take a course’ or they ‘won’t let you do it’ when he mentioned how many of her and Susan’s books were about being gay.
Although David Schwimmer was criticized for his comments about diversity (he pushed for Ross to date diverse women, including one Asian woman and multiple Black women), Hecht also lent her co-star support.
Hecht maintained that Schwimmer was a great person who had good intentions in trying to increase the show’s diversity. At the same time, Jessica reflected that she also contributed to diversifying the series by playing Ross’s ex-wife’s partner.
It’s funny because when I was doing it … people were wrapped up in the fact that I was playing a gay character that was getting married. That was so ahead of its time. We see things through the lens of wherever we are. So for me, I felt like it was such an exciting time. … From my little perspective, I thought it was really cool.
Not Everyone Loved Carol And Susan’s Storyline
There were plenty of moments to love (both for their hilarity and reality) during the Ross-Carol-Susan storyline, but even those who enjoyed parts of the show had some criticisms about it.
While plenty of complaints have circulated about the handling of Carol and Susan with regard to Ross’ character arc, one particularly relevant complaint was one from Bustle‘s Amy Beecham.
The daughter of two moms and a dad herself, Amy wrote for Bustle about her perception of Friends‘ treatment of Ben and his unconventional family.
Beecham noted that the show was plainly “laced with homophobia” and failed not only the LGBTQ+ community but their kids, too.
For example, Carol and Susan exist as antagonists against Ross, ruining his dream of a nuclear family and causing him to question his masculinity. Punch lines about Ross “turning” his former wife gay were also part of the show’s jokes.
As for Jessica Hecht’s involvement in her character, it’s likely that the actress had little say in her lines or the plot.
At the time, the topic may very well have been so new that no one was really sure how to handle the subject, let alone in the context of a sitcom.
Regardless, the backlash about Hecht’s role didn’t impact her career negatively, and she has been in many other projects since Friends, including Breaking Bad and The Boys.
Source: NewsFinale
