While Friends is well known for its iconic cast of lead actors, the series also had a pretty great track record for bringing in great guest stars. From Ben Stiller to Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, Brooke Shields, Billy Crystal, Robin Williams, and more, the series was a magnet for A-list talent. I recently rewatched Friends in its entirety with my Max subscription — not the first time, likely won’t be the last — and among the observations I made this time around was how truly perfect the casting was for two specific characters. I’m talking about Jill and Amy Green, Rachel’s sisters.
Reese Witherspoon (playing Jill) and Christina Applegate (playing Amy) don’t actually appear in the same episodes. They pop in throughout different parts of the series and wreak emotional havoc. Also physical havoc if we factor in Amy's part in what happened to Momica's plates.
Regardless, I really don’t think Friends could’ve cast two more perfect actors for these roles, and I want to talk about it…
Reese Witherspoon as Jill Green
Reese Witherspoon plays the first of Rachel’s sisters to appear on the show, when Jill shows up for two episodes in Season 6. Her performance as the spoiled and occasionally pouty sister to Rachel is memorable not just because Reese Witherspoon is Reese Witherspoon. The Legally Blonde star’s comedic talent is certainly on display, but there’s also something very Rachel-like about the way she plays the role that makes it easy to believe Jill and Rachel grew up together (and then went in totally different life-directions, but more on that in a bit).
While Jill and Rachel don’t always get along during the brief time we get to see her, it’s clear Rachel loves her sister and wants the best for her. There's undoubtedly warmth in the chemistry between Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston as on-screen sisters.
Christina Applegate As Amy Green
Let’s talk about Amy. Just as Witherspoon only guest-starred briefly on the show, Christina Applegate’s presence on the series is also sadly limited to two episodes, though hers were a bit more spaced out, happening in Seasons 9 and 10. While Jill was pouty and spoiled, Amy was rude and spoiled, carelessly and seemingly effortlessly insulting anyone in her vicinity with a passing comment here and an accidental jab there. Whether it’s describing someone she's literally speaking to in the most unflattering way possible, or getting her own niece’s name wrong numerous times, no one (not even a baby) is safe from Amy’s casual slights — and every second of it is hilarious thanks to Christina Applegate's delivery.
Just as Witherspoon makes us believe without a doubt that Jill is Rachel’s sister, so too does Applegate with her portrayal of Amy Green. It's also clear that, despite their differences, or even the fact that the two came to actual blows (“Frizzy frizzy frizzy frizzy!”) at one point in an episode, Rachel loves Amy just as she loves her sister Jill.
I don’t think any other actors could’ve done these roles justice in the way that Reese Witherspoon and Christina Applegate do. But that's not the only reason why I love Jill and Amy's appearances...
Jill and Amy Aren’t Just Hilarious, They’re Also Both Good Reflections Of How Far Rachel Has Come
Jill and Amy’s appearances on Friends aren’t the only time we get to learn more about one of the main characters through their interactions with a sibling. Whether it’s Phoebe’s complicated relationship with her twin sister, Ursula, Joey’s protectiveness of his many sisters, or the goofy but endearing dynamic between Monica and Ross, sibling relationships factor into Friends throughout the run of the series. So Amy and Jill’s relevance to Rachel's story isn’t really a novel concept here, nor are they wasted in being opportunities to help us know Rachel better.
At the start of Friends, Rachel wasn’t all that unlike Jill in the way she didn’t seem to have an accurate sense of adult responsibilities or financial independence. We see something very similar in Jill when she first shows up complaining that her father cut her off. And while Amy is probably much more outspoken than Rachel typically is, the fact that she finds herself in engaged to a man who’s all wrong for her isn’t all that unlike Rachel and her ex, Barry. What’s more, despite her flaws, Amy clearly wants to make better choices, like her sister. Her progress is a bit slow-going, but we see glimpses of it.
Just as the casting is perfect when it comes to Jill and Amy, Friends does a great job in utilizing both characters to bring some new perspective to Rachel’s story. The series also succeeds in making Jill and Amy’s appearances hilarious from start to finish, while also feeling meaningful and even heartfelt at times. Then again, all of that pretty much describes some of the things Friends always did best.
As I mentioned earlier, you can catch all of Friends with a Max subscription. (It’s one of the many reasons Max is among the best streaming services to subscribe to.)
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