If you’re a big Friends fan, chances are you’d give anything to be a fly on the wall to watch the six hilarious actors at the core of the comedy finish up the series in 2004 after filming over 200 episodes across a decade. Well, Paul Rudd got to do exactly that when he was part of the finale as Phoebe Buffay’s guy, Mike Hannigan. While Rudd has spoken before about feeling odd about the choice, the creators have shared why they welcomed him for the beloved sitcom’s last episode.
When it comes to Paul Rudd having the chance to be in “The Last One” over 20 years ago, the actor likens the experience to a “Forrest Gump kind of thing” where he’s questioned why he was even welcomed to the party. But, Friends co-creator David Crane said this about bringing him along for the epic goodbye episode:
I know he has said that he felt a little like, ‘Why am I here? It should be just the six of them.’ But I think it was our need to legitimize that Mike really is Phoebe’s future. If you didn’t see him in the episode, it would feel a little bit like TV bullshit.
When the Friends creators spoke to The Wall Street Journal, they shared how the inclusion of Paul Rudd as Mike Hannigan in the finale was a character decision to add weight to Lisa Kudrow’s love interest in the show. As co-creator Marta Kauffman continued:
That episode was so much about moving on and having a life that may not bring you back here. He was part of that for Phoebe. He was the guy who was going to make her happy for the rest of her life.
As the creators alluded to, Mike Hannigan became Phoebe’s person following Paul Rudd's character joining the show in Season 9. After season upon season where Phoebe was unlucky in love, it was really affirming to see her find love with the character before the couple got married in the final season. And in the finale episode it’s suggested the couple might be heading toward having kids like some of their other friends.
While Paul Rudd didn’t end up being part of the Friends reunion, it definitely makes sense that his character got to share in the final episode with the rest of the cast, even if it was a strange experience. Rudd has previously talked about the “surreal” time he was in during the finale and felt like he wasn’t “supposed to see” what he did as he witnessed the cast crying together and getting “all emotional.” He felt like he didn’t want to “get in the way.”
However, he was meant to be there!
Rudd is just as hilarious as his Friends co-stars too, and how awesome is it that he got to have some sweet memories with the late Matthew Perry? And funny enough, his next movie is a comedy called Friendship, but it’ll be an uncomfy A24 release with Tim Robinson.
Bringing this all back around, it was the best to see Phoebe have someone at the end of Friends, and Rudd was the best happy ending for her.
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