As Friends progressed into its later seasons, its characters’ journeys switched from themes of adulthood to marriage and finally parenthood. Whether through Rachel’s pregnancy or Monica and Chandler’s adoption of twins, the series served up some serious heart-melting moments. However, one couple that had it tougher than the others was that of Ross and Rachel, whose tumultuous relationship always left viewers wondering whether they were ‘on a break’ or not. Despite the same, the two had their daughter, Emma.

While the duo had their friends to seek support during the ups and downs of their relationship, they hired a manny, Sandy, played by Freddie Prinze Jr. for some help with Emma. Prinze lived up to his character, however, he was not the first choice for the role.

When Freddie Prinze Jr. revealed this about his character

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly from 2019, Prince Jr. disclosed the fact that before him, the manny’s role was “offered” to somebody else. And that was none other than 2-time Oscar award winner Tom Hanks. When the Forrest Gump actor had to refuse due to “time” constraints, the 47-year-old stepped in. Initially, he was intimidated, but later rose to the challenge like a champ and pulled off an iconic scene. 

Despite having no background in music, the I Know What You Did Last Summer actor learned to play the recorder within a day. Regardless of pulling off the feat on such short notice, he confessed that the iconic Thanksgiving episodes from the series were “better” according to him. Even so, he took pride in the fact that he nailed the scene in which he serenades Emily with a rendition of ‘Greensleeves’ with perfection. 

While Ross was uncomfortable with Sandy’s presence and eventually fired him, he still got words of encouragement from David Schwimmer in real life.

How David Schwimmer cheered Prinze Jr. on

When Prinze Jr. first arrived on the sets of the NBC show, he confessed to being pretty “nervous” at first. Then a friendly figure in the guise of David Schwimmer appeared in his dressing-room. Apparently, the 57-year-old calmed him down with some kind words. Not only did Schwimmer tell him to “not worry” about a thing, but also assured him that he would “crush” his recorder performance too. 

The Wonder Years actor did have a reputation for being a caring soul. Even the actor who played the ‘ugly naked guy’ and only years later revealed his identity, shared how Schwimmer helped him feel comfortable during a tricky shoot. Evidently, he was just as much a gentleman as his Ross character. Except if Tom Hanks had taken on Sandy’s role instead, maybe Schwimmer’s expertise would have not been needed. 

Would you like to have seen Tom Hanks do this cameo role in Friends? Share your thoughts in the comments.