Paul Rudd is reflecting on his time on Friends, sharing that he didn't think he should have been included in the finale of the immensely popular sitcom. Before achieving his status as a beloved actor with major roles in projects including Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Knocked Up, and most recently, Ant-Man, Rudd was cast in Friends as supporting character Mike Hannigan in 2002. Rudd appeared on the hit NBC series' seasons 9 and 10 as the boyfriend and eventual husband of the central character Phoebe Buffay, played by Lisa Kudrow.Nearly two decades after the record-breaking finale of Friends aired, Paul Rudd has shared in an interview with The Heart breakfast show (via Entertainment Weekly) that he didn't think he should have been included in the final episode, which went on to become the fifth most viewed series finale of all time.
Speaking to the surreal experience of joining a show as culturally relevant and groundbreaking as Friends towards the end of its time on the air, Rudd explains why being a part of the emotional last episode was so overwhelming for him as a rising actor. Check out what he had to say below:
"The whole thing was a bit surreal, I must say, to be a part of that — because I came on really at the end... I never knew that I was going to be in as many [episodes] as I was. But it also felt strange. I was in that last episode, and I just thought, 'I shouldn't be here. I'm getting a front-row seat to things I'm not supposed to see.' They were all crying, it was all emotional, and I was just like, 'woah!'"
Why Paul Rudd Is Crucial To The Legacy of Friends
Though Rudd arrived to Friends as a late addition, his portrayal of Mike Hannigan remains one of the most beloved recurring characters on the sitcom. A former attorney with unconventional views on marriage, Mike proved to be a refreshing addition to the quintessential sitcom and offered a new perspective to the central characters' often homogenous viewpoints. After Mike's introduction to Phoebe by Joey, the couple's blossoming romance became one of the series' final relationship arcs and perfectly wraps up Phoebe's story.
Despite being a show centered on the friendship between Rachel, Ross, Joey, Chandler, Monica, and Phoebe, Friends frequently explored its six central characters' comically complicated paths to finding romantic love and partnership. Phoebe herself coined the now iconic phrase "he's her lobster" about Ross and Rachel, and consistently supported her other friends' romantic endeavors, from setting Joey up on dates to helping Chandler plan his proposal to Monica, making the happy ending of her own love story with Mike all the more satisfying.
As the friend with the most undeniably harrowing past, Phoebe's relationship with Mike, who accepted her for who she is while bringing the best out of her, gave the charmingly quirky character the chance to finally lead the uncomplicated life she yearned for. Apart from being a critical aspect of Phoebe's character arc, Rudd's depiction of Mike also gave rise to many of the most cherished and quoted moments of comedy on the heralded sitcom. From his epically outrageous ping-pong match with Monica to legally changing his name to 'Crap Bag', there is no denying that Rudd has been a crucial part of the Friends legacy.
Source: Entertainment Weekly