Years later, we're still finding out how unique Friends truly was, especially when it came to shooting the episodes. The sitcom wasn't afraid to go off-script, nor did they frown upon reshooting scenes. At the end of the day, it was all about the fans and their reactions. Speaking of unscripted, let's take a look back at an iconic cameo from two legends and how it all came to be.
Billy Crystal and Robin Williams' Appearance On 'Friends' Got Setup Completely Randomly
Friends had so many iconic cameos during its ten seasons. From Bruce Willis to Brad Pitt, there were very few cameos fans did not enjoy. However, behind the scenes, there were some guest-stars that didn't sit well with the main cast, like Jean-Claude Van Damme and Fisher Stevens, but that's for a different day.
Robin Williams and Billy Crystal had an iconic appearance which took place at the intro of season 3, episode 24, 'The One with the Ultimate Fighting Champion'. The episode aired back in 1997, and it is truly remarkable to see how much the sport of UFC has grown since the Pete storyline on the sitcom!
According to IMDb's trivia section of the episode, it was revealed that the Williams and Crystal appearance was completely random and all thanks to the fact that they were shooting a film next door, 'Father's Day'.
"Billy Crystal and Robin Williams's appearance wasn't in the original script. They were, by coincidence, in the same building, or the one across the street from where "Friends" was being filmed, and the writers asked if they wanted to make a guest appearance. This was the day of shooting so it was just quickly thrown in."
That wouldn't be it for BIlly Crystal and his experience alongside the cast of Friends, later, in 1999, he would appear alongside Lisa Kudrow in Analyze This (1999) and Analyze That (2002).
The Entire Billy Crystal and Robin Williams Scene Was Completely Improvised By Everyone Involved
The scene was everything we'd imagine from Robin Williams and Billy Crystal. Hilariously, Williams decided to use a fake accent for the scene, which once again was not part of the script.
The short skit at the start of the show saw the two guest-stars discussing Robin's fear that his wife was cheating on him, which ultimately turned completely south.
The reactions from the main six were also completely organic, from Joey's epic line to Monica closing out the scene forgetting what she had to say.
This was far from the only unscripted moment to take place on the show, as this was very common, especially among the main six. Matthew Perry was typically asked about his opinion about a certain line and if need be, he could improvise himself and make it better on the spot.
The show did a great job of feeding of the audience reaction and they weren't afraid to reshoot a scene if a joke didn't land, something other sitcoms didn't dare to do.
What Did The Fans Think Of The Scene?
The scene was posted to YouTube in honor of Robin Williams brilliant career back in 2014, the same year that he sadly passed away. The scene has over 2 million views on the platform, and it was watched by millions around the world on television and other platforms since then.
The comments were nothing but positive, praising Williams and Crystal for the involvement on the show and going completely off script.
"I love that there’s absolutely no reason for him to have an accent in this scene but he still does," was the most liked comment on the page.
Fans also praised the cast for their part in the scene, "Both Robin and Billy were brilliant in this scene. But I just want to take the time to appreciate Matt LeBlanc's brilliant improv line: "So you're the gynecologist?" Or Courtney Cox's response to Lisa Kudrow's question: "I have no idea."
"You know you have amazing actor skills when you can blow away the entire Friends cast and even make one of them forget their lines," another fan stated.
Yet another brilliant cameo and unscripted moment on the iconic sitcom.
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