News | Entertainment
29 Dec 2025 1:32
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Jane Sibbett was originally offered Jennifer Aniston's role on 'Friends'

    The 57-year-old actress took on the role of Ross Gellar's ex-wife Carol in the popular sitcom but she was initially offered the role of Rachel Green, which helped plummet Jennifer Aniston into international stardom


    Speaking to news.com.au, Jane revealed: "I actually was up for another character. They wanted me to be one of the main six.

    "It was actually Rachel but I usually don't tell people that because Jen ... There's no one who could've done it like Jen."

    Sadly, Jane - who has Ruby, 29, Kai, 26, and Violet, 20, with ex-husband Karl Fink - had to turn down the role as she fell pregnant with her second child.

    She continued: "I asked them [the agents] if they'd told the producers I was pregnant [at the time] and they said, 'Oh no, we thought we'd tell them later.' And I said, 'No, you've got to tell them now.' So obviously they [producers] said it wouldn't work out."

    However, she has "no regrets" as she believes Jennifer was perfect for the role.

    She added: "I have no regrets, my goodness, there's no way anybody could have come close to what Jennifer Aniston did with Rachel. She was so perfect."

    Jane went on to play Carol after actress Anita Barone - who was originally cast to play the role - abruptly quit after the pilot.

    She explained: "So I got home from hospital after giving birth to my son and I got a phone call saying that they were replacing Carol and could I come to work the next day.

    "Two days after I delivered my son he and I were on the set. I was in a milky haze. But it was funny. It was only supposed to be a two-week job so I'm very grateful."

    © 2025 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     28 Dec: Brigitte Bardot, iconic French actor, sex symbol and animal rights campaigner, dies aged 91
     28 Dec: King Charles' Christmas speech will be available in virtual reality
     28 Dec: Lily Allen has been "shopping like an insane person" following the success of her album West End Girl
     28 Dec: Sean Ono Lennon fears that younger generations could forget about The Beatles
     28 Dec: Chris Rea shared a poignant social media post in the hours before his death
     28 Dec: Emma Heming Willis admits that Christmas has "changed" since her husband Bruce Willis was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia
     28 Dec: Modern Family star Helen Siff has died at the age of 88
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    Reigning world champion Luke Littler has fired a warning to his rivals after a dominant display in the third round of the world darts championship in London More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    Melbourne could be facing water-restrictions from low-rainfall, a dry summer, and high water-use More...



     Today's News

    Entertainment:
    Brigitte Bardot, iconic French actor, sex symbol and animal rights campaigner, dies aged 91 23:37

    Motoring:
    Crews are cleaning up an oil spill along a stretch of State Highway 73, between Christchurch and the West Coast 21:57

    Motoring:
    In Upper Hutt near Kaitoke, the intersection of SH2 and Waterworks Road has reopened after a collision 21:47

    Entertainment:
    King Charles' Christmas speech will be available in virtual reality 20:20

    Entertainment:
    Lily Allen has been "shopping like an insane person" following the success of her album West End Girl 19:50

    Entertainment:
    Sean Ono Lennon fears that younger generations could forget about The Beatles 19:20

    Environment:
    Sandbagging stations are open in Australia's far north, where residents are braceding for a drenching, with a slow-moving monsoon expected to dump up to 700mm of rain 18:57

    Entertainment:
    Chris Rea shared a poignant social media post in the hours before his death 18:50

    Environment:
    Thousands of displaced people in Gaza are preparing threadbare tents in the face of more winter rain 18:37

    Politics:
    Taiwan's cunning tax compliance makes most shopping receipts a ticket in a lottery 18:27


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2025 New Zealand City Ltd