Jean-Claude Van Damme Reflects on Embarrassing ‘Friends’ Cameo
In a recent interview with the New York Post, action movie star Jean-Claude Van Damme opened up about his embarrassing cameo on the hit show Friends. Van Damme made an appearance in the 1996 episode titled “The One After the Super Bowl: Part 2,” where he played himself opposite Jennifer Aniston’s Rachel and Courteney Cox’s Monica.
The episode revolved around Rachel and Monica developing a crush on Van Damme after he started filming a movie in New York City. However, their infatuation with the star led to a fight between the two friends as they both wanted to go on a date with him.
Looking back on the episode, Van Damme admitted that he was not happy with his acting skills, calling himself a “ham.” He said, “My acting is so bad. I look so like a ham. Like, ‘Hey, girls.’… It’s like, I’m ashamed of myself.” Despite feeling embarrassed, Van Damme recalled that Rachel and Monica were very friendly on set and even kissed him on the lips during filming. He admitted to being unsure of how to react to the unexpected kisses but praised the actresses for their kindness.
Interestingly, Van Damme confessed that he wasn’t familiar with Friends before appearing on the show. He recounted his agent telling him it was the hottest show at the time and encouraged him to do an episode with the cast. Van Damme considered the experience a good memory, despite not being a fan of his own performance. He appreciated the professionalism of the cast, who were used to filming the show on a daily basis. He described them as a “very well-trained mechanic engine” and found the whole experience amazing.
Friends, which aired from 1994 to 2004, also featured Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry, David Schwimmer, and Matt LeBlanc. While Van Damme may have been critical of his cameo, his appearance on the iconic sitcom remains a significant part of television history.