Worst Friends Guest Star Makes Fans Skip That Arc Every Time - After All These Years
Two-time Oscar winner Sean Penn was one of Friends' many superstar cameos, though fans have said that he was one of the series' worst.
Penn reportedly watched the show with his then-wife Robin Wright and their children, having visited the set on several occasions. Though he's known for his dramatic acting chops, the producers created a role specifically for Penn based on his limited comedy roles.
He came in 2001 as the fiancé of Ursula, twin sister of Phoebe.
Phoebe met Eric when he and Ursula came over for Monica's Halloween party. The two hit it off instantly. Phoebe realizes that her sister has been lying to Eric throughout their entire relationship and eventually tells him as much.
Later in the episode, he calls Phoebe up to tell her that he split up with Ursula. He invites her to lunch, where the two share a kiss. He tells her it's a little awkward looking at her, considering she looks identical to the woman he just broke up with. Next time they meet up, he tells her he's a little tired from all of their sex. This is news to Phoebe, who's been at work for several hours.
They realize Ursula has pulled some twin-swapping shenanigans, a pretty gross revelation for both the characters and the audience. The duo split up due to the awkwardness, and Penn was never seen from again.
He only appeared in two episodes, though fans have agreed that the entire arc was cringe. Some fans skip the two episodes entirely.
And they weren't alone in their dislike of the arc; director Kevin S. Bright said the fit just wasn't right for the actor.
He said that Penn, despite being a celebrated method actor, was the least successful of all their major celebrity cameos. According to Bright, the style of production wasn't something Penn was familiar with. He called Penn a "deer in the headlights."
In his recent memoir, Matthew Perry revealed an alternate plan for Penn's cameo.
Perry's Chandler, dressed in his bright pink bunny suit the episode popularized, would approach Eric and strike up a conversation. But instead of Chandler and Eric talking, it would be Perry and Penn – uncharacteristically breaking the show's fourth wall.
Perry would ask Penn for acting advice, saying that he's trying to break more into dramatic roles. Penn would simply reply, "Good luck," before going back to his role as Eric.
It apparently got a big laugh at the table read, but it wouldn't have fit at all in the narrative of the show.
Though Penn's cameo ended up not being the most popular, just remember: It could have been worse.