Friends famously got a lot of its acting talent from fellow NBC sitcom Seinfeld, which was a key inspiration for its premise about a group of young New York singletons. But only one actor featured in the Friends cast before appearing in Seinfeld. In fact, her first episodes in each sitcom were less than a month apart.
In every other case, it was Friends that borrowed actors from Seinfeld, not the other way round. Most notably, Friends star Courteney Cox popped up in Seinfeld as Meryl, one of the few girlfriends Jerry actually got along with. This Seinfeld appearance aired just months before she first played her career-defining character Monica Geller in the debut season of Friends.
But another Seinfeld girlfriend, Lindsay, had already begun her recurring role in Friends before she showed up in the episode “The Couch” as George Costanza’s love interest. What happened in front of Lindsay’s mother in her subsequent Seinfeld appearance made us glad we’re not friends with George in real life.
Thankfully for Lindsay, she didn’t stick around beyond “The Gymnast”, which brought to an end Jessica Hecht’s time on the show. However, alongside Friends, Seinfeld was pivotal in launching Hecht’s screen career. Following her appearances in these two sitcoms, she became one of the most celebrated actors of her generation on the small screen.
Jessica Hecht Starred In Episodes Of Both Friends & Seinfeld In 1994
Having initially lost out to Courteney Cox in an audition to play Monica on Friends, Jessica Hecht was promptly cast in the show as Susan Bunch, the partner of Ross Geller’s ex-wife Carol. She continued in the role for six seasons, appearing a total of 12 episodes, and frequently stole scenes with her caustic putdowns of Ross.
Hecht first appeared on Friends in the sitcom’s second episode, which first aired on September 29, 1994. Less than a month later, on October 27, she featured in Seinfeld episode “The Couch” as George’s girlfriend, Lindsay. Her subplot with George Costanza actor Jason Alexander ended a week later, when his character disgraced himself in front of Lindsay’s mother.
Friends & Seinfeld Were Hecht’s 1st Major Screen Roles
While Jessica Hecht missed out on playing a main character in Friends, her role in the sitcom proved to be a major breakthrough in her acting career. Before appearing as Susan Bunch and Seinfeld’s Lindsay, Hecht had just one other screen role, as an unnamed character in a single episode of the superhero romance Lois & Clark.
She was completely unknown before these two NBC sitcoms cast her, but her performance as Susan, in particular, laid the foundations for over 100 different roles on both the big and small screen. Without appearing as both Susan and Lindsay in the space of 29 days back in 1994, this celebrated career might never have happened.
Since Friends & Seinfeld, Hecht Has Become A Celebrated Dramatic Actor
In the three decades since this defining moment, Jessica Hecht has been given the chance to showcase her extensive acting talents onscreen. She’s main roles in three different sitcoms, including another Seinfeld-inspired New York comedy, The Single Guy, and Ryan O’Connell’s critically acclaimed series, Special.
However, her most celebrated roles have involved dramatic performances, as police detective Harry Ambrose’s girlfriend in The Sinner, Carol Mannheim in The Boys, and Breaking Bad’s reviled supporting character Gretchen Schwartz. Hecht’s portrayal of Sonya Barzel deservedly earned her an Emmy nomination.
Both Friends and Seinfeld were fundamental to giving the actor her start in television. For once, though, it was Friends rather than Seinfeld which was ahead of the game, with the decision to give Jessica Hecht the part of Susan Bunch proving to be an inspired piece of casting.
