It’s always a bit shocking when fans of a television series find out the other actors who were up for the roles they’ve grown to love. For fans of ‘Friends,’ most couldn’t imagine the show without any of the six main characters, but after hearing about a supporting role that almost went to an acting legend, many fans are now asking; “what if?” It was recently revealed that Tom Hanks was almost cast in the role of Ross and Rachel’s male nanny in the show.
There were many cameo roles in ‘Friends’ that became legendary, but one fans always point to is Freddie Prinze Jr’s role as the male nanny. However, the actor recently revealed the role was originally set to be played by Tom Hanks, according to NME. “He wasn’t gonna make it back from his film on time, so my agent called me and said, ‘Do you want to be on Friends?’ And I said, ‘Yeah, I’ll do an episode of Friends,’” Prinze Jr explained.
Luckily for Prinze Jr, he eventually got the role, allowing him to become part of one of the most beloved television series of all time. He even got to learn how to play ‘Greensleeves’ on the recorder as part of the role. That’s an experience Tom Hanks definitely wishes he had.