Jessica Hecht is reflecting on her time on the beloved sitcom “Friends” — and why she’s glad she wasn’t one of the main stars.
Hecht played Susan Bunch, the wife of Ross Geller’s ex-wife, Carol Willick (Jane Sibbett). Carol left Ross (David Schwimmer) to be with Susan, and in season 1, Carol revealed she was pregnant with Ross’s son, Ben. Hecht appeared in more than a dozen episodes, including the memorable season 2 episode “The One With the Lesbian Wedding,” where Susan and Carol got married.
Jessica Hecht Reflects on “Friends” and Supporting Role
Paul Drinkwater/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty In a new interview with People, Hecht, 59, shared that she didn’t expect the show to have such a lasting cultural impact.
“I don’t watch things that I’ve made more than just to say, ‘Oh God, okay,’ ” she said. “That show affecting so many people’s lives and the actors on that show affecting so many people’s lives … I watch it with awe, and I understand the need for that.”
Grateful for the Experience, Not the Pressure
While Hecht appreciates her role, she said she’s also grateful not to have been part of the main cast. “I’m also grateful that I wasn’t a lead character in many ways, because the responsibility of that is more than most people could manage,” she explained.
She praised the core six — Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, the late Matthew Perry, and Schwimmer — for managing the pressure “gracefully.” According to Hecht, the cast “owned” being part of an ensemble, and “the fact that they were each unique within that beautiful cluster was truly an accomplishment.”
Hecht credited legendary director James Burrows, who created “Cheers” and directed many early episodes of “Friends,” with helping the cast balance their dynamics as an ensemble.
Hecht is currently a 2025 Tony nominee for her role in the play “Eureka Day,” which is also nominated for best revival of a play. She admitted to People that she was surprised by the nomination. “It’s very rare that anyone gets acknowledged in life for anything they do, so why should this be different?” she said.
Reflecting on her theater career, Hecht added, “We are not changing the world. We’re doing plays that reflect on life and hopefully make people reflect on their own lives. But long story short, I was very, very touched and excited that I can go to [the Tonys]. But more than that, I love that I’m part of this community. I think that’s been my greatest sense of accomplishment, that I’ve stayed in this community my whole career. So I feel tremendous gratitude for that.”
The 2025 Tony Awards will air live from Radio City Music Hall in New York City on Sunday, June 8, on CBS.
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Jessica Hecht Shares Why She’s Grateful She Wasn’t a Lead on ‘Friends’