Jane Sibbett reveals Friends producers nearly cast her as Rachel Green before Jennifer Aniston

Friends alum Jane Sibbett revealed Wednesday that she was nearly cast as Rachel Green before eventually portraying Ross Geller’s ex-wife Carol Willick in the NBC sitcom.

The 57-year-old NoCal native said the plum part would have gone to her except for the fact that in 1994 she was pregnant, and her agents wanted to tell the producers ‘later.’

‘I said, “No, you’ve got to tell them now,”‘ Jane told news.com.au

Near miss: Friends alum Jane Sibbett (R) revealed Wednesday that she was nearly cast as Rachel Green (L) before eventually portraying Ross Geller’s ex-wife Carol Willick in the NBC sitcom

'I said, "No, you've got to tell them now!"' The 57-year-old NoCal native said the plum part would have gone to her except for the fact that in 1994 she was pregnant, and her agents wanted to tell the producers 'later' (pictured Wednesday)

‘I said, “No, you’ve got to tell them now!”‘ The 57-year-old NoCal native said the plum part would have gone to her except for the fact that in 1994 she was pregnant, and her agents wanted to tell the producers ‘later’ (pictured Wednesday)

‘So obviously [the producers] said it wouldn’t work out. I have no regrets. My goodness, there’s no way anybody could have come close to what Jennifer Aniston did with Rachel. She was so perfect.’

Indeed, the 51-year-old actress went on to earn an Emmy Award, Golden Globe, and two SAG Awards for her performance as the Central Perk waitress.

Sibbett later replaced Anita Barone as Carol and enjoyed a 15-episode arc spanning seven seasons playing the sixth grade teacher, who divorces Ross (David Schwimmer) before the birth of their son Ben.

The A Date by Christmas Eve actress received equal parts praise and hate for portraying a woman who comes out as a lesbian and weds her mistress Susan Bunch (Jessica Hecht).

Jane told news.com.au: 'So obviously [the producers] said it wouldn't work out. I have no regrets'

'My goodness, there's no way anybody could have come close to what Jennifer Aniston did with Rachel. She was so perfect'

Jane told news.com.au: ‘So obviously [the producers] said it wouldn’t work out. I have no regrets. My goodness, there’s no way anybody could have come close to what Jennifer Aniston did with Rachel. She was so perfect’

2004 curtain call: Indeed, the 51-year-old actress (2-R) went on to earn an Emmy Award, Golden Globe, and two SAG Awards for her performance as the Central Perk waitress

2004 curtain call: Indeed, the 51-year-old actress (2-R) went on to earn an Emmy Award, Golden Globe, and two SAG Awards for her performance as the Central Perk waitress

Sibbett later replaced Anita Barone as Carol and enjoyed a 15-episode arc spanning seven seasons playing the sixth grade teacher, who divorces Ross (R, David Schwimmer) before the birth of their son Ben

Sibbett later replaced Anita Barone as Carol and enjoyed a 15-episode arc spanning seven seasons playing the sixth grade teacher, who divorces Ross (R, David Schwimmer) before the birth of their son Ben

‘I actually had a woman from my old church confront me and say, “How dare you? You’re going to burn in hell!”‘ Jane recalled.

‘But personally, my own father had a hard time with it. I come from a very conservative Christian background. My own dad had Bible study at 8 o’clock when Friends was on in America because he wasn’t comfortable with it. 

‘But finally after a few years, people were sending him articles about how beautiful these characters were handling such a delicate subject and he began to understand.’ 

'My own father had a hard time with it': The A Date by Christmas Eve actress received equal parts praise and hate for portraying a woman who comes out as a lesbian and weds her mistress Susan Bunch (M, Jessica Hecht)

‘My own father had a hard time with it’: The A Date by Christmas Eve actress received equal parts praise and hate for portraying a woman who comes out as a lesbian and weds her mistress Susan Bunch (M, Jessica Hecht)

Jane was told by one gay man: '"If I had have had Carol and Susan as my role models growing up, I wouldn't have tried to commit suicide so many times. Thank you for being courageous with your own career and showing that love is the most important thing for me"'

Jane was told by one gay man: ‘”If I had have had Carol and Susan as my role models growing up, I wouldn’t have tried to commit suicide so many times. Thank you for being courageous with your own career and showing that love is the most important thing for me”‘

Worth it! Sibbett has three children - daughter Ruby, 28; son Kai, 26; and daughter Violet, 20 - from her 24-year marriage to her Herman's Head producer-writer Karl Fink, which ended in 2016 (posted September 10)

Worth it! Sibbett has three children – daughter Ruby, 28; son Kai, 26; and daughter Violet, 20 – from her 24-year marriage to her Herman’s Head producer-writer Karl Fink, which ended in 2016 (posted September 10)

Sibbett was also told by one gay man: ‘”If I had have had Carol and Susan as my role models growing up, I wouldn’t have tried to commit suicide so many times. Thank you for being courageous with your own career and showing that love is the most important thing for me.” That was my personal highlight.’

The former soap star has three children – daughter Ruby, 28; son Kai, 26; and daughter Violet, 20 – from her 24-year marriage to her Herman’s Head producer-writer Karl Fink, which ended in 2016.

As for HBO Max’s long-delayed Friends reunion, the cast is still hoping to film the unscripted special sometime this fall at Stage 24 of Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank.

'The One Where They Got Back Together': As for HBO Max's long-delayed Friends reunion, the cast is still hoping to film the unscripted special sometime this fall at Stage 24 of Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank

‘The One Where They Got Back Together’: As for HBO Max’s long-delayed Friends reunion, the cast is still hoping to film the unscripted special sometime this fall at Stage 24 of Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank

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