Randy Vasquez Says He Was Fired From Friends After Early Table Read

Actor Randy Vasquez has revealed that he was once cast on Friends—only to be fired before the episode was filmed.

Speaking on The Patrick LabyorSheaux With Patrick Labyorteaux podcast, Vasquez said he was hired for the fourth episode of Friends in the show’s early days. After the table read, however, director Jim Burrows decided to cut the role.

According to Vasquez, he returned to his green room after the reading and called his agent, who told him he had been let go. While he was still on the call, Jennifer Aniston and Lisa Kudrow walked in. Vasquez said he explained what had happened, and Aniston appeared shocked and upset by the news.

Vasquez said the decision made sense given how early the show was in its run. At the time, Friends was not yet a hit, and the cast had not become famous. He noted that character changes and cuts are common during the early stages of sitcom production and said he trusted Burrows’ instincts.

As he was leaving the Warner Bros. lot, Vasquez said Matthew Perry approached him to offer support. Perry shared a similar experience from his own career, telling Vasquez he understood how disappointing the situation was and encouraged him to keep going.

Although Vasquez missed out on becoming part of Friends, he went on to build a steady television career, appearing in series such as Acapulco H.E.A.T., Love Boat: The Next Wave, First Monday, and JAG.

Meanwhile, Friends went on to become one of the most successful sitcoms in television history. Aniston, Kudrow, Perry, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, and Matt LeBlanc starred on the NBC series for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004.

The cast reunited several times after the show ended, most notably for the 2021 HBO Max special Friends: The Reunion. That gathering became their final reunion before Perry’s death in 2023 at age 54. In later interviews, Aniston said the cast had been deeply affected by Perry’s long struggle with addiction and believed he was finally at peace.