Friends star Jennifer Aniston describes struggle to ‘escape’ Rachel Green

‘I remember the panic that set over me, thinking, “Oh God, I don’t know if I can do this”,’ actor said

Jennifer Aniston has opened up about the difficulty of being conflated with her Friends character in the years since the series’ success.

The actor played Rachel Green on the beloved NBC sitcom, which ran for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter for its Drama Actress Roundtable, Aniston said: “I could not get Rachel Green off of my back for the life of me. I could not escape ‘Rachel from Friends’.”

She continued: “It’s on all the time and you’re like, ‘Stop playing that f***ing show!’”

Since the peak of Aniston’s Friends fame, she has branched out into independent dramas, studio comedies and more, delivering well-received dramatic performances in Cake and Dumplin’.

During the roundtable discussion, Aniston said she expressed doubt over her acting abilities as she struggled to step out of Rachel’s shadow.

“I remember the panic that set over me, thinking, “Oh God, I don’t know if I can do this. Maybe they’re right. Maybe everybody else is seeing something I’m not seeing, which is you are only that girl in the New York apartment with the purple walls.”

A Friends reunion is still scheduled to take place for the US streaming service HBO Max, which will take the form of an unscripted get-together between Aniston and the other cast members.