"Girls kissed me on the lips". Van Damme still feels ashamed
Throughout the decade-long run of the iconic series "Friends," many notable movie stars graced the screen, one of them being Jean-Claude Van Damme. In a recent interview with the "New York Post," the action movie star confessed he still carries a sense of embarrassment over his brief appearance.
Jean-Claude Van Damme portrayed himself in the second season of "Friends," in an episode titled "The One After the Superbowl" which aired in 1996. Although the Belgian actor was already renowned in the action cinema world, boasting a list of box office hits such as "Universal Soldier", "Hard Target", and "Timecop", his time on the set of "Friends" was particularly awkward. The reason for this?
In the episode, characters Monica (Courtney Cox) and Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) stumble across Van Damme on a film set and compete for his attention. However, both back off when the action star proposes a threesome.
Friends - Monica and Rachael Have a Fight Over Van Damme
"My acting was subpar back then. My line delivery was off, like when I said 'hey, girls,' it seemed as though I was embarrassed. While I wasn't a die-hard fan of the show, I was aware of its enormous worldwide popularity. Being part of it was something I desired", recalls Van Damme in his interview with the "New York Post."
"On the set, the girls (Cox and Aniston) approached me, and they kissed me, kissed me on the lips. I was taken aback, uncertain of how to respond. It felt odd. They were very comfortable since they acted on this show almost every day. The well-oiled mechanism behind the series was captivating. My 'Friends' experience was unforgettable, albeit I still feel some shame associated with it.", admits Van Damme.
Though Jean-Claude Van Damme announced his retirement from acting last year, he has at least two more films in progress. His most recent work, "The Last Mercenary" (2021), is available on Netflix. Also, the actor lent his voice to the animated feature "Minions: The Rise of Gru" last year.
