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Memorable On-Set Accident During Friends Episode

David Schwimmer recently reflected on a notable incident from the set of Friends that still resonates with him: the moment Matt LeBlanc sustained a significant injury during filming. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Schwimmer described the event as “genuinely frightening” and “scary.” It occurred during a live taping of Season 3, Episode 2, titled “The One Where No One’s Ready,” when LeBlanc, portraying Joey Tribbiani, attempted to race Matthew Perry’s character, Chandler Bing, to an armchair.

“LeBlanc was meant to execute a pratfall, but he ended up dislocating his shoulder,” Schwimmer recounted. “He turned pale and stood up, revealing that his shoulder was out of place. He looked like he was about to faint.”

Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, Schwimmer quickly intervened, calling for the cameras to stop filming. “You could see how badly he was hurt,” he recalled. “Filming had to be halted immediately, and he went to the hospital.”

The incident has remained etched in LeBlanc’s memory as well. During the Friends: The Reunion special on HBO Max in May 2021, he shared his experience of the mishap. “I went to jump over the coffee table, but I tripped, and my legs flew up while my shoulder dislocated,” he explained.

While discussing this fluke accident on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in April 2017, LeBlanc highlighted the added complexity of the situation. On that particular night, every audience member had won a Diet Coke contest, meaning they all were present for what turned out to be a disrupted filming schedule. “All those people went home, and Warner Bros. had to arrange for everyone to return,” he noted.

Fortunately, LeBlanc’s injury did not result in any missed episodes. The writing team cleverly crafted a storyline to explain his arm being in a sling by incorporating a scripted fall during a bed-jumping scene in Episode 3, “The One With the Jam.” However, filming of the episode’s conclusion had to be postponed until LeBlanc recovered, as producer Kevin Bright explained during the reunion.

“What began as a straightforward Friends episode ended up taking the longest time to shoot,” Bright stated, emphasizing the lasting effects of the accident.

LeBlanc wasn’t a stranger to mishaps on set, as his castmates teased him during the reunion about his propensity to trip when he didn’t pay attention to his marks. “You tripped every time you wouldn’t look,” remarked Jennifer Aniston, who played Rachel Green. Fortunately, despite the outtakes showcasing his slips, there were no further injuries recorded.

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