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88-1249: Lookingglass was founded in 1988 by David Schwimmer , David Catlin, Eva Barr, Thom Cox , Lawrence DiStasi, Joy Gregory, David Kersnar, and Andy White. The company's first production, Through the Lookingglass , was directed by David Kersnar and was produced at the Great Room in Jones Residential College on the Northwestern University campus. The company has since produced more than 60 world premiere plays, including Mary Zimmerman 's Metamorphoses , as well as her adaptations of The Arabian Nights and The Odyssey . The company also premiered and toured creator David Catlin's circus-driven re-imaginings of Lewis Carroll 's Alice in Wonderland in Lookingglass Alice and Herman Melville 's Moby Dick. Other productions have included David Schwimmer's adaptations of Upton Sinclair 's The Jungle and Studs Terkel 's Race: How Blacks and Whites Think and Feel About

176-618: A New Year's Eve TV broadcast. When they were children, Monica felt that their parents favored Ross, but as they grew up, she actually liked Ross as a person and loved him more than simply out of a sense of family obligation. As adults, they became close, though the competition between them was still visible, as seen in the season three episode, "The One with the Football". Ross often comes into conflict with Phoebe Buffay ( Lisa Kudrow ). His rationality and Phoebe's eccentricity lead to conflict over evolution , gravity , and whether Phoebe's mother

264-421: A Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 1995. Schwimmer starred in his first leading film role in the 1996 romantic comedy film, The Pallbearer with Gwyneth Paltrow . In the film, Schwimmer plays a man asked to deliver the eulogy for a high school friend he cannot remember, and begins an affair with the friend's mother. Critics dismissed The Pallbearer as

352-526: A Primetime Emmy Award nomination for his performance. In January 2016, Schwimmer and Jim Sturgess were cast to star in the new AMC crime drama Feed the Beast . The series premiered on June 5, 2016, and aired 10 episodes through August before being canceled. In November 2016, it was announced that Schwimmer would star in his first audio series. Gimlet Media 's podcast Homecoming began airing on November 16, 2016. In April 2017, Schwimmer helped adapt

440-580: A Reflect Series , a series of Sunday post-show panel discussions featuring local experts. In 2003, Lookingglass moved inside the Chicago Water Tower Water Works building in Near North Side, Chicago . The main stage is in the black-box style, meaning the seating can be rearranged for each production. Lookingglass artists can reconfigure the stage and seating arrangements to meet the design needs for specific productions. The theatre has

528-635: A hypochondriac giraffe, in the animated film Madagascar (2005). The Washington Post noted that Schwimmer is particularly appealing as Melman. Despite the mixed response from critics, the film was a commercial success, earning US$ 532 million worldwide, making it one of the biggest hits of 2005. Schwimmer starred on the London stage in May 2005, with Catherine Tate , Lesley Manville , Sara Powell , and Saffron Burrows , in Neil LaBute 's Some Girl(s) at

616-407: A "flashback" episode, they are alone at a bar and start kissing, but the moment quickly passes when Ross keeps bumping his head. Phoebe also helps Ross on numerous occasions, ultimately making him realize that he loves Rachel and they are meant to be together. Since college, Ross's best friend has been Chandler Bing. In college, they were in a band called Way/No Way , and Ross blamed Chandler when he

704-497: A 2022 documentary by British Jewish comedian David Baddiel on the subject of antisemitism . Schwimmer's contribution, in which he said that he has never felt white, was described as "erudite" by Rebecca Nicholson of The Guardian . Schwimmer will be starting in season 2 of the anthology horror series Goosebumps , based on the book series of the same name in January 2025. Schwimmer dated singer-songwriter Natalie Imbruglia in

792-547: A Fool , Six Days, Seven Nights , and Apt Pupil . In Kissing a Fool , a romantic comedy, Schwimmer played Max, a smart-mouthed, but dapper and charming man. Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote, "Fans of the sitcom Friends may be surprised by David Schwimmer in Kissing a Fool . [...] Take it from someone who has never seen Friends and comes at Schwimmer with no preconceptions: He does just fine. As

880-469: A Fool ; Six Days, Seven Nights ; Apt Pupil (all 1998); and Picking Up the Pieces (2000). He was then cast in the miniseries Band of Brothers (2001) as Herbert Sobel . Schwimmer began his acting career performing in school plays at Beverly Hills High School . In 1988, he graduated from Northwestern University with a Bachelor of Arts in theater and speech. After graduation, Schwimmer co-founded

968-734: A Jewish version of Cinderella . In 1979, Schwimmer went to a Shakespeare workshop given by English actor Sir Ian McKellen in Los Angeles. He recalls being riveted by the experience. Schwimmer then entered a contest in the Southern California Shakespeare Festival three years in a row, winning two first prizes. Following his mother's successful career as a divorce lawyer, the family moved to Beverly Hills , where Schwimmer attended Beverly Hills High School . His classmates included actor Jonathan Silverman . Schwimmer admitted to feeling like an outsider during his time at

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1056-450: A Limited Series or Movie . Schwimmer was born in 1966 in Flushing, Queens , New York City, to attorneys Arthur (born 1941) and Arlene Coleman-Schwimmer (born 1940). His family is Jewish . He has an older sister named Ellie Schwimmer (born 1965). His family subsequently moved to Los Angeles, where Schwimmer, at 10, had his first acting experience when he was cast as the fairy godmother in

1144-403: A TV sports reporter in Kissing a Fool , he oozes the command and self-satisfaction of a young, successful man." The film was critically and financially unsuccessful. In Six Days, Seven Nights , he played the boyfriend of Anne Heche 's character. In Apt Pupil , adapted from a novella of the same name by Stephen King , he had a supporting role as a school guidance counselor. "I was scared of

1232-697: A claim that Schwimmer had denied. Schwimmer is an active director of the Rape Treatment Center in Santa Monica , which specializes in helping victims of date rape and child rape. He has also campaigned for legislation to ban drugs such as Rohypnol and GHB . In November 2011, he gave the Scottish charity Children 1st permission to screen his film Trust to commemorate World Day for Prevention of Child Abuse and Violence against Children. In 2012, he rebutted two longstanding rumors: one that he appeared as

1320-492: A copy of Wouk's novel "...I was shocked at how good the writing was." His next film role was in the 2006 black comedy Big Nothing , in which he played a bitter, unemployed scientist. Schwimmer made his directorial feature debut in the 2007 British comedy film Run Fatboy Run . The film stars Simon Pegg as an out of shape man who signs up for a marathon to convince his former fiancée and five-year-old son that he has turned his life around. When asked why he decided to direct

1408-479: A divorce and is looking to turn his life around. The film received ambivalent reviews. Despite the reception, Schwimmer's performance was favored by critics; Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times reported that the role was Schwimmer's "career-transforming performance". Duane Hopwood was screened at a special presentation at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival . Furthermore, in the same year he voiced Melman ,

1496-458: A drab role". When asked why he decided to accept the role, Schwimmer admitted the decision was to "make an effort to find roles that are as far away from the character of Ross as possible." Schwimmer was chosen to play a leading role in the 1997 Men in Black but he turned it down. He later regretted this decision. Ultimately, Will Smith got the role. His next film roles, in 1998, were Kissing

1584-712: A drama, is about a family whose teenage daughter becomes victim of an online sexual predator. Trust premiered at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival . On January 1, 2011, Schwimmer guest-starred on the British comedy series Come Fly With Me starring Matt Lucas and David Walliams , whom he directed in Little Britain USA . The following year, he returned to voice Melman the Giraffe in Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted . In 2013, Schwimmer appeared as Josh Rosenthal,

1672-566: A fair bit of Schwimmer's post- Friends stage work in London and New York, and I've never seen him better", commented the Chicago Tribune . On August 2, 2009, Schwimmer played himself in the sixth season of the HBO television series, Entourage . In the episode, Ari Gold 's ( Jeremy Piven ) agency tries to steer his career back to television. Schwimmer directed his second feature, Trust , starring Clive Owen and Catherine Keener . The film,

1760-446: A friend. Emily flees again. She later calls Ross only to tell him that he has to stop calling and harassing her relatives, but Ross makes her reveal her love for him. She says that she will return only if Ross stops being friends with Rachel. Unable to do so, Ross ends his marriage with Emily. Shortly before Emily gets remarried to another man, she gets cold feet and leaves a message on Ross's answering machine asking whether their divorce

1848-422: A maximum capacity of 240 persons, including 60 possible seats on the removable balcony level. There is also a multi-purpose studio space, used for education programs, special events, and rehearsals. Designed by Morris Architects Planners, the space is a converted landmark. It houses the Lookingglass performance space, lobbies, dressing rooms, and concession areas, as well as a Chicago Public Library . Additionally,

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1936-617: A mobster who was brought up by the notorious Roy DeMeo and part of the Gambino Family , alongside Michael Shannon in The Iceman . In 2014, Schwimmer was cast as the lead in the ABC comedy pilot Irreversible , playing "one half of a somewhat eccentric, self-absorbed couple". In 2016, Schwimmer played Robert Kardashian in the first season of the FX anthology series American Crime Story . He received

2024-403: A passionate moment between them leads to Ross and Rachel kissing. Monica is hurt by this as she believed that Rachel was trying to “steal her thunder”. The kiss is later revealed to have happened because Rachel is upset that she is “not even close” to being engaged. At the end of Season 7 at Monica and Chandler's wedding, it is revealed that Rachel is pregnant. The father is revealed to be Ross in

2112-404: A poor imitation of the 1967 film The Graduate . Variety 's film reviewer complimented the actor, writing that he had enjoyed his performance, stating that he displayed "a winning, if rather deadpan, personality along with good comic timing". It also concluded that Schwimmer had a "promising bigscreen future". Janet Maslin of The New York Times cited that his first film "relegates him to

2200-533: A soldier on a train in Biloxi Blues (1988), saying, "No. I don't know why that's on IMDb , but I never was in that" (the credit has since been removed), and the other that he is related to dancer Lacey Schwimmer , saying, "No, not at all. Please set the record straight. I guess it's a natural assumption because we have the same last name, but no. I've never even met her". Ross Geller Ross Geller (born October 18, 1968), portrayed by David Schwimmer ,

2288-520: A summer acting program at Northwestern University . He noted that the experience was both "enlightening and exhilarating". In 1984, Schwimmer graduated from Beverly Hills High and wanted to go straight into acting, but his parents insisted he go to college first so he would have something to fall back on. Schwimmer enrolled in Northwestern University, where he had attended the summer acting program earlier. He had originally intended on becoming

2376-595: A surgeon, having studied various body systems but eventually decided to pursue acting professionally. At the university, he studied theater and was in an improv group with Stephen Colbert , the No-Fun Mud Piranhas. After graduating in 1988, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in theater and speech, Schwimmer co-founded the Lookingglass Theatre Company . Subsequently, he returned to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. After his supporting role debut in

2464-484: A thing or two about freewheeling banter ... and for a good while the play crackles with terrific dialogue, expertly delivered". In February 2009, he returned to theater in a Chicago production of Thornton Wilder 's three-act play Our Town as George Gibbs at the Lookingglass Theatre . "Schwimmer ... turns in a poignant, richly textured and demonstrably heartfelt performance as George Gibbs. I've seen

2552-420: A threesome with another woman. Picking Susan, whom she met at her gym just like in the real timeline, the two women immediately proceed to have sex without Ross right in front of him, seemingly indifferent to his feelings. Ross later explains to Joey that he felt like a third wheel, trying to be involved while Susan kept kicking him away, and ended up being so bored he made himself a sandwich. Ross realizes his wife

2640-437: A two-line part of a secondary character. In season 7, he buys Phoebe the bicycle of her dreams but threatens to take it away from her because of her reluctance to learn how to ride it. Also, when he discovers that Joey has a crush on Rachel, he tells him to go for it, even though he finds it difficult to accept the idea of Joey and Rachel being together. Over all, Ross is portrayed as a very sweet, loving, and adorable character who

2728-452: A woman named Susan Bunch, whom she later marries. In the early days, however, Ross and Carol seemed to have had a very passionate relationship. Carol is the only woman he's ever had sex with (and hence lost his virginity to) at the start of the series. It is also revealed they shared a steamy session at Disneyland behind the "Dutch children" in It's a Small World , which got them a lifetime ban from

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2816-564: Is a running gag within the series. Rachel is Ross's most significant relationship during the series and briefly his wife. His attraction to her is established early on; Ross met Rachel through his sister Monica, who was Rachel's best friend in high school. He developed an unrequited crush on her but never followed through on it. After leaving college, Ross married Carol, whom he had met in college, and had seemingly put his feelings for Rachel aside before he met her again in " The Pilot ". They have an on-again, off-again dynamic throughout most of

2904-451: Is a lesbian when Rachel states outright that Carol "sounds gay." During the fourth season , Ross meets and falls in love with Emily Waltham ( Helen Baxendale ), a British woman who is set up with Ross by Rachel. Six weeks into their relationship, Ross asks Emily to move in with him. This escalates into a marriage proposal. The two plan a wedding in London , to which Rachel is invited. During

2992-411: Is a nearly constant theme of Friends . Raised on Long Island , Ross is the elder brother of Monica Geller ( Courteney Cox ), and son of Jack ( Elliott Gould ) and Judy Geller ( Christina Pickles ). Ross and Monica are Jewish and see themselves as at least cultural Jews , with Ross taking a more active role in wanting to teach his son, Ben, about the faith. Ross gets divorced and is newly single in

3080-400: Is always looking out for everyone's best interests, and he is often the most mature compared to the rest of the gang (despite his ego, outbursts, and paranoia). He has two children: Ross claims to have "given up a career in basketball" to become a paleontologist and claims that the ideas for Jurassic Park and Die Hard were stolen from him. He also had a major interest in music, playing

3168-576: Is an American actor, director, comedian, and producer. He gained worldwide recognition for portraying Ross Geller in the sitcom Friends , for which he received a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 1995. While still acting in Friends , his first leading film role was in The Pallbearer (1996), followed by roles in Kissing

3256-540: Is based on the book of the same title written by historian and biographer Stephen Ambrose . Although Band of Brothers was met with largely positive reception, Schwimmer's performance was criticized; the BBC News concluded, "Part of the problem ... may have been the ridiculous fact that Friends favourite David Schwimmer plays the hard and cruel Captain Herbert Sobel. The only thing believable about Schwimmer's acting

3344-411: Is his competition with Monica, manifested through wrestling and paranoia. As children, they took part in a family football game for the "Geller Cup" every Thanksgiving . This tradition ended in its sixth year after Monica "accidentally" broke Ross's nose. The siblings came up with a dance in primary school called "The Routine", which they performed as adults at Dick Clark 's New Year's Rockin' Eve in

3432-561: Is one of the six main characters of the NBC sitcom Friends . Ross is considered by many to be the most intelligent member of the group and is noted for his goofy but lovable demeanor. His relationship with Rachel Green was included in TV Guide ' s list of the best TV couples of all time, as well as Entertainment Weekly ' s "30 Best 'Will They/Won't They?' TV Couples". Kevin Bright , who

3520-473: Is when he cowers in the face of true battle. His puppy dog eyes make him appear even more pitiful." Later that year he portrayed Yitzhak Zuckerman in the war drama Uprising , based on the true events of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising in 1943. In March 2004, Schwimmer appeared as himself on HBO's comedy series Curb Your Enthusiasm . During the lengthy run of Friends , Schwimmer directed ten of

3608-459: The New York Daily News rating it one-and-a-half out of five stars and writing, "Most disappointing is how Schwimmer—who spent 10 seasons on a sitcom filled with hyperverbal characters—manages to bumble 'Fatboy's' tender moments." USA Today , however, was favorable towards Schwimmer, reporting he possesses filmmaking finesse "having wisely chosen strong comic material for his debut behind

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3696-628: The ABC television movie A Deadly Silence (1989), Schwimmer followed this with roles on the legal drama L.A. Law in 1992, and the comedy-drama series The Wonder Years . He made his feature film debut in Flight of the Intruder (1991), had a recurring role as a lawyer-turned-vigilante in NYPD Blue before auditioning, unsuccessfully, for a series pilot called Couples . He landed his first regular series role as

3784-511: The Friends success is attributed to the plotline between his character Ross and his on-again-off-again love interest Rachel, which has been described as one of the greatest TV couples of all time by various media outlets. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette was complimentary of Schwimmer, calling him "terrific". Variety 's television reviewer said: "All six of the principals, especially (Courteney) Cox and Schwimmer, appear resourceful and display sharp sitcom skills". For this performance, he earned

3872-540: The Gielgud Theatre . In the production, he plays a teacher who is ready to settle down and marry, but decides to visit four ex-girlfriends first. For his performance, Schwimmer received critical reviews. The Independent wrote that Schwimmer "is not called upon to extend his range nearly as far as one might have expected in Some Girl(s). [...] Schwimmer remains bland, competent, and boyish—though not fatally boyish in

3960-486: The Lookingglass Theatre Company . For much of the late 1980s, he lived in Los Angeles as a struggling, unemployed actor, until he starred in the television movie A Deadly Silence in 1989 and appeared in a number of television roles in the early 1990s, including L.A. Law , The Wonder Years , NYPD Blue , and Monty . After the series finale of Friends in 2004, Schwimmer branched out into film and stage work. He

4048-590: The 2011 Regional Theatre Tony Award and has won over 45 Joseph Jefferson Awards in its 30 Seasons. Glassworks is Lookingglass' New Play Development program. The company has produced 66 World Premieres. Lookingglass, sponsors in-school residencies and student matinee programs for students in Chicago Public Schools . The company also offers classes and artistic summer camps for youth. In 2006, Lookingglass founded The Young Ensemble, where children devise and produce their own work. Lookingglass participates in

4136-607: The American Obsession. Recent productions include Jules Verne 's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, adapted by David Kersnar and Althos Low; Plantation! , a play about reparations, written by Ensemble Member Kevin Douglas and directed by Ensemble Member David Schwimmer; Beyond Caring, created by British author and director Alexander Zeldin . Lookingglass is led by Artistic Director Heidi Stillman, and Executive Director, Rachel Fink. Fink

4224-479: The airport to meet him after realizing that she likes him, but she sees him with Julie and reluctantly backs off. In the Season 2 episode " The One Where Ross Finds Out ", Rachel is on a date with a guy when she drunkenly calls and confesses to Ross that she had feelings for him, but now she is over him. Ross hears this message the next day at Monica's apartment with Rachel begging him not to check his messages. Later, in

4312-539: The altar, and the marriage soon dissolves. In the Season 5 finale " The One in Vegas ", Ross and Rachel marry each other after getting drunk in Las Vegas. This marriage ends in a divorce after a failed application for an annulment; the two sadly admit that they thought if they ever married each other it would last. In the seventh season premiere " The One with Monica's Thunder ", after the news of Monica and Chandler's engagement,

4400-430: The baby was not his and would not have the surname "Geller". He briefly considers getting back together with Carol and they even share a kiss at a sushi restaurant, but Carol makes it clear that she can't reciprocate his feelings and has chosen to be with Susan. In the second season, Carol and Susan briefly call off their wedding due to Carol's homophobic parents' refusal to bless their relationship. Ross gives Carol away at

4488-461: The camera". For his directorial work, he was nominated for a British Independent Film Award in the category of Best Debut Director. On November 8, 2007, Schwimmer made a guest appearance in the second season of the television series 30 Rock , where he played Greenzo, an NBC environmental mascot. The following year, he was part of an ensemble cast that included Kate Beckinsale , Matt Dillon , Alan Alda , Angela Bassett , and Noah Wyle in

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4576-425: The ceremony, Ross, upon seeing Rachel, has a slip of the tongue and says Rachel's name instead of Emily's during his vows. Emily is furious and leaves the wedding. She later decides to forgive Ross, and reaches the airport in time to leave for their honeymoon, but is upset when she sees Ross and Rachel boarding the plane together. Ross, having given up on meeting Emily at the airport, invited Rachel on their honeymoon as

4664-531: The comedy Run Fatboy Run , and the following year he made his Off-Broadway directorial debut in Fault Lines . He has also worked as a director, including many episodes of Friends during his time on the series. In 2016, Schwimmer starred as lawyer Robert Kardashian in The People v. O. J. Simpson , for which he received his second Primetime Emmy Award nomination, this time for Outstanding Supporting Actor in

4752-414: The couch after watching Die Hard . Toward the end of the series, however, Ross and Joey become closer friends, often hanging out together after Chandler gets married. Ross often tries to bring out the best in his friends in difficult situations. For instance, in season 2, he encourages Joey to audition for Another World after being fired from Days of Our Lives despite Joey's refusal to audition for

4840-414: The film, Schwimmer said: "As a director, I was struck by the challenge that I thought the script presented, which was that it was kind of three films in one. You had some great, big physical comedy, and I thought funny dialogue and characters. And then there was some real emotion to it with the relationship between the father and the son and the romance aspect." Run Fatboy Run garnered mixed reception, with

4928-510: The films of Sigal Avin for a US audience. The six short features depict sexual harassment at work by men on women. In 2020, Schwimmer was cast as a main character in the British sitcom Intelligence broadcast on Sky One . In the same year, he was a celebrity reader on CBeebies Bedtime Stories, and was signed as the face of British banking chain TSB . Schwimmer featured in Jews Don't Count ,

5016-436: The first episode because his wife, Carol ( Jane Sibbett ), has realized she's a lesbian . Later in the series, he dates Rachel, but they split up when he sleeps with another woman the night they decide their relationship is "on a break". After his relationship with Rachel ends, Ross marries Emily Waltham ( Helen Baxendale ), the niece of Rachel's boss. However, because Ross says "I, Ross, take thee, Rachel" instead of Emily during

5104-551: The keyboard for hours in the basement of their house in Long Island. Ross also claims credit for the Got Milk? slogan. Ross had a pet in the first season of the show: a white-headed capuchin monkey named Marcel (although the monkey used in the series was a female called Katie). Over the course of the show, Ross dates a considerable number of women. He is married three times and divorced three times. His proclivity to marry and divorce

5192-628: The late 1990s. Schwimmer and Jennifer Aniston admitted to having crushes on each other early on while filming Friends during HBO Max's Friends: The Reunion . Schwimmer began a relationship with British artist Zoë Buckman in 2007 and they married on June 4, 2010. Their child Cleo Buckman Schwimmer was born in 2011. The couple announced in April 2017 that they were "taking some time apart". They divorced later that year. Schwimmer and his ex-wife are on good terms and continue to co-parent their child amicably. He tends to keep his personal life away from

5280-469: The liberal son of a conservative talk show host ( Henry Winkler ) in the sitcom Monty . In 1994, Schwimmer was cast as Ross Geller in NBC 's situation comedy Friends , a series that revolved around a group of friends who live near each other in Manhattan . He played a hopeless-romantic paleontologist who works at a museum and later becomes a professor at a university. Schwimmer initially turned down

5368-566: The manner that appears to have turned these women on." However, Charles Spencer of The Daily Telegraph praised Schwimmer, reporting he "proves inspired casting. He takes to the stage with ... his endearing gaucheness seems designed to ensure our continued sympathy. Schwimmer mercilessly lays bare his character's opportunism, casual cruelties, and chronic self-deception." In 2006, he made his Broadway debut in Herman Wouk 's two-act play The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial . Schwimmer played

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5456-592: The media to preserve his daughter's childhood. Schwimmer primarily lives in East Village, Manhattan . He previously had a loft in Near West Side, Chicago as well as a house in Hancock Park, Los Angeles . In June 2006, Schwimmer won a US$ 400,000 defamation lawsuit against Aaron Tonken, a former charity fundraiser. Tonken claimed Schwimmer had demanded Rolex watches in order to appear at his own charity event,

5544-400: The middle of Season 9 when she realizes their platonic situation is not working. In the final episode of the show , when Rachel is moving to Paris for her job with a new fashion brand, Ross tells her at the airport that he loves her and asks not to leave. Rachel initially does not respond to his feelings, but when the plane is about to take off, she realizes that she loves him too and gets off

5632-632: The nuptials, the marriage doesn't last long. In season 5, Ross and Rachel drunkenly marry in Las Vegas, and ultimately that marriage results in a divorce as well; however, they confess that if they ever got married properly it would be the one that lasted. Throughout the series, Ross gets divorced three times. In the first episode of Joey , the spin-off series, it is hinted that Ross and Rachel may have gotten married again, as Joey Tribbiani ( Matt LeBlanc ) tells his sister Gina ( Drea de Matteo ) that all of his friends are married. A running theme in Ross's narrative

5720-666: The part", Schwimmer said, "but I wanted to be part of the movie". At the time, he noted it was a "little frustrating" that people would typecast him due to his role on Friends . He subsequently appeared opposite Woody Allen and Sharon Stone in Alfonso Arau 's straight-to-cable comedy Picking Up the Pieces (2000). In 2001, Schwimmer played Captain Herbert M. Sobel in Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks ' HBO World War II miniseries Band of Brothers . The television miniseries

5808-450: The plane. They profess their love for each other and decide to be together once and for all. In the first episode of the spin-off/sequel series Joey , it is hinted at that Ross and Rachel were remarried shortly after the events of Season 10 as Joey tells his sister Gina that all of his friends are married. In the fifteenth episode, Ross is mentioned, though not by name. Joey tells his sister Gina that he confessed his love to Rachel but she

5896-410: The prom. Touched by this, Rachel kisses Ross, and the two begin dating. However, they take a break from their relationship on their one-year anniversary after Rachel's overtime work prevents them from spending time together. That same night, Ross has a one-night stand with Chloe, which causes Rachel to officially end their relationship. They get together again at the end of Season 3 but again break up at

5984-417: The role as Ross, but accepted later. Executive producer Kevin S. Bright said that he had previously worked with Schwimmer, the character of Ross was written with him in mind, and he was the first actor cast. The show debuted on September 22, 1994, and was watched by almost 22 million American viewers. Friends quickly developed a loyal audience, with the show and Schwimmer receiving strong reviews. Much of

6072-438: The role of Lieutenant Barney Greenwald in the production, which was directed by Jerry Zaks . In an interview with New York magazine, he revealed that he had wanted to try Broadway, however said "a couple of things came up that just never quite felt right. Either because I liked the play but wasn't hot on the director, or there was another star attached that I wasn't jazzed about working with." He further added that when showed

6160-634: The same episode, they share a passionate kiss at the doors of Central Perk. Ross breaks up with Julie to be with her, but Rachel decides she does not want to be with him after finding out that he had made a list, at Chandler’s insistence, comparing the good and bad qualities of her and Julie. In the later episode " The One with the Prom Video ", it is revealed that Ross, despite being two years senior to Rachel, had decided to take her to her and Monica's prom, as Rachel's date had not arrived, only to be left disappointed as her date finally shows up and they all leave for

6248-423: The school, recalling, "When I was there I always felt: 'This is not me, I'm surrounded by people with a different value system. And I just wanted to get out of California.'" His best subjects were science and math and he originally wanted to become a doctor. Schwimmer enrolled in a drama class, where he appeared in stage productions. Encouraged by his school drama teacher to further his acting, he flew to Chicago for

6336-407: The second episode of Season 8, and Rachel tells him in the next episode. They decide to have the baby, but the two do not resume their romantic relationship. In the middle of the season, Joey asks Rachel to move in with Ross so Ross can be more involved with her pregnancy. In the Season 8 finale, Ross and Rachel’s daughter is born and named Emma Geller-Green. Rachel soon moves out of Ross's apartment in

6424-497: The series. In the final season of the show, Rachel tells him that he means more to her than any other member of their group. Ross is also close friends with Joey Tribbiani and helps him with auditions. He kisses Joey once in order to help him practice a role as a gay man, only to find out that Joey had already done the audition and didn't get the part. Joey and Ross also briefly try to cut Chandler out of their friend group after Chandler ignores them. They once fall asleep together on

6512-411: The show's episodes. The show's tenth and final season ended on May 6, 2004. In 2004, Schwimmer was director and executive producer on Nevermind Nirvana , a sitcom about an Indian American family that was not picked up by NBC. After Friends , Schwimmer starred in the 2005 independent drama Duane Hopwood , as the title character, who is an alcoholic whose life is spiraling downward rapidly after

6600-741: The show. In October 2008, Schwimmer made his Off-Broadway directorial debut in Fault Lines at the Cherry Lane Theatre in New York. The production won a mixed review from the Los Angeles Times , which wrote: "Based on Fault Lines  ... we can't really tell whether Schwimmer has much talent as a director. We're surprised he didn't try something more challenging for his debut. If not much else, Schwimmer has encouraged his actors to intense their energy levels and comic timing at all costs". The New York Post , however, noted that Schwimmer "knows

6688-488: The show. In the Season 1 finale, Ross has to go to China for his work so he asks Chandler to give Rachel the birthday present which he had bought for her. Chandler gives the present to Rachel during her birthday celebration while Ross is in China, but he also accidentally reveals Ross's feelings for Rachel. This prompts Rachel to panic and start thinking about Ross in a romantic way. After Ross arrives back from China, Rachel goes to

6776-409: The start of Season 4. Some of the later episodes show them to still be in love with each other, such as when Ross cancels his Discovery channel appearance to be with Rachel when she breaks her rib, or when Rachel flies to London to tell Ross before his wedding to Emily that she is still in love with him, only to realize that it would be better not to tell. Ross, however, accidentally says Rachel's name at

6864-499: The station continues to pump 125 million gallons of water to Chicago's north side every day. An itinerant theater company for years, Lookingglass moved into a permanent home on June 14, 2003, with a new theater in the renovated Water Tower Water Works on Chicago's Magnificent Mile . Its first production in the new space was an adaptation of Studs Terkel 's Race , adapted and directed by David Schwimmer. David Schwimmer David Lawrence Schwimmer (born November 2, 1966)

6952-654: The theme park. In the third-season episode, "The One with the Flashback", it is revealed that Carol met Susan at her gym, and it is implied that they had a short affair before Carol could no longer bring herself to cheat on Ross, who innocently believed they were just friends, and told him the truth. Ross maintains a fairly healthy relationship with Carol after their divorce, and both decide to raise Ben together through shared parenting ; but he doesn't hide his contempt for Susan as she "destroyed their marriage" and initially wanted to keep him out of Ben's life, having once told him that

7040-683: The thriller Nothing But the Truth (2008). The movie received generally favorable reviews. The success of Madagascar led Schwimmer to return to the role of Melman in the 2008 sequel, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa . The film earned US$ 603 million at the international box office. Schwimmer took part in directing in-studio segments for Little Britain USA , an American spin-off of the British BBC television series Little Britain . In regard to this, he commented that he had "a good time directing episodes" for

7128-490: The wedding and shares a dance with Susan, who develops a newfound respect for him. In the alternate timeline episode "The One That Could Have Been" (Season 6), Carol and Susan are portrayed in a far more negative light. Exploring what could have happened if Ross and Carol never got divorced, it is revealed that they have been on a sexual dry spell that has lasted for months. During ideas to improve their sex life, Carol suddenly becomes very excited when Ross proposes that they have

7216-451: Was reincarnated as a cat. It is also revealed that Phoebe once mugged Ross (stealing a copy of the comic book Science Boy that Ross had created) when they were teenagers. The two are roommates for a few weeks when a fire forces Phoebe to move out of her apartment. She first moves into Chandler Bing ( Matthew Perry ) and Monica's apartment but then decides she wants to give the newly engaged couple some privacy, so she moves in with Ross. In

7304-509: Was a mistake. Rachel accidentally deletes Emily's message. Despite Monica pleading with her to keep Ross in the dark about it, Rachel tells him that Emily called, as she believes he should be in charge of his own happiness. When he starts to doubt whether or not he should return Emily's call, however, Rachel convinces him not to. Ross Geller has become a well-known figure in pop culture, particularly due to his relationship with Rachel Green, his neurotic nature, and his love for dinosaurs. In 2015,

7392-546: Was cast as the title character in the 2005 drama film Duane Hopwood , and voiced Melman the Giraffe in the animated Madagascar film franchise , acted in the dark comedy Big Nothing (2006), and the thriller Nothing but the Truth (2008). Schwimmer made his West End stage debut in the leading role in 2005's Some Girl(s) . He made his Broadway debut in The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial in 2006. His feature film directorial debut followed in 2007 with

7480-518: Was caught smoking marijuana . They become brothers-in-law after Chandler married Monica. Though they are best friends, at times Chandler gets annoyed with Ross's geeky behavior. Ross is friends with Rachel Green, whom he has had a crush on since high school. Rachel viewed Ross as ‘Monica’s geeky older brother’ during high school. During the first episode of the series, when they meet after years apart, he rediscovers his feelings for her. They become close and have an on-and-off romantic relationship through

7568-530: Was one of the executive producers of the show, had worked with Schwimmer before, so the writers were already developing Ross's character in Schwimmer's voice. Hence, Schwimmer was the first person to be cast on the show. Ross is a paleontologist and has a Ph.D. His romantic feelings toward Rachel Green ( Jennifer Aniston ), which began as a high-school infatuation, are an ongoing theme of his narrative arc. Likewise, their on-again, off-again romantic relationship

7656-561: Was preceded by Rachel Kraft, who served as Executive Director for 12 seasons. Kraft's tenure saw the company receive the 2011 Regional Theatre Tony Award, a 2016 $ 1 million MacArthur Award for Creative and Effecting Institutions, and the 2017 League of Chicago Theaters Artistic Achievement Award. The Lookingglass Company is made up of cross-disciplinary artists: 24 Ensemble Members and 23 Artistic Associates. The ensemble includes David Schwimmer , Joey Slotnick and Mary Zimmerman . Artistic associates include Deanna Dunagan . Lookingglass won

7744-430: Was pregnant with Ross's baby and eventually ended up with him; this is the reason why Joey becomes reluctant to confess the same feelings to his girlfriend, Sarah. Carol ( Anita Barone for the pilot episode, Jane Sibbett thereafter) is Ross's first wife and the mother of his son Ben. In the very first episode, Carol has just moved out of their apartment after coming out of the closet as a lesbian and leaving Ross for

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