Maggie Wheeler’s portrayal of Janice on Friends is one of the most iconic elements of the series, particularly known for her exaggerated laugh and memorable catchphrase, “Oh my God!” However, what fans might not know is that her appearances were kept under wraps to enhance the surprise and excitement of her character’s entrances.
In a recent episode of Still Here Hollywood with Steve Kmetko, Wheeler revealed some behind-the-scenes secrets about her time on Friends. She explained that the production team intentionally kept her entrances a secret to maximize the audience’s reaction. “The shock, the gasps, and the laughs from the in-studio audience were an important characteristic of my entrances,” Wheeler shared. This strategy helped maintain the element of surprise whenever Janice appeared on screen.
Wheeler went on to explain that during her time on set, she was kept in her dressing room, far from the craft services table, so as not to be seen before her big entrance. Right before shooting her scenes, she would sneak down to the set, where the production team used a black scrim to hide her arrival. The audience would only see her when the door opened, and Wheeler would make her dramatic entrance, much to the delight of fans and the studio audience.
“It’s a little bit of a rock star feeling,” Wheeler said, describing the reaction she would receive from the crowd when Janice made her grand entrance.
One of her most memorable moments on the show came in Season 5, Episode 12, titled The One with Chandler’s Work Laugh. This episode features Ross (David Schwimmer) spending the night with Janice, and Wheeler recalled that the audience’s response during this particular scene was one of the best she’d ever received.
For those who may need a refresher, Maggie Wheeler played Janice, Chandler Bing’s (Matthew Perry) on-again, off-again girlfriend with a distinctive New York accent and over-the-top personality. Janice made appearances in every season of Friends, and each time, her unexpected entrance would leave the audience laughing and in awe.
Wheeler’s time on Friends may have been brief, but her character made an unforgettable impact, and the surprise of her appearances was a big part of why fans loved her so much.
