A Beloved And Just Like That... Star Almost Joined The Friends Cast

HBO Max's "And Just Like That... is one of the most addictively terrible shows in recent memory, which isn't exactly a ringing endorsement. After all, its predecessor series, "Sex and the City," is held in high regard by many pop culture enthusiasts. During its original run, the Darren Star-created comedy-drama was a big part of the cultural zeitgeist, winning numerous awards and establishing some high-profile fashion trends. "And Just Like That...," on the other hand, is entertaining in a train wreck sort of way, and the fact HBO's "Sex and the City" revival is ending after three seasons suggests that it won't have the same lasting impact on fans.

"And Just Like That..." follows Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon), and Charlotte York Goldenblatt (Kristen Davis) as they navigate their careers, lives, and romances in New York City. In fact, the premise is actually quite similar to "Friends," the everlastingly popular sitcom about a group of buddies hanging out in the Big Apple while contending with work, stolen sandwiches, and relationship breaks.

That said, the metropolitan setting and buddy-oriented stories aren't the only similarities between "Friends" and "And Just Like That...," as Kristen Davis also starred in both shows. While Charlotte is arguably her most career-defining role, she still appeared in the "Friends" episode "The One with the Library Book" as Erin, aka the dreamy New York Mets fan who breaks Joey Tribbiani's (Matt LeBlanc) heart. However, this wasn't Davis' first exposure to the sitcom, as the "Sex and the City" alum originally auditioned to play Courteney Cox's Monica Gellar.

In truth, Kristen Davis was among the thousands of young hopefuls who auditioned to play Monica Gellar on "Friends." Indeed, during an interview with "The Late Late Show with James Corden" in 2021 (via People), she revealed that she didn't come close to landing the role. The good news, however, is that the part went to one of her pals, as she and Courteney Cox knew each other before they made it to the big time. In Davis' own words:

"Courteney and I were in the same yoga class at the time and we used to hang out. The rest of us were, like, unemployed actor-waitresses types and we would hang out after class. One day, Courteney was like, 'Hey, guys. Do you want to come car shopping with me? We were like, 'Wow, car shopping!'"

These days, it's impossible to imagine anyone other than Cox playing Monica, as the perfect casting of each of the main characters in "Friends" is one of the many reasons why it's widely regarded as one of the best sitcoms of all time. Still, at least Davis got to star in a generation-defining hit in her own right after failing to land the part of Monica, and it's equally impossible to imagine anyone other than her playing Charlotte. In the end, it worked out well for both performers.

"And Just Like That..." is currently streaming on HBO Max.