Paul Rudd has revealed that he could have been fired on his first day on the set of Friends – after running over Jennifer Aniston’s broken toe with a Segway.
The actor was cast as Michael “Mike” Hannigan, Phoebe Buffay’s love interest and third husband, in the cult US sitcom, which is celebrating 25 years.
Despite appearing in only 17 episodes from 2002 to 2004, Rudd became a fan favourite and the role of Mike launched his career in Hollywood.
Speaking on The Graham Norton Show, the 50-year-old said: “I was on the set for my first episode and Jennifer was on a Segway because she had broken her toe, and everyone was marvelling at it.
“Matt LeBlanc asked to have a go and immediately knew how to do it.
“I then asked to try it too. I spun round and rolled it right over Jennifer’s foot.
“The producer’s look of panic was as if to say ‘Is it too late to fire him? Has his character been established yet?’ I felt awful. Such an inauspicious start.”
The Ant-Man star also recalled another on-set faux pas.
“It was an incredible thing to be part of and the whole experience, but seems a bit surreal and a bit of a blur in my memory,” he said.
“The show was a phenomenon and I was in the very last episode, which made no sense to me whatsoever.
“I was on the sound stage and Jennifer Aniston was crying and I thought ‘I’m not supposed to be here, so to break the ice I went over and said ‘Well, we did it, what a ride.’
“The joke inevitably fell flat.”
The Graham Norton Show is on BBC One at 10.35pm on Friday October 11.