Kristin Davis auditioned for the role of Monica on Friends before landing Charlotte on Sex And The City
She shares that, at the time, she and Courteney Cox were yoga buddies both vying for the role
Aux News Sex and the City
Sex And The City actor Kristin Davis, known for her role as Charlotte York on the HBO television series, is fulfilling the time-honored tradition of reflecting on previous roles she auditioned for, and on how everything could have been different if she landed this role instead of that one.
As it turns out, Davis was “one of like 8,000 young ladies who read for Monica” on another popular New York-based ensemble series—Friends. Davis was also yoga buddies with Courteney Cox, who would end up landing the part.
“Courteney and I were in the same yoga class at the time, and we used to hang out,” Davis says on The Late Late Show with James Corden. “The rest of us were, like, unemployed actor-waitresses types and we would hang out after class.”
After successfully landing the role and then subsequently filming the pilot for Friends, Cox invited Davis out to go buy something nice and shiny in preparation of all the money she was about to make.
“One day, Courteney was like, ‘Hey guys, do you want to come car shopping with me?’” Davis says.
Cox wasn’t just buying any car—she was buying a brand new Porsche.
“We were like, ‘Wow! Is she for real?’” Davis says.
Friends begun airing in 1994, but it would not be too long until Davis had her own money to buy a Porsche after Sex And The City debuted in 1998. After playing Charlotte York for eight seasons in the original series, she’s now reprised the role for the reboot And Just Like That, which seeks to modernize the show by following Charlotte, Miranda, and Carrie as they navigate their 50s.
So now, we can imagine what Friends would be like if Davis had snagged the role, and how the character of Charlotte would never have been the same. New episodes of And Just Like That… air weekly on Thursday on HBO Max.
29 Comments
They also both played Jerry’s girlfriend, each in excellent episodes.Davis came back as Kenny Banya’s girlfriend.
I can imagine Courtney Cox playing Charlotte and it being more or less fine. I cannot imagine Kristin Davis playing Monica and it being anything other than a disaster.
I heard Eric McCormick (Will from Will and Grace) tried out for Ross. I could see how that could work but it’s hard now to see anyone but David Schwimmer in the role now of course.
I can’t see how anyone else could be as insufferable as Ross is as Schwimmer……….
Reverse for me.
Yeah, Monica is SUCH a Charlotte . . . .
I always liked her best on Melrose. She was batshit crazy beautiful & was on at the peak of the show. Poor Billy…
Yeah Billy abandoned her to see if Allison was ok as soon as Kimberly blew up the building! I hope I don’t have to take a lie detector test about this…
Yeah, it was a little strange to imply her big break came with SATC in 1998, when it really happened in 1995 with Melrose.That said, my favorite Kristin Davis will always be Max’s Mom in Sharkboy and Lavagirl.
Plus she was awesome in Melrose. That whole show in its later season was so bat-shit cray and I loved it! Kimberly taking off her wig … just awesome!
And now they’re unnecessary plastic surgery buddies.
I watched the first ep of the new SATC. Charlotte is bugging Miranda about letting her hair go gray. Miranda was like I don’t mind getting old. I feel like the original Miranda would have been like “Listen I’m not dying my hair or messing up my face to try to stay young.
At least it’s in character for Charlotte to develop that Real-Housewives-of-[Blank] look. Meanwhile, even though she’s a decade older than them and not on the show any more, Kim Cattrall is still the prettiest one.
Yeah, I was gonna say, they must have used the same lousy plastic surgeon. Always go to Pfeiffer’s guy!
Do you just have this GIF chambered at all times in case someone mentions Michelle Pfeiffer?
Or Paul Pfeiffer, yes.
“So now, we can imagine what Friends would be like if Davis had snagged the role, and how the character of Charlotte would never have been the same.”I mean, can you even imagine? If I had to guess, it would probably go something like this…[fog filter, harp glissandos, etc.]ALTERNATE UNIVERSE ME: Yeah everything is pretty much the same except “Cougar Town” is called “MILFburg” over here.
I honestly forgot Cougar Town was a show that I used to care about.
Im sure she’s relieved she didn’t get the role and miss the opportunity to shit her pants in a major motion picture.
I’m not sure I’d invite my friend I just beat out for a part to watch me buy a Porsche. I guess they’re cool about it.
I’m not sure about in the US, but if choose the factory pick-up option for Porsche in Germany, they encourage you to bring a friend. They give you a pretty good meal, a factory tour, and generally put on a show. It’s all marketing to pull in the friend. One of my buddies in the army when I was stationed in Germany picked up his Porsche at the Leipzig factory, and I was the friend he took. The Porsche marketing blitz almost pulled me in.So, it may have been one of those “bring a friend” things.
So did Leah Remini. That’s a more interesting Monica to me. She did get the show once. She had great chemistry with LeBlanc.
SATC was on for six seasons, not eight.
Cox wasn’t just buying any car—she was a brand new Porsche.
Don’t just buy the car; BE the car!
Would that make Kristin Davis Monana?
Kinda glad she didn’t get Monica, because it also allowed her to play the delightfully devious Brooke Armstrong on Melrose Place a year or so later.
There are a few fun What If versions of Friends out there, though, including one where Monica is played by Kristin Davis, Rachel by Lisa Whelchel, Jon Cryer as Chandler, Kathy Griffin as Phoebe, Eric McCormack as Ross, and Vince Vaughn as Joey.