During Noah Wyle’s early days on ER, he and co-star George Clooney made a guest appearance on an episode of Friends, creating an unexpected crossover between the two beloved NBC series. In 1995, during the first season of Friends, Wyle and Clooney, playing doctors John Carter and Doug Ross on ER, respectively, appeared in the episode titled “The One with Two Parts.” They portrayed attractive doctors who encounter Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) and Monica (Courteney Cox) when the women switch identities to share insurance coverage.
Although the two shows do not share the same TV universe, a recent revelation by Wyle sheds light on an intriguing connection. It turns out that both shows feature characters named Rachel Green(e), with ER’s Rachel being Dr. Mark Greene’s daughter, portrayed by Yvonne Zima and Hallee Hirsh in the first ten seasons of the show. Reflecting on this connection, Wyle expressed surprise at this overlap, acknowledging that he had never made the connection before.
Furthermore, Wyle shared in a 2024 interview that he knew both Aniston and Matthew Perry socially off-set, with Aniston being roommates with his ex-girlfriend, and Perry being friends with their circle. The idea for the crossover episode was not only influenced by NBC but also by the camaraderie between the cast members, who often spent time together on the Friends set.
Wyle also disclosed an interesting tidbit about Clooney, revealing that the actor would sometimes write his lines on the pillowcases of patients on set to avoid forgetting them. Despite this, Wyle emphasized the dedication of the cast, recalling how they would bet on the number of takes needed for complex scenes.
Never making a mistake was a point of pride for him. It created a competitive atmosphere that he found to be quite beneficial. “Stay informed on the latest stories by signing up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter. Get updates on everything from celebrity news to intriguing human interest pieces. Returning to the television genre with The Pitt, he likened delivering medical jargon on the Max original series to reliving high school. Wyle reflected, “With the knowledge I have now, it felt akin to revisiting an instrument I hadn’t played in 15 years and realizing my fingers still remembered the notes. It was like recalling high school French.” Catch new episodes of The Pitt on Max every Thursday. Original article can be found on People’s website.
