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David Schwimmer reveals tentative plans to film ‘Friends’ reunion in quarantine

ASSOCIATED PRESS
                                The cast of “Friends,” from left, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry, Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston and Matt LeBlanc pose in the press room with the award for outstanding comedy series at the 54th annual Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles in 2002.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

The cast of “Friends,” from left, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry, Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston and Matt LeBlanc pose in the press room with the award for outstanding comedy series at the 54th annual Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles in 2002.

HBO Max is pivoting its production plans for the “Friends” reunion amid the COVID-19 pandemic, according to David Schwimmer.

The “Intelligence” actor, who played Ross in the hit ’90s sitcom, revealed Monday on “The Tonight Show” that tentative plans have been made to film the highly anticipated special in quarantine.

The entire “Friends” squad — including Schwimmer, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry and Matt LeBlanc — was originally scheduled to shoot in March, but the public health emergency shut down production on all film and TV projects.

“It’s supposed to happen maybe in August — the middle of August,” Schwimmer told host Jimmy Fallon. “But honestly, we’re gonna wait and see another week or two if we all determine it’s really safe enough to do. And if not, then we’ll wait until it’s safe.”

Schwimmer added that he and his castmates “would love to shoot” the special, which was conceived as an unscripted conversation among the onscreen pals set on the show’s original soundstage in Burbank. It was supposed to be available at the May launch of HBO Max, which boasts the complete, coveted “Friends” library.

Schwimmer also explained why he originally turned down the starmaking opportunity to play Ross and weighed in on an age-old debate: Were Ross and Rachel (Aniston) really “on a break” when the latter accused the former of cheating on her during a classic episode of “Friends”?

“It’s not even a question,” Schwimmer said before siding with his character. “They were on a break.”

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