Paul Rudd Changed Who Phoebe Ended Up With On Friends, According To Hank Azaria
Those 20-something New Yorkers in "Friends" have probably had as many failed relationships as they've had cups of coffee. However, one favorite who finally gets what she deserves is stinky-feline-obsessed Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow). The final season sees her tie the knot due to the sheer luck of Joey (Matt LeBlanc) shouting "Mike" in Central Perk and Paul Rudd magically appearing. As revealed by one of her former on-screen flames, Hank Azaria, however, it wasn't intended to go that way.
Speaking to The Huffington Post, Azaria, who played David the science guy, who returns from Minsk after a nine-year hiatus from the show, revealed that his comeback was always on the cards. He just got a bad hand when he did. "The plan always was kind of to bring [David] back," Azaria said. "I think, honestly, what happened was Paul Rudd is so awesome that they sort of found a groove with him, and [my character] became more of just the grist for that mill. As opposed to the other way around."
It's a competition that is swiftly resolved when Mike, after breaking up with Phoebe due to marriage fears in Season 9, Episode 16, "The One With the Boob Job," returns to propose in Season 9, Episode 23, "The One in Barbados, Part 1." Even to Azaria, though, it left a sore spot that he still feels for his character and the fictional one that got away.
Hank Azaria wishes Phoebe chose David instead of Mike
When it comes down to it, Phoebe is spoiled for choice, picking between two lovestruck potentials who both see a future with her. Of course, in the end, Mike is the lucky guy who gets to continue his relationship, and the two have an excessively white wedding in the final season of "Friends."
As for Azaria, he felt a little heartbroken for his character but understood why things ended the way they did. "It actually did sting a little bit," Azaria admitted, looking back at his time as Phoebe's on-and-very-long-time-off boyfriend. "Whatever part of me is David the science guy who went to Minsk, which admittedly is probably a small part of me, but that part of me wanted to end up with Phoebe. So I was sort of sad when I didn't."
With that said, Azaria accepted that the better man may have won Phoebe's love when all was said and done and that bowing out in Barbados was the right thing to do. Speaking about his on-screen competition, he said, "He certainly has gone on to prove that he was comedically deserving of Phoebe's love." David might've stood a chance if he could dramatically play the imaginary piano. Ah, well. We'll always have Minsk.