27 Years Ago Today, This Friends Episode Said Goodbye as a Character Was Recast for the 2nd Time

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Although Friends generally avoided recasting characters—unlike many sitcoms from that time—it actually went through three different actors for one important role, totaling four performers. It was common in sitcoms from the 1960s and 80s to swap actors without explanation. A well-known example is Dick Sargent taking over for Dick York on Bewitched because of York’s health, and Happy Days first replaced Chuck Cunningham with Randolph Roberts before ultimately removing the character from the show.

Unlike many sitcoms, the 1990s show Friends didn’t frequently use child actors. That’s why it’s interesting to note that the episode “The One Where Rachel Smokes” (season 5, episode 18) was the last time the Allen twins, Charles and John, appeared as Ben Geller, the son of Ross and Carol. The twins had taken over the role from the original baby actor, Michael Gunderson, but were later replaced by Cole Sprouse for the rest of the series. Notably, Cole Sprouse’s twin brother, Dylan, also a former child actor, never played the part of Ben.

The One Where Rachel Smokes Featured The Allen Twins’ Final Appearance As Ben

Michael Gunderson briefly played Ben in season 2, but the Allen twins took on the role more regularly in seasons 3, 4, and 5. Cole Sprouse’s portrayal of Ben meant the character appeared more often, including in the memorable holiday episode where Ross dressed as the Hanukkah Armadillo. Over time, however, Ben’s presence on the show decreased, with very little screen time in season 8 and no appearances in later seasons.

The show typically avoided replacing actors, and keeping one child actor in a role for ten years is unusual for any TV series. Interestingly, another actor from Friends played two separate characters on the show, but it was easier to explain that change. Looking back, it’s pretty obvious the Allen twins were replaced by Cole Sprouse as Ben, as they don’t resemble him much when he took over the role.

Friends Recast Ross and Carol’s Son Three Times Throughout Its Ten Seasons

Giving Ross’s son, Ben, a more significant role in season 6 of Friends ultimately didn’t last long. This was likely because Ben often created obstacles for the Ross and Rachel relationship. Although both Ross and Rachel were parents throughout the show, the writers didn’t center storylines around Ben or Emma. As a result, the children became increasingly difficult to incorporate into the plot as the series went on.

Although the ending of Friends didn’t cause as much controversy as the finale of How I Met Your Mother, it did receive some criticism for delaying Ross and Rachel’s reunion until the very end. To focus on their on-again, off-again relationship, the show largely wrote out Ben in the later seasons. Even dedicated fans would admit that this storyline had become predictable after ten years.

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2026-04-08 18:40