By Sasha Emmons
Northwestern alumnus David Schwimmer has come a long way since his first acting role as the fairy godmother in a Jewish version of Cinderella when he was 10 years old.
Schwimmer, Speech '88, is one of the stars of NBC's "Friends," a popular sitcom about twenty-somethings. He returned to NU yesterday to talk to more than 250 students in the Annie May Swift auditorium about acting, the sitcom and his alma mater.
Schwimmer, 26, plays Ross, the "the geeky guy" on "Friends." A recurring story on the show is about Ross' marriage to his high-school sweetheart. Ross learned his wife was a lesbian - after she was pregnant with his child. Schwimmer called the plot a "modern-day Hamlet."
"He had everything and suddenly crash! - it's shattered," he said, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "Instead of making it into a tragedy, you have to make it into a comedy."
One-quarter to one-third of Schwimmer's lines on "Friends" are improvised. He said the show, which airs at 8:30 p.m. today, is a constant dialogue among the actors, writers and director.
"We try to breathe our personal jokes into it," he said. "A lot of what I actually say is stuff I made up, and I have a lot of pride in that."
Speech freshman Greg Schwartz, a fan of the show who attended Schwimmer's talk, said the story lines presented on "Friends" are universal. "The show appeals to anyone with a sense of humor," he said.
Although Schwimmer answered some questions about the show, he said he would "rather not focus on questions like, 'Is Courtney (Cox) hot?'" Cox is a cast member of "Friends."
Schwimmer advised aspiring NU actors to obtain experience in film or on stage to gain exposure and improve their ability. He also told students to be strong during auditions, which are often tedious and defeating.
"You just have to say, 'I will be the best I can be and if they don't take me, it's their loss,' " he said.
When Schwimmer was a senior at NU, he and some of his friends began the Chicago-based Lookingglass Theater Company. Now Schwimmer splits his time between filming "Friends" in Los Angeles, and directing, writing and acting in Chicago. He also is shooting "Pall Bearers," a dark-humor comedy.
Schwimmer spoke about the theater business and the differences between television and theater. Schwimmer said that although he's happy with "Friends," he would like to do more theater.
"The theater is sacred," he said. "It's a trade-off because I really love being able to take off for other projects, and now I only have four free months out of the year."
Rachel Rosenberg, director of public affairs for the School of Speech and the organizer of Schwimmer's visit, said Schwimmer wants to speak again next fall or winter.