Friends: Was Julie Actor Lauren Tom Fired & What Happened To Her After The Show?
If the thought of Julie from "Friends" sends you into a fit of rage, you're probably not the only one. Played by Lauren Tom, Julie was introduced in the 2nd season as Ross' new girlfriend, and that didn't pan out too well with audiences. The reason? We all thought Ross and Rachel were meant to be together and Julie was ruining everything, and her relationship with Ross was most likely a "Friends" storyline that fans hated.
Though we love and respect the passion fans have, this dislike was taken way too far, and Tom found herself on the receiving end of their anger. In an interview with the Chicago Tribune in 2021, she revealed that she wasn't received warmly during episode tapings. "When I would make my entrance the audience actually booed me, which was hard. Most actors, we want to be loved. That's probably why we got into this in the first place," she said.
Because viewers hated Julie and Tom, it was assumed that the cast, particularly Jennifer Aniston, felt the same way. According to Tom, the National Enquirer ran a story claiming that Tom was fired because she and Aniston didn't get along, and the latter had her removed. Luckily, Tom cleared up any misgivings and confirmed that Julie's character arc had ended — with her meeting and falling for Ross's doppelgänger, Russ — and it was always the plan for her to leave when she did.
Lauren Tom has enjoyed a successful career
After the story came out, Lauren Tom immediately called her agents about whether or not she should take legal action against the tabloid. "They advised me that a picture is worth a thousand words and to take the publicity, good or bad, and be OK with it," she said. It's a good thing Tom took her agents' advice because the story went away, and it didn't have a negative effect on her reputation or her career.
In fact, since her stint on "Friends," she has built up an incredible resume with a lot of voice-acting credits. These include Minh and Connie Souphanousinphone on "King of The Hill," which Hulu has picked up for a revival; Amy and Inez Wong on "Futurama," which she has returned to for the 2023 revival; Tasumi on "The Replacements"; and so many more. In addition, she has also portrayed live-action characters, such as Mai Washington on "Men in Trees," Mrs. Tran on "Supernatural," and Celia Mack on "Andi Mack."
Though Julie will probably never become a fan favorite, Tom is clearly a powerhouse in the industry and is sure to continue to thrive, both behind the microphone and in front of the camera.