Friends: What Does Janice's Real Voice Sound Like?
"Friends" characters Chandler (Matthew Perry), Ross (David Schwimmer), Monica (Courteney Cox), Rachel (Jennifer Aniston), Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow), and Joey (Matt LeBlanc) usually have an air of suspicion and superiority when interacting with outsiders. For instance, the Central Perk enthusiasts do very little to hide their disapproval of Chandler and Ross' occasional romantic partner, Janice (Maggie Wheeler).
Due to Janice's specific timbre, some "Friends" viewers may be unaware that Wheeler actually has a lower register and does not have a noticeable New York accent. The actor stated in a 2018 Access Hollywood interview that she originated the character's peculiar way of speaking. "My idea — I thought at the audition, and I'm like, 'I think I know that girl. I think I've met her a million times.' So that's what I did," said the New York native.
Wheeler discussed the process of becoming Janice during a 2022 livestream on the "Game Changers With Vicki Abelson" podcast. The actor explained she was given limited information about the character during the "Friends" audition. "[The audition sides] said, 'Fast-talking New Yorker.' That's all it said," explained the mother of two. Wheeler also shared that she was influenced by a few specific salespeople when establishing Janice's eccentricities. "She was a hybrid of some women that used to stand at the perfume counters at Bloomingdale's, one in particular that we used to go see all the time," revealed the "Friends" star.
Maggie Wheeler discussed Matthew Perry in 2022
During the "Game Changers With Vicki Abelson" interview, Maggie Wheeler clarified she did not have her "Friends" character's somewhat abrasive laugh down until she arrived at the Warner Bros. Studios lot for Season 1, Episode 5 ("The One with the East German Laundry Detergent"). She shared that she correctly assumed that Matthew Perry's amusing antics would slip her up, and she did not want to be disruptive, because she was not a regular on the NBC sitcom. "You gotta do your job really well and really quickly and not hold anything up when you're a guest. I needed to be prepared for when Mathew made me laugh, and he did," stated Wheeler.
The actor explained in a 2019 E! News interview that she acts as Janice during encounters with fans because she appreciates that "Friends" viewers have enjoyed her character since the show premiered nearly 30 years ago. "This character brought people so much joy, and people express that to me all the time, wherever I go. It makes me happy to bring a little happiness to them," shared Wheeler.