Golden Girls Recast With Black Actresses For One Night Only
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Following their performance, Union and the group spoke about the importance of voting in the election and explained how and where they all plan to vote.
Could this be any more awesome?
On Tuesday night, Gabrielle Union hosted an all-Black âFriendsâ Zoom table read that featured a star-studded cast, including Sterling K. Brown, Ryan Michelle Bathe, Uzo Aduba, Kendrick Sampson, Jeremy Pope and Aisha Hinds.
After Grammy and Tony-winning singer, Cynthia Erivo performed an R&B, slowed-down rendition of the âFriendsâ theme song, âIâll Be There For You,â the group of actors reenacted the fan-favorite episode from Season 3, âThe One Where No Oneâs Ready.â
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Led by Union, who took on the role of narrator, the table read starred Aduba as Phoebe, Hinds as Monica, Pope as Chandler and Sampson as Joey. Real-life spouses, Bathe and Brown, portrayed Rachel and Ross, respectively.
âThe One Where No Oneâs Readyâ is centered on Ross as he struggles to get the gang to get ready for a formal event where heâs scheduled to give a speech. However, all of the friends are preoccupied with different problems. Chandler and Joey argue over who gets to sit in a chair, while Monica becomes obsessed with investigating a voicemail she received from her ex-boyfriend Richard. Rachel canât decide what to wear and Phoebe, who was the only person to arrive fully dressed, has to find another outfit after Joey accidentally stains her dress with hummus, which he aimed at Chandler. While the entire group dawdles, Ross gradually becomes more anxious.
The all-Black cast performance of the episode, which was directed by Salli Richardson-Whitfield, also included a few modern changes to the script to fit with the times as well as to point out the racial contrast between the original all-white cast and the Black ensemble.
At one point in the original episode, Ross realizes it started to rain and sarcastically points out âthat will make it easier to get a cab.â In Brownâs portrayal of the scene, he said, âItâs starting to rain. That will make it easy for a Black man to get a cab.â
The script also updated a pop culture reference in another scene in which Chandler yells at Joey to get out of the chair.
âIn the words of A.A. Milne, get out of my chair, dillhole!â Chandler says in the original. However, in the Zoom table read, Pope as Chandler yells, âSo, in the words of Jordan Peele, âGet Out!'â
The charity event, which was part of the âZoom Where It Happensâ table read series, benefitted the nonpartisan nonprofit When We All Vote and took place on Voter Registration Day. Following their performance, Union and the group spoke about the importance of voting in the election and explained how and where they all plan to vote.
Pope and Brown also took to Twitter after the table read, saying that they both hope to work together again soon.
âYoo! that was too much fun. thank you to everyone who tuned into FRIENDS #ZoomWhereItHappens,â Pope tweeted, to which Brown replied, âAbsolute pleasure working with you, bruh! Letâs do it again!!!â
Pope wrote back, âNo doubt. Letâs make that happenâ
In addition to the many âFriendsâ fans around the world, filmmaker Ava DuVernay also tuned in and shared her thoughts on the event. See highlights from the table read in the clips, below.
Yoo! that was too much fun. thank you to everyone who tuned into FRIENDS #ZoomWhereItHappens please be sure you are registered to vote đđŸhttps://t.co/DHFfWqAzxk pic.twitter.com/I6cIaAaGUu
â Jeremy Pope (@jrmypope) September 23, 2020
@jrmypope
No doubt. Letâs make that happen pic.twitter.com/02kz3GtIh6
â Jeremy Pope (@jrmypope) September 23, 2020
@jrmypope
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