Rachel Green
Rachel Karen Green is a fictional character from the American sitcom Friends (1994–2004). Portrayed by actress Jennifer Aniston, she was created for the show by its creators, David Crane and Marta Kauffman, and appears in all 236 episodes across 10 seasons. Introduced in the pilot as a naïve runaway bride, she relocates to New York City, where she moves in with her childhood best friend, Monica Geller. Over the course of the series, Rachel evolves from a sheltered daughter into a single mother and fashion executive. Her on-again, off-again relationship with Monica's brother, Ross, forms a central storyline of the series.
Rachel was the most difficult character to cast. Several actresses were considered, including Courteney Cox, who preferred the role of Monica, while Aniston had also been considered for the role ultimately given to Cox. Aniston had previously appeared in several unsuccessful sitcoms, and her contract for the CBS sitcom Muddling Through initially cast doubt on whether she would be able to remain on Friends, until the series was cancelled shortly before Friends premiered. Her $1 million per episode salary for seasons nine and ten established her as one of the highest-paid television actresses of all time, which was recognized by Guinness World Records.
Rachel received a positive reception throughout Friends' decade-long run, but some of her storylines have been criticized, specifically her romantic relationship with her friend Joey Tribbiani in season 10. Aniston's performance was praised, and won her an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series and a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series – Comedy Or Musical. Rachel is considered to be Aniston's breakout role, credited with making her the show's most famous cast member and launching her film career.
Rachel's popularity established her as the show's breakout character, who has since been named one of the greatest television characters of all time, while the character's second season haircut spawned an international phenomenon of its own. Named the "Rachel" after her, the character's shag continues to be imitated by millions of women around the world and remains one of the most popular hairstyles in history, in spite of Aniston personally disliking it. Rachel is also regarded as a style icon due to her influence on womenswear during the 1990s. Meanwhile, the character's relationship with Ross is often cited among television's most beloved.
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