Goosebumps star admits he hadn't seen Friends before working with David Schwimmer

Official trailer for Goosebumps: The Vanishing on Disney+ and Hulu

David Schwimmer, famed for his role as Ross Geller in Friends, is set to send shivers down the spine in his latest venture, Goosebumps: The Vanishing.

However, it seems not all his young co-stars were initially awestruck by his celebrity status.

The Hollywood star steps into the shoes of Anthony, a single father in Disney+'s chilling new season of RL Stine's beloved horror series for children, where his on-screen twins, Cece and Devin, played by Jayden Bartels and Sam McCarthy respectively, delve into eerie mysteries with their friends.

In an exclusive chat with Screen Time, Bartels expressed her excitement about working with Schwimmer: "It was amazing. This whole experience was amazing, and it being a part of something that so many people have grown up with is iconic.

"Then, also, being the children of someone they've grown up watching is iconic! It was a blessing all around. I couldn't believe it when I found out he was going to be our dad."

The Friends icon takes on a spooky new franchise (Image: DISNEY )

McCarthy chimed in with his perspective, acknowledging Schwimmer's impressive legacy: "He's just, like, on a legacy level is one thing and that's an awesome thing."

Yet, McCarthy also confessed his lack of familiarity with Schwimmer's most famous work: "I, luckily, didn't watch Friends, so I wasn't losing my mind seeing him. But he was, on a professional level, he was great.

"He was relaxed and he was calm, which was kind of an off-set because at certain points people can get a bit tightly wound filming TV."

Schwimmer, best known for his role as Ross in the iconic sitcom Friends alongside Jennifer Aniston and Matthew Perry, boasts an impressive showbiz career of more than three decades.

Not only has he been a familiar face on television for 10 years with the Friends cast, but he's also earned three Emmy nominations, including one for his portrayal of Robert Kardashian in the critically acclaimed series The People v. O. J. Simpson.

Sam McCarthy and Jayden Bartels portray Anthony's twins Devin and Cece (Image: DISNEY )

"He was generous with his insights and was really just a lovely guy who has clearly put in his 20,000 hours," McCarthy said, praising Schwimmer's contribution to the industry. "You learn a lot via just advice he might give or just observation and osmosis."

"Just his energy and the way he holds himself, I learned a lot," added Bartels, reflecting on the impact of Schwimmer's presence. "Being able to take a step back and give yourself space and time to recharge to be able to come back to the scene at your 100 percent.

"Seeing him, who knows what he's doing and has it down, you learn a lot from just being around that."

McCarthy went on to recall a moment when Schwimmer's advice was particularly resonant: "I remember once, we were like a month into filming and I was, like, struggling with the creative aspect of it.

SUBSCRIBE Invalid email

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy

McCarthy wasn't as starstruck by Schwimmer as his co-star (Image: DISNEY )

"I was like, 'Dude, I feel burnt out'. We began like, 'I'm going to come out swinging' and then after a month... I don't know."

"And [Schwimmer] spoke to me about endurance, it's like a really big part of this job. It's what we're being paid for, you have to put yourself in a position to give that, to put yourself out there over and over again.

"The acting is great and you'd do that for free, but it can be hard to be open and accessible, you know, all the time. And just learning to do that was what I was talking to him about."

Devotees of the iconic series Friends, as well as newcomers who have recently stumbled upon the show, will witness David Schwimmer in a completely different role when Goosebumps makes its comeback later this week.

Goosebumps: The Vanishing premieres Friday, January 10 on Disney+.

window.topArticlesScript="https://cdn.images.express.co.uk/js/dist/article-top-articles20250107.min.js"