Latest news with #twinSisters
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Twins who played Ross and Rachel's baby daughter on Friends dish behind-the-scenes secrets
They had their first taste of Hollywood at only six months old - but over 22 years later Alexandra and Athena Conley have taken off in a different direction. The twin sisters, 23, were both cast to play Emma Geller-Greene in the ninth season of Friends, appearing in six episodes of the famous sitcom. The duo went viral last month after Alexandra posted a TikTok video, revealing their secret sitcom past as Ross Geller and Rachel Greene's daughter. The clip, which has now been viewed over 2.2 million times, began with a recent picture of Alexandra striking a pose, with overlaid text that read: 'Told him I was on TV as a baby.' The next slide was a picture of one of the girls in a coat with a pink bow in her hair, being held by David Schwimmer, with Jennifer Aniston standing nearby. A selfie followed which read, 'Oh so you did like Gerber commercials?' The post then ended with the photo of them from Friends which has the hashtag, '#holyairball.' While the girls, who grew up in Long Beach, California, were having fun looking back at their showbiz days, they admitted their video received 'a lot of mixed reviews.' 'Well, a lot of people thought that we weren't the actual twins, because we were only on it for a little bit,' Alexandra told The girls, who made their debut in the episode The One Where Rachel Goes Back To Work, explained they only appeared in a handful of episodes before their time on screen was cut short. 'Alexandra actually got us kicked off,' Athena exclaimed. 'We got it, and then she cried too much, and they couldn't use me the whole time because of child labor laws.' The girls were replaced by Noelle and Cali Sheldon who took over playing Emma from 2002 to 2003 - whom the girls are now quasi friends with. 'We follow each other on Instagram,' Alexandra quipped. 'We've followed each other for a really long time since you were younger.' Despite a short time on set, they still walked away from their experience with some good stories - or at least that's what their mom has told them. 'She just said that all the cast members were super friendly, and all of the guys were hilarious like they'd be cracking jokes the whole time,' Athena recalled. 'She's like, "Oh, yeah, they would just say lines on the spot, and half of it would get put in the show" which that was something to me where I was like, wow, that's awesome,' she continued, adding the cast was all 'super sweet and welcoming.' They also revealed their on-screen mom - Jennifer Anniston - had a hand in selecting them for the role. '[Our mom said] they had actually shown photos of us to Jennifer Aniston — that's how she ended up choosing us,' Alexandra shared. While they haven't met anyone from the cast yet as adults, they have been back to the set to see where it all began. 'We did do a Friends tour at Warner Brothers a while ago. We were hoping there'd be a cast member there, but it was really cool,' Athena explained. 'We got to see the set and everything, but we have not gotten to meet anybody.' Despite their early start in the TV show, neither one of the girls have pursued a career in showbiz. Alexandra now works as a marketing and social media coordinator for a beauty company. Athena became a cheerleader for the Denver Broncos last year and also works as an investment control reconciler for a financial services company. While neither one of the Conleys pursued a career in the limelight after their stint as baby actresses, they loved what the show has given them and are huge fans. 'I have been a fan ever since I watched it for the first time and, to this day, it is still my all time favorite show,' Athena gushed, with Alexandra agreeing. She added: 'Each character brings something so unique and hilarious to the group — I see a bit of myself in all of them, which is what makes this show so special. No matter how many times I've rewatched the series, it still makes me laugh like it's my first time seeing it. It always lifts my mood and will forever be my favorite show.'
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Park Bo-young on Playing Twins in Netflix's ‘Our Unwritten Seoul': ‘It Felt Like Shooting Two Dramas at Once'
Park Bo-young is pushing her acting boundaries like never before in Netflix's upcoming Korean series 'Our Unwritten Seoul,' where she takes on the complex challenge of playing twin sisters who swap identities — effectively embodying four distinct personas in what may be her most demanding role to date. The actor known for her roles in 'Strong Girl Bong-soon' and 'Oh My Ghost' opens up about the unique challenges of her dual role in the romantic drama, which centers on twin sisters Yu Mi-ji and Yu Mi-rae — identical in appearance but polar opposites in personality. When fate intervenes, the sisters swap identities, forcing each to navigate unfamiliar territory while discovering love and their true selves. More from Variety 'Robert Langdon' Adaptation Set at Netflix From 'Lost' EP Carlton Cuse and Mystery Novelist Dan Brown Netflix Sets Interactive Reality Series 'House of Streams,' Where Streamers and Content Creators Battle for Bitcoin (EXCLUSIVE) Netflix Readies Star-Studded Japanese Musical Drama 'Glass Heart' With Takeru Satoh 'When I read the script, I felt it was a once-in-a-lifetime challenge — and also a huge opportunity,' Park Bo-young says. 'I kept thinking, 'When will I ever get to try something like this again? If not now, will this kind of chance ever come again?'' The project marks several firsts for the beloved actress, including her debut with striking blonde hair as the energetic Mi-ji, a former track star whose athletic dreams were derailed by injury. Mi-ji now hustles through various short-term jobs in the village of Doo-son-ri, maintaining her infectious optimism despite life's setbacks. Her twin Mi-rae presents a stark contrast — born with a physical ailment, she's someone who 'studies hard, endures silently, and believes she's best at holding things in,' according to Park Bo-young. After struggling to survive in Seoul, circumstances force the sisters to switch places. The dual role presented unprecedented technical challenges for the production. 'It was much harder than I had imagined,' Park Bo-young says. 'Normally, I focus on reacting to my scene partner's performance. But this time, I also had to predict how the other character — who was also me — would act.' Director Park Shin-woo ('When the Star Gossip') employed creative solutions, including a stand-in actor who would recreate one character's behavior while Park Bo-young performed as the other. In some special effects scenes, she had to perform 'literally into thin air.' 'When Mi-rae and Mi-ji talk to each other — whether face-to-face or over the phone — I thought I could just memorize the entire script straight through, but it didn't work that way,' Park Bo-young explains. 'I had to memorize Mi-ji's lines separately, and then Mi-rae's separately. It honestly felt like shooting two dramas at once.' Park Bo-young is joined by Park Jin-young ('The Witch'), formerly of boy band Got7, who plays Lee Ho-su, a successful lawyer harboring unresolved trauma. 'He's like a swan, graceful above the surface but paddling frantically underneath,' Park Jin-young describes his character. The series marks Park Jin-young's return to acting after completing his military service. 'Being able to return to the work I love made me feel genuinely happy,' he says. 'Park Bo-young helped me a lot as well — she really made it easier for me to adjust quickly to the filming environment.' Ryu Kyung-soo ('Yadang: The Snitch') rounds out the principal cast as Han Se-jin, a former chief investment officer who now runs his grandfather's strawberry farm after a life-changing incident. Known for intense genre roles, Ryu embraces a lighter tone here, though he notes that Se-jin's quirky exterior masks 'a profound sense of loneliness and isolation.' For director Park Shin-woo, the project offered an opportunity to explore multiple facets of humanity through Park Bo-young's unique lens. 'After reading just one episode of the script, I stopped thinking about it as a 'dual role' at all,' he explains. 'Rather than seeing it as one actor playing two characters, I started to feel excited about the idea of seeing multiple sides of humanity.' The director focused on authenticity over technical wizardry. 'This time, I really focused on showing the actors just as they are — as naturally and authentically as possible,' he says. When it came to Park Bo-young's dual role, he advised her not to worry about distinguishing the characters. 'What I wanted her to focus on was the emotion of the moment, the situation at hand, and what her character needed to resolve right then and there.' The romantic dynamics prove equally complex, with Park Bo-young's characters developing different relationships with each male lead. She describes Park Jin-young's Ho-su as 'the type who would hold the umbrella over me in the rain, leaning toward me so much that his own shoulder would get wet,' while Ryu Kyung-soo's Se-jin is 'the kind of character who would throw the umbrella away and invite me to splash around in the puddles together.' 'Mi-ji is a bright, cheerful person, so Ho-su's more grounded nature somewhat tones down her brightness,' Park Bo-young explains. 'Meanwhile, Mi-rae is a bit subdued, but through Se-jin's presence, she finds some comfort and upliftment.' 'Our Unwritten Seoul' comes from Studio Dragon, the Korean powerhouse behind global Netflix hits including 'The Glory,' 'Queen of Tears,' and 'Crash Landing on You.' The company, a CJ ENM subsidiary, owns 266 global premium IPs comprising 4,127 episodes and currently produces approximately 25 titles annually for global distribution. As the series prepares to launch, the cast hopes it will resonate with viewers seeking both entertainment and emotional connection. 'I hope viewers find comfort through it,' says Ryu Kyung-soo. 'For anyone going through a hard time or feeling lost in deep darkness lately, I wish this show can help give you courage to heal and move forward.' Park Bo-young echoes that sentiment: 'Many times, I realized the words I said to others were also words I needed to hear myself. I believe viewers will understand why I say this as they watch the drama.' 'Our Unwritten Seoul' premieres May 24 on Netflix. 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