Editor’s note: The following contains spoilers for Leave the World Behind.
Friendshas long been a pop culture staple, since its initial run in 1994-2004, and still is to this day. In recent years, the sitcom has only grown in popularity, thanks to its availability on various streaming platforms through the years (currently on Max) and being passed down through generations of families. Many turn to the series as comfort, and as illustrated throughSam Esmail’sLeave the World Behind, the sitcomeven offers a beacon of light when the world feels like it’s ending. One character especially, Rose (Farrah Mackenzie), leaned heavily onFriendsas an escape, and Esmail was adamant that it was the series used in his movie.
During an interview withCollider’s Editor-in-ChiefSteve Weintraub, Esmail responded to a “what if” about not gaining the rights to useFriendsinLeave the World Behind. He shared that deciding on which classic sitcom to use was a lengthy conversation, butthe series was always the front-runner. From a theme song perspective, theFriendsone lyrically fit the movie’s endingin a way another show’s likely couldn’t. So, Esmail stressed to his team thatthis sitcom had to be the one. He explained:
“That was a big conversation that we had for a long time, and you run through all the sitcoms that are these classics that could potentially work but none of them really had that theme song that was so iconic. And, I have to stress this, the lyrics of that song were so perfect for how the film ends. I honestly don’t know what I would have done. There was a point where, after we ran through other options, I think I looked at the team and I said, ‘I don’t think we can afford to lose Friends.’ There’s no show that fits that moment more perfectly than that show, so we had to use all our powers to make sure that we got the rights, and we luckily did.”
‘Friends’ Was Important for Rose’s Character in ‘Leave the World Behind’
Beyondthe theme song, the show plays an important role inLeave the World Behindwhen it comes to Rose. From the beginning of the movie up until the very last minute, viewers gain a sense of how attached Rose is to the series, as she watches it whenever possible. Due to widespread internet outages, Rose can’t watch theFriendsseries finale, which gnaws at her despite every other strange thing happening around her. She even states at one point that she cares about the characters and that’s why she wants to know what happens to them. Esmail also said thatFriendshas an “emotional connection” to Rosethat wouldn’t hit the same had a different series been in its place: “So, from a character perspective, it just felt too perfect.”
Leave the World Behindis streaming now on NetflixandFriendsis available on Max, respectively. Stay tuned for our full chat with Esmail.
Ross Geller, Rachel Green, Monica Geller, Joey Tribbiani, Chandler Bing, and Phoebe Buffay are six twenty-somethings living in New York City. Over 10 years and seasons, these friends go through life lessons, family, love, drama, friendship, and comedy.
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