David Schwimmer

David Schwimmer plays the sensitive, nerdy, mostly-hopeless romantic, Ross Geller, in Friends. His on-off relationship with Rachel Greene (Jennifer Aniston) is the stuff of legend.

In its debut season (1994 – 95), Schwimmer’s performance as Ross earned him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. Since then, the role has scooped him countless more nominations, awards and fans all around the world.

Born on his mum’s birthday (who could ask for a finer present?) in New York and raised in Los Angeles, Schwimmer was encouraged by a high school teacher to attend an acting summer-school at Northwestern University. He did so and later returned to Northwestern where he received a bachelor's degree in speech/theatre.

David graduated Beverly Hills High School in 1984 and performed in stage productions there under the direction of John Ingle. Mr Schwimmer’s schoolmates included: Angelina Jolie, Michael Klesic, Nicolas Cage, Lenny Kravitz, Jonathan Silverman, Rob Reiner, Pauly Shore and Crispin Glover.

Before Friends, Schwimmer competed against high-school friend, Jonathan Silverman, and Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men) for a role in the TV pilot Couples. Dave lost out to Silverman but ABC passed on the show. The producers later revived the idea and sold it to NBC as Friends, in which Schwimmer was the first actor to be cast.

In 1993, Schwimmer made his TV debut on the comedy Monty with Henry Winkler (aka The Fonz from Happy Days). His other television credits include: The Wonder Years, NYPD Blue, L.A. Law, 30 Rock, Curb Your Enthusiasm and HBO’s Band Of Brothers (directed by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg).

David’s film credits, meanwhile, include Picking Up the Pieces, Six Days Seven Nights, Big Nothing, Nothing But the Truth and DreamWorks’ Madagascar movies, in which he provides the voice for Melman the giraffe.

He turned down Ben Affleck’s role in Chasing Amy and unbelievably – Will Smith’s role in Men In Black (doh).

In 1988, along with seven other Northwestern graduates, he co-founded Chicago's Looking Glass Theatre Company, an ensemble of actors, writers and directors dedicated to bringing vibrant new works to the American stage.

Also in 1998, David directed a TV feature called Since You’ve Been Gone, in which he cast both his parents - Arlene Coleman-Schwimmer and Arthur Schwimmer.

David Schwimmer’s stage directing credits include The Jungle for which and which he won six Joseph Jefferson Awards, The Serpent and Alice in Wonderland, which he took to the Edinburgh Festival.

David lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Zoe Buckman, and their daughter, Cleo Buckman-Schwimmer.

We’re very glad to have David and Friends on our channel. He’s most certainly worth his weight in hair-gel.