Friends Fact!

Schwimmer claims to have been a "fat, ugly geek" in high school. But now, he's a handsome, handsome man!

David Schwimmer

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Biography

          In the debut season (1994-95) of "Friends," David Schwimmer's performance as Ross, a sensitive, hopeless romantic, earned him an Emmy nomination as Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.
          Born in Queens, N.Y., and raised in Los Angeles, Schwimmer was first exposed to acting when he enrolled in a high-school drama class on a whim. After he completed the course, an instructor encouraged him to attend a summer program in acting at Northwestern University in Chicago. He recalls: "I was sold on acting after that summer workshop because of my experience at Northwestern. It was both enlightening, exhilarating, and very, very interesting."
Friends Fact!

David's most recent girlfriend, Natalie Imbruglia - who played Beth in Neighbours - was seen canoodling with record producer Nigel Godrich.

          After his graduation from high school he returned to Northwestern, where he received a B.S. degree in speech/theater. In 1988, Schwimmer, along with seven other Northwestern graduates, founded Chicago's Lookingglass Theater Company, an ensemble of actors, directors and writers. Schwimmer, who is a writer and director as well as an actor, describes the company as having "a very physical style that uses all of the circus arts -- dance, acrobatics, movement -- as well as the classic training of the theater." His one regret about that time is that he now realizes that "'Lookingglass' isn't a word. [The name of the company] should be 'Looking Glass.' But," he philosophizes, "what can you do."
          Schwimmer's stage-acting credits with Lookingglass include the enigmatic "West"; "The Odyssey," in which he played the Bag of Wind; "Of One Blood," in which he played wily transvestite Cleo; the critically-acclaimed "Sweat Socks"; "In the Eye of the Beholder"; and "The Master and Margarita," in which Schwimmer received critical kudos by playing the double role of Behemoth the tom cat and the wily Koroviev. Schwimmer's stage-directing credits include "The Jungle," which earned six Joseph Jefferson Awards; "The Serpent," one Joseph Jefferson Award; and "Alice in Wonderland," which was performed at the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland and received no kudos of any kind.
Friends Fact!

David got his haircut, "the Ross," to play Pontias Pilate in the stage play "Jesus Christ Superstar."

          In 1993 Schwimmer made his debut as a television-series regular on the comedy "Monty." His other TV credits include recurring roles on such series as "NYPD Blue," "L.A. Law" and "The Wonder Years" and a guest-starring role in "The Single Guy," which is now defunct. He also hosted Montreal's "13th Annual Just for Laughs Festival."
          Schwimmer enjoys writing and participating in such sports as softball and basketball. But Dune Guy is much better than him at all sports.

Friends Fact!

Schwimmer is very keen to become a father. "I've always wanted a family," he says. "I think that's why we're here - to have children, raise them well and try to improve the quality of life for all the people who will follow."

Filmography

Crossing the Bridge
Flight of the Intruder
Twenty Bucks
The Pallbearer
Breast Men
Dogwater


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