Friends director says guest star Jean-Claude Van Damme was ‘unprepared and arrogant’

Actor featured in the 1996 episode ‘The One After the Superbowl’

Jean-Claude Van Damme was “unprepared and arrogant” during his guest appearance on Friends, the episode’s director has revealed.

The Belgian actor starred as himself in the second season episode “The One After the Super Bowl”, in which he was romantically pursued by both Monica (Courteney Cox) and Rachel (Jennifer Aniston).

According to director Michael Lembeck, the Kickboxer star had made both Aniston and Cox uncomfortable during filming.

In bonus scenes that did not air on the original broadcast in 1996, Van Damme kisses both Rachel and Monica.

Lembeck told The Hollywood Reporter: “We shoot him and Jennifer first. Then she walks over to me and says, ‘Lem, Lem, would you do me a favour and ask him not to put his tongue in my mouth when he’s kissing me?’

The Belgian-born actor became a bankable action star in the Eighties and and Nineties  (Getty)

“I tell him everything is great but it’s a tight shot so maybe let’s not do that.”

Lembeck claimed that Van Damme went on to ignore his request when shooting a similar scene with Cox later that day.

“Then we’re shooting a scene later with Courteney,” he said. “Here comes Courtney walking toward me and saying, ‘Lem, can you please tell him not to put his tongue in my mouth?’”

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The director added: “I couldn’t believe it. I had to tell him again, but a little firmer.”

The Independent has contacted a representative for Van Damme for comment.

In the same interview, the co-creator of Friends revealed that guest star Julia Roberts only agreed to appear on the series after making Matthew Perry – who starred as Chandler – write a paper on quantum physics.

The cast of Friends are set to appear in an unscripted reunion special, which will debut on the US streaming service HBO Max later this year.