What Happened To The Actress Who Played Janice On Friends?

There's no denying the fact that "Friends" is one of the most popular sitcoms out there, despite its 2004 cancelation. The characters on the show, the dynamic between all the friends, and the ways in which their lives changed in their 20s and 30s was, and still is, so relatable that you feel like the main characters are your friends, too, and that their dating mishaps are similar to yours. In particular, Chandler Bing's on-again-off-again relationship with the loud, bumbling Janice just made average life events like dating feel comical and entertaining.

Janice was certainly a fan-favorite character on "Friends," with her nasal laugh and somewhat oblivious demeanor, but what happened to the actress who played her? Well, Maggie Wheeler, the actress behind the iconic character, has gone on to do quite a lot since her days on "Friends," both personally and professionally. So, to see where Wheeler ended up after "Friends," keep reading, because she's been up to quite a lot.

While the role of Janice on "Friends" wasn't exactly a main character, she was still important to the series and would often show up back in Chandler's life at the most inopportune moments even after they'd broken up. Remember when Janice almost crashed Chandler and Monica's wedding? Or had her baby at the same time as Rachel? Or when she almost bought the house next to Chandler and Monica's new home in the suburbs? Janice was so important on "Friends," and Maggie Wheeler loved playing her.

In an interview with the Jewish Telegraph Agency, Wheeler didn't know just how loved Janice would become while filming "Friends," but she loved her time on the series nonetheless. "When you're in the middle of things, while you're filming, you just don't think like that," she said of her character's impact on the series. "I'm just thrilled that the writers and our audience loved her so much." Wheeler added that she would always be grateful for Janice and "Friends" in general. "Janice has been very good to me. I am so glad people connected with her."

If you're a fan of Janice on "Friends" or the show in general, then you probably have a soft spot for other television shows and movies from the 1990s. The decade was truly the golden age of fun, family films, and nothing proved that quite like "The Parent Trap," the 1998 film starring Lindsay Lohan — whom we don't see in movies much anymore — which served as a remake of the 1961 film starring Hayley Mills. In the '90s version, Lohan played identical twins Hallie and Annie, who were separated when their parents divorced and who unknowingly reunited years later at a summer camp. And who should be their counselor at that camp? None other than Maggie Wheeler.

Yes, in "The Parent Trap," Wheeler played Marva Kulp Jr., the daughter of the woman who runs the camp. Her role is definitely small, but fans of the movie, or of Wheeler's work on "Friends," will be quick to recognize her when she shows up on screen. Most notably, though, Wheeler's voice as Marva is drastically different than her voice as Janice, proving that not only is she a '90s icon, but she also has range.

Even if you've seen every episode of "Friends" 10 times and can recite all of Janice's lines on the show, it will probably shock you to learn that the actress behind Janice, Maggie Wheeler, is also very into music. However, she's not just a fan of music, but she's someone who actually sings and directs music. In an interview with the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Wheeler explained that music was almost like an extension of her. "Music has been my soul food," she said. "I've always loved gospel music and spirituals and the music of Africa." 

Additionally, she told Closely Observed Frames that people might be surprised to learn how hands-on she was with music and singing. "I will say this, for all these years that I've been an actor, I've also been a song leader. Somebody who gathers people together to sing," she said. In fact, Wheeler started a community choir called the Golden Bridge Choir in the early 2000s. It might be hard to picture Janice from "Friends" leading a choir, but, from the looks of it, Wheeler definitely knows what she's doing.

On "Friends," Maggie Wheeler's character, Janice, was definitely entertaining, and she appeared throughout most seasons of the show. But even in some smaller roles, Wheeler still found success. One example: Wheeler played Ophelia on "Californication" in 2013. The comedy/drama series was hugely popular during its seven-year run, and though Wheeler only appeared in five episodes for one season, it was still an impressive role that she thoroughly enjoyed.

In an interview with Closely Observed Frames, Wheeler said that her time on the series was certainly memorable. "When I worked on ["Californication"] I had a blast," she said. "That was so much fun. I loved every minute of that." Though it might not have been as memorable to fans as her time on "Friends," there's no denying that "Californication" was a beloved series, having won two Primetime Emmy Awards, in addition to racking up countless nominations for other awards as well. Having the opportunity to perform on such a prestigious show is no small feat, and it proved that her acting skills are quite impressive.

On "Friends," Maggie Wheeler as Janice has a very distinct voice that some might even call endearing, if a little annoying. Still, Wheeler's voice seems to be her golden ticket. Wheeler played Trinette McGoon in the animated series "Archer" for 11 episodes between 2009 and 2017. Obviously, as a cartoon, Wheeler's work was voice acting, something she has said she enjoys. 

In an interview with Closely Observed Frames, Wheeler said that she actually always thought she would find the most success with voice work. "I really, really love doing voice-over," she said of her work on "Archer." "I love doing cartoon work. I imagined when I moved to Los Angeles that that's how I would make my living because I had been making my living doing cartoons in New York." As noted by her IMDb page, in addition to "Archer," Wheeler has also done voice work for "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," "Lilo & Stitch: The Series," "Kim Possible," and the 2019 cartoon remake of "The Addams Family," as Trudy Pickering. Clearly, Wheeler was right about her success in the voice acting business, because people clearly love to hear her talk.