Nancy McKeon executives for the title role in the TV sitcom adaptation of the 1988 film "Working Girl"; the role, played by Melanie Griffith in the movie, instead went to then unknown Sandra Bullock for the TV series. In 1994, both McKeon and Courteney Cox auditioned for the role of Monica Geller on "Friends." The role went to the latter. When asked in interviews about the auditions, McKeon said, "I have no hard feelings. The role went to the right person. Courteney was brilliant. Now, I can't see anybody playing the role, not even myself." In 1995, she starred in her own
Monica Geller common sense. Furthermore, Tucker identified Monica as the show's "straight woman." Writing for "The New York Times", John J. O'Connor believes that Monica exhibits "the strongest ties to reality" as the sitcom's most realistically portrayed character. Bustle's James Tison agreed that Monica is the show's most relatable character. Referring to Monica as one-half of the series' "head friends," the "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's" Robert Bianco described the character as sensible, explaining that both her and brother Ross represent "the relatively stable centers around which the other friends rotate." Describing her as "ultra-competent," "Natural Living Today"s Emily Nussbaum likened Monica to the fairy