Claim: Jennifer Aniston acts.

Rachel Karen Green is a fictional character , one of the six main characters who appeared in the American sitcom Friends . Portrayed by actress Jennifer Aniston , the character was created by show creators David Crane and Marta Kauffman , and appeared in each of the show 's 236 episodes during its decade-long run , from its premiere on September 22 , 1994 to its finale on May 6 , 2004 . Introduced in the show 's pilot as a naive runaway bride who reunites with her childhood best friend Monica and relocates to New York City , Rachel gradually evolves from a spoiled , inexperienced daddy 's girl into a successful businesswoman . During the show 's second season , the character becomes romantically involved with her friend Ross , with whom she maintains a complicated on-again , off-again relationship throughout the entire series . Together , the characters have a daughter , Emma .   The role of Rachel was originally offered to actresses Téa Leoni , the producer 's first choice , and Courteney Cox , both of whom declined , Leoni in favor of starring in the sitcom The Naked Truth , and Cox in favor of playing Rachel 's best friend Monica in Friends . A virtually unknown actress at the time who had previously starred in five short-lived sitcoms , Aniston auditioned for the role of Rachel after turning down an offer as a cast member on the sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live . After acquiring the role and before Friends aired , Aniston was temporarily at risk of being recast because she had also been involved with another sitcom , Muddling Through , at the time , which was ultimately canceled and allowed Aniston to remain on Friends .   Critical reception towards Rachel has remained consistently positive throughout Friends decade-long run , with The A.V. Club attributing much of the show 's early success to the character . However , some of her storylines have been criticized , specifically her romantic relationship with her friend Joey during season ten . Rachel 's popularity established her as the show 's breakout character , who has since been named one of the greatest television characters of all-time , while the character 's second season haircut spawned an international phenomenon of its own . Named the `` Rachel '' after her , the character 's shag continues to be imitated by millions of women around the world and remains one of the most popular hairstyles in history , in spite of Aniston 's own resentment towards it . Rachel is also regarded as a style icon due to her influence on womenswear during the 1990s . Meanwhile , the character 's relationship with Ross is often cited among television 's most beloved .   Rachel is considered to be Aniston 's breakout role , credited with making her the show 's most famous cast member and for spawning her successful film career . Praised for her performance as Rachel , Aniston won both an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series and a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series -- Comedy Or Musical .