Editing David Schwimmer (section)

===1994–2004: Breakthrough===
[[File:David Schwimmer 2005 Madagascar.jpg|thumb|Schwimmer at the London premiere of ''[[Madagascar (2005 film)|Madagascar]]'' in 2005]]
In 1994, Schwimmer was cast as [[Ross Geller]] in [[NBC]]'s situation comedy ''[[Friends]]'', a series that revolved around a group of friends who live near each other in [[Manhattan]]. He played a hopeless-romantic [[Paleontology|paleontologist]] who works at a museum and later becomes a professor at a university. Schwimmer initially turned down the role as Ross, but accepted later.<ref name="behind">{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna4908086|title=Can David Schwimmer leave Ross Geller behind?|last=Couric|first=Katie|date=May 5, 2004|work=[[NBC News]]|access-date=January 17, 2009 }}</ref> Executive producer [[Kevin S. Bright]] said that he had previously worked with Schwimmer,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/community/chat/2002-04-23-friends.htm|title='Friends': Kevin Bright|date=January 1, 2005 | work = [[USA Today]]|access-date=January 20, 2009 | archive-date= July 15, 2013 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130715065109/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/community/chat/2002-04-23-friends.htm | url-status=live}}</ref> the character of Ross was written with him in mind, and he was the first actor cast.<ref name="behind" /> The show debuted on September 22, 1994, and was watched by almost 22 million American viewers.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna4899445 |title='Friends' creators share show's beginnings |last=Lauer |first=Matt |date=May 5, 2004 |work=[[NBC News]] |access-date=January 20, 2009 }}</ref> ''Friends'' quickly developed a loyal audience, with the show and Schwimmer receiving strong reviews. Much of the ''Friends'' success is attributed to the plotline between his character Ross and his on-again-off-again love interest Rachel, which has been described as one of the greatest TV couples of all time by various media outlets.<ref>{{Cite web |title=See our favorite pairings from Lucy and Desi to Ross and Rachel and more |url=https://www.tvguide.com/galleries/best-tv-couples-1026715/3/ |access-date=November 12, 2023 |website=TVGuide.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Holly |title=25 of the best TV couples of all time |url=https://www.insider.com/best-tv-couples-2018-4 |access-date=November 12, 2023 |website=Insider |language=en-US}}</ref> The ''[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]'' was complimentary of Schwimmer, calling him "terrific".<ref>{{cite journal|first=Robert|last=Bianco|title=Six 'Friends' Sittin' Around, Talking|date=September 22, 1994|journal=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]|page=C1}}</ref> ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s television reviewer said: "All six of the principals, especially (Courteney) Cox and Schwimmer, appear resourceful and display sharp sitcom skills".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.variety.com/review/VE1117903158.html?categoryid=32&cs=1|title=Friends|last=Scott|first=Tony|date=September 22, 1994|work=Variety |access-date=June 19, 2009}}</ref> For this performance, he earned a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] nomination for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series|Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series]] in 1995.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/07/21/arts/er-leads-nominations-for-emmy-awards.html|title='E.R.' Leads Nominations for Emmy Awards|date=July 21, 1995|work=The New York Times|access-date=January 20, 2009}}</ref>

Schwimmer starred in his first leading film role in the 1996 romantic comedy film, ''[[The Pallbearer]]'' with [[Gwyneth Paltrow]].<ref name="pall">{{cite news|url=https://movies.nytimes.com/mem/movies/review.html?res=9A02E4D71739F930A35756C0A960958260|title=Young Love at a Funeral|last=Maslin|first=Janet|date=May 3, 1996|work=The New York Times|access-date=January 20, 2009}}</ref> In the film, Schwimmer plays a man asked to deliver the eulogy for a high school friend he cannot remember, and begins an affair with the friend's mother. Critics dismissed ''The Pallbearer'' as a poor imitation of the 1967 film ''[[The Graduate]]''.<ref>{{cite journal|first=Dennis|last=King|title=The Pallbearer|date=May 4, 1996|journal=[[Tulsa World]]|page=D4}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|first=Daniel|last=Neman|title='Graduate' Returns As 'The Pallbearer'|date=May 4, 1996|journal=[[Richmond Times-Dispatch]]|page=B-7}}</ref> ''Variety''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s film reviewer complimented the actor, writing that he had enjoyed his performance, stating that he displayed "a winning, if rather deadpan, personality along with good comic timing".<ref name="pall staff"/> It also concluded that Schwimmer had a "promising bigscreen future".<ref name="pall staff">{{cite news|url=https://www.variety.com/review/VE1117905198.html?categoryid=31&cs=1&query=%22The+Pallbearer%22|title=The Pallbearer Review|last=McCarthy|first=Todd|date=April 29, 1996|work=Variety |access-date=January 29, 2009}}</ref> [[Janet Maslin]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' cited that his first film "relegates him to a drab role".<ref name="pall" /> When asked why he decided to accept the role, Schwimmer admitted the decision was to "make an effort to find roles that are as far away from the character of Ross as possible."<ref name="guard"/> Schwimmer was chosen to play a leading role in the 1997 ''[[Men in Black (1997 film)|Men in Black]]'' but he turned it down. He later regretted this decision. Ultimately, [[Will Smith]] got the role.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sharf |first1=Zack |title=David Schwimmer Says Rejecting 'Men in Black' Offer Was a 'Brutal Decision' and It 'Would've Made Me a Movie Star'; He Chose to Direct a Film Instead |url=https://variety.com/2024/film/news/david-schwimmer-rejected-men-in-black-offer-brutal-decision-1236148577/ |website=Variety |date=September 18, 2024 |access-date=19 September 2024}}</ref>

His next film roles, in 1998, were ''[[Kissing a Fool]]'', ''[[Six Days, Seven Nights]]'', and ''[[Apt Pupil (film)|Apt Pupil]]''. In ''Kissing a Fool'', a romantic comedy, Schwimmer played Max, a smart-mouthed, but dapper and charming man.<ref name="fool">{{cite news|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/1998/02/27/DD82740.DTL&type=printable|title=Film Review – New Angles Freshen 'Kissing'|last=LaSalle|first=Mick|date=February 27, 1998|work=San Francisco Chronicle|access-date=January 20, 2009}}</ref> [[Mick LaSalle]] of the ''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]'' wrote, "Fans of the sitcom ''Friends'' may be surprised by David Schwimmer in ''Kissing a Fool''. [...] Take it from someone who has never seen ''Friends'' and comes at Schwimmer with no preconceptions: He does just fine. As a TV sports reporter in ''Kissing a Fool'', he oozes the command and self-satisfaction of a young, successful man."<ref name="fool" /> The film was critically and financially unsuccessful.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/kissing_a_fool/|title=Kissing a Fool|date=February 27, 1998|website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|access-date=January 20, 2009}}</ref> In ''Six Days, Seven Nights'', he played the boyfriend of [[Anne Heche]]'s character. In ''Apt Pupil'', adapted from a [[Apt Pupil|novella of the same name]] by [[Stephen King]],<ref>{{cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/Movies/9810/21/review.apt.pupil/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010509035523/http://edition.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/Movies/9810/21/review.apt.pupil/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 9, 2001|title=Review: 'Apt Pupil' gets an 'A'|last=Clinton|first=Paul|date=October 21, 1998|publisher=[[CNN|CNN: Showbiz/Movies]]|access-date=January 20, 2009}}</ref> he had a supporting role as a school guidance counselor. "I was scared of the part", Schwimmer said, "but I wanted to be part of the movie". At the time, he noted it was a "little frustrating" that people would typecast him due to his role on ''Friends''.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Welkos|first=Robert W.|title=Young director follows up 'Usual Suspects'|journal=[[The Tampa Tribune]]|date=May 4, 1997}} (Reprinted from the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''.)</ref> He subsequently appeared opposite [[Woody Allen]] and [[Sharon Stone]] in [[Alfonso Arau]]'s straight-to-cable comedy ''[[Picking Up the Pieces (film)|Picking Up the Pieces]]'' (2000).<ref name="tv">{{Cite web |title= David Schwimmer Credits |url= https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/david-schwimmer/credits/3000029337/ |work= tvguide.com |access-date=January 21, 2024}}</ref>

In 2001, Schwimmer played [[Herbert Sobel|Captain Herbert M. Sobel]] in [[Steven Spielberg]] and [[Tom Hanks]]' [[HBO]] [[World War II]] [[miniseries]] ''[[Band of Brothers (miniseries)|Band of Brothers]]''. The television miniseries is based on the book of the same title written by historian and biographer [[Stephen Ambrose]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2001/SHOWBIZ/TV/09/07/band.brothers/index.html|title=Enlist TV for 'Band of Brothers'|last=Clinton|first=Paul|date=September 7, 2001|publisher=[[CNN|CNN: Showbiz/Movies]]|access-date=January 20, 2009}}</ref> Although ''Band of Brothers'' was met with largely positive reception,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/band_of_brothers/ |title=Band of Brothers |date=September 9, 2001 |website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |access-date=January 20, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090126204130/http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/band_of_brothers/ |archive-date=January 26, 2009 }}</ref> Schwimmer's performance was criticized; the [[BBC News]] concluded, "Part of the problem&nbsp;... may have been the ridiculous fact that ''Friends'' favourite David Schwimmer plays the hard and cruel Captain Herbert Sobel. The only thing believable about Schwimmer's acting is when he cowers in the face of true battle. His puppy dog eyes make him appear even more pitiful."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1544232.stm|title=Band of Brothers impresses|last=Hill|first=Aubrey|date=September 14, 2001|work=BBC News |access-date=January 20, 2009}}</ref> Later that year he portrayed [[Icchak Cukierman|Yitzhak Zuckerman]] in the war drama ''[[Uprising (2001 film)|Uprising]]'', based on the true events of the [[Warsaw Ghetto Uprising]] in 1943.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2001/11/02/DD157481.DTL|title='Uprising' has Emmy potential|last=Carman|first=John|date=November 2, 2001|work=[[San Francisco Chronicle]]|access-date=January 30, 2009 | archive-date= May 25, 2013 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130525220454/http://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/Uprising-has-Emmy-potential-Miniseries-about-2861522.php | url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.variety.com/review/VE1117916244.html?categoryid=32&cs=1&query=%27Uprising%27|title=Uprising Review|last=Oxman|first=Steven|date=October 31, 2001|work=Variety |access-date=January 30, 2009}}</ref>

In March 2004, Schwimmer appeared as himself on HBO's comedy series ''[[Curb Your Enthusiasm]]''.<ref>{{cite news|first=Tim|last=Walker|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/features/small-world-how-television-ate-itself-1811071.html|title=Small world: How television ate itself|access-date=June 21, 2010|date=October 29, 2009|work=[[The Independent]] |location=UK}}</ref> During the lengthy run of ''Friends'', Schwimmer directed ten of the show's episodes.<ref name="directs">{{cite news|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/21/PKUNVG5N8.DTL|title=Schwimmer directs 1st film, 'Run, Fat Boy'|last=Stein|first=Ruthe|date=March 21, 2008|work=[[San Francisco Chronicle]]|access-date=January 21, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2008/scene/markets-festivals/schwimmer-directing-little-britain-1117986969/|title=Schwimmer directing 'Little Britain'|last=Fleming|first=Michael|date=June 5, 2008|work=Variety |access-date=January 20, 2009}}</ref> The show's tenth and final season ended on May 6, 2004.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna4917464 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100701092139/http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/4917464 |url-status=live |archive-date=July 1, 2010 |title=Goodbye, old ''Friends'' |publisher=[[MSNBC]]|date=March 4, 2005 |access-date=January 20, 2009}}</ref>