 Schwimmer was born in Flushing , Queens , New York City , to attorneys Arthur and Arlene Coleman @-@ Schwimmer . He has an older sister named Ellie ( born 1965 ) . His family subsequently moved to Los Angeles , where Schwimmer had his first experiences of acting at the age of 10 when he was cast as the fairy godmother in a Jewish version of Cinderella . In 1979 , Schwimmer went to a Shakespeare workshop given by English actor Ian McKellen in Los Angeles . He recalls that he was riveted by the experience . Schwimmer then entered a contest in the Southern California Shakespeare Festival three years in a row , winning two first prizes . 
