LISA KUDROW
Fresh from the Friends reunion, actress Lisa Kudrow looks back at the enduring legacy of the show and the special connection between her co-stars
Could we be any more excited about the Friends reunion? No, is the short answer. Seeing the sensational six together again in the one-off special that aired last week had the whole world going wild.
Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, Matthew Perry and Matt Leblanc reunited after 17 years for a special interview on the set of the iconic show, hosted by James Corden. It featured a slew of stars who showed up to honour the classic sitcom.
To celebrate, we spoke to Lisa, 57 – who played Phoebe Buffay – to find out what being on such a treasured show means to her and why she was never happy being seen as a “celebrity”...
Friends fever has taken over the world once more! How does it feel to be part of a show that was so groundbreaking and loved?
I’m just as proud of Friends now as I ever was. I never stopped loving doing the show, so my memories of it are just as fond now as they were back then.
What’s it like when the six of you get together again?
When we’re on a call together, we can barely stay on topic because we keep going off in other directions and making each other laugh. I didn’t realise until much later that it’s rare to see a cast get along so well. We still get along now and we still love each other. It’s great.
Do you remember every single episode of the comedy?
I remember shooting the first years and the very end much better than the middle years, but it’s great that it’s still shown on TV. It’s great that younger people – many who weren’t even born when we started shooting – are now fans of the show.
When you look back at your time on Friends, how significant was the show to your life?
It was everything. I think we were the highest paid women in television, which afforded me so much freedom after the show ended. Not only did I get to be part of something that was so well written and so beloved – and something that sustained interest all these years later – but it also gave me a lot of creative freedom, so that I could pursue other things afterwards. Those things were sometimes a little niche but very fulfilling for me. I could write and create, and collaborate with others. I could do things I find interesting, like [Netflix series]
Space Force and Feel Good.
What do you miss the most about Phoebe?
She is always happy and optimistic. Everything’s always OK in her eyes and there is always something to laugh about with her. When you play a character like that, her optimism seeps into you.
Did you ever feel typecast after the iconic role?
I think people will always associate me with Phoebe and that’s fine. I don’t have any complaints about that at all. But also, I do get to play other kinds of people – especially if I write it and produce it by myself. I don’t feel like I’m struggling to break away from Phoebe at all.
You have always appeared to steer clear of the limelight. How much do you enjoy being a celebrity?
Celebrity is something completely different from being an actor. You can pursue being a celebrity easily enough. You can show up at parties and it’s really doable – but fulfilling yourself and getting roles that really interest you is really hard. For me, whether they were successes or not, I’ve been happy with the roles I’ve played. Acting’s always been really fulfilling for me.
How do you handle the fame aspect of your career?
When Friends first took off, I thought it was my job to be a celebrity. I was like, “Should I go to that party? Should I go now?” I tried it, but I hated it. I really hated it, but I realised that one thing has nothing to do with the other. I could still work as an actor and not be a celebrity.
Was there ever a point when the glare of became annoying?
Friends
I guess so. At first, it was annoying – but then you start to understand, “Oh, they are just pictures that are going to end up somewhere and they will make up a story.” I’ll know it’s not true. My husband will know it’s not true. My family will know it’s not true. It’s almost like there’s another character out there. You just have to embrace the fact that that’s what’s going to be happening, but it was on a very small scale for me.
Instagram is now a big part of celebrity culture. Are you a fan?
It’s fine. I mean, it’s not really a burden to me. It’s fun. I don’t read all the comments so I’m not seeing it if anyone’s saying something nasty. That suits me perfectly.