Phoebe Buffay actor Kudrow on behind-the-scenes struggles

Lisa Kudrow has reflected on her early years on Friends, saying she initially felt overlooked despite the show’s massive global success.

In a recent interview, Kudrow said that during the early rise of the NBC sitcom, there was little attention given to her character, Phoebe Buffay, and that parts of her talent agency even referred to her as the “sixth Friend,”, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Kudrow said there was “no clear vision” for her career at the time, adding that industry perceptions suggested she was simply “lucky” to be part of the hit series rather than being recognised individually for her performance.

Despite Friends becoming one of the most popular television shows of its era, Kudrow described a disconnect between the show’s success and how her own career trajectory was viewed within the industry.

The actress said her perspective began to change after taking on roles in projects such as Analyze This (1999), which led to increased interest in her for film roles.

However, Kudrow said she resisted being typecast, particularly in romantic comedy roles, noting that she did not see herself fitting that mold.

Kudrow also addressed long-standing claims about her involvement in cast salary negotiations, denying that she played a leadership role in talks with NBC.

She said those narratives were inaccurate and emphasized that the Friends cast later negotiated collectively as a group.

Despite early doubts from the industry, Kudrow went on to earn critical recognition, including becoming the first member of the Friends cast to win an Emmy.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada