Lisa Kudrow Shares Her Feelings About Phoebe Buffay and Returning to the Friends Set
Lisa Kudrow, the beloved actress known for her iconic role as Phoebe Buffay in the hit sitcom Friends, recently opened up about some of the challenges she faces as a fan favorite. During an appearance on This Morning, Lisa revealed that one particular fan request has started to irritate her.
During the interview with hosts Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond, Lisa discussed how fans often ask her to sing Phoebe’s famous song, “Smelly Cat.” While Alison persuaded her to perform a live duet of the song on the show, Lisa admitted that the constant requests can be a bit annoying.
“Sometimes people do say that to me,” she said. “To me, though, not here, but just in life, at a restaurant, demanding that I sing it, it irritates me a little bit.”
The Emotional Return to the Friends Set
Lisa also shared her emotional experience of returning to the iconic soundstage where Friends was filmed. This came during the filming of her HBO sitcom The Comeback, which recently began its third series. She described the significance of the location, noting that it was where she spent nine years working on the show.
“First year we were on another stage, and said goodbye to Friends. And then the reunion was shot there. And now the end of The Comeback,” she explained.
She also mentioned how her son, Julian, makes an appearance in The Comeback. “He was there, and he was a baby till five, you know, visiting. And there he is acting in it. It was a little overwhelming.”
Lisa added that the experience of shooting the final scene was particularly tough. “I barely got through shooting the last scene and had to step out and take a walk around.”
A Nostalgic Moment with Jimmy Burrows
In a lighthearted moment, Lisa snapped a photo of renowned TV director Jimmy Burrows, who directed many episodes of Friends. She sent the photo to her fellow cast members, and Jennifer Aniston responded with a humorous message: “Oh, what’s my call time?” Lisa laughed at the memory.
A Surprising Appearance on The Claudia Winkleman Show
Lisa’s recent appearance on The Claudia Winkleman Show was also notable. She joined Jamie Dornan, Jimmy Carr, and Chase Infiniti on the show, where they discussed various topics, including her return for the third season of The Comeback.
The show, which first launched in 2005, saw its second season in 2014 and the third debut this month. Lisa shared her excitement about returning to the role, saying, “I get the wig on, and we’re on the set, and I think ‘I don’t know if I know how to do this’… because she is 10 years older every time – but I got in the swing of it!”
A Special Guest from The Traitors
One of the most surprising moments of the interview was when Linda Rands, a beloved star from The Traitors, gatecrashed the show. Lisa and Jamie Dornan were stunned by her unexpected appearance. Linda, who competed in the third series of the BBC show, was selected by Claudia as a Traitor.
Despite an early misstep, Linda made it far in the game before eventually being banished from the castle. Her iconic head turn when Claudia said the word “Traitors” became a memorable moment for fans.
Lisa and Jamie both praised the show, with Jamie claiming, “It’s the only thing [The Traitors] that my wife, my three kids and the dog genuinely watch together. It’s incredible, I think it is the best thing on TV!” Lisa agreed, adding, “Me too!”
