Friends Star Lisa Kudrow Reveals She Was Dismissed As “Sixth Friend”

Phoebe Buffay, played by Lisa Kudrow, was a key member of the quirky group in Friends and just as popular as the other main characters, despite her often direct and unconventional personality. However, Kudrow recently shared that she didn’t initially feel like an equal to her co-stars on the beloved NBC show, which is now available to stream on Netflix again after a brief break.

Kudrow also shared that she felt underestimated during her time on Friends, and people didn’t fully recognize her talent back then.

Lisa Kudrow Was Underestimated & Treated As The Sixth Friend

Lisa Kudrow recently told The Independent that she felt minimized during her time on Friends, often being labeled as just “the sixth friend” despite the show making her career. Even though her role as Phoebe Buffay became hugely popular and won her an Emmy in 1998, she remembers people still underestimating her.

It really hurt to hear that, but Courteney Kudrow shared how some people at her agency basically saw her as just ‘the sixth Friend.’ It was frustrating because people acted like her success on Friends was just down to luck, not her own hard work and talent. It felt like they didn’t truly recognize what she brought to the show, and it was dismissive, honestly. I always thought she was fantastic!

I didn’t have any guidance or clear ideas about what I could achieve professionally. People mostly just saw my appearance on the show as good fortune.

This conversation happens while Kudrow is starring in the third and final season of The Comeback, a show she created with Michael Patrick King, who also created Sex and the City. In the series, Kudrow plays Valerie Cherish, a former sitcom star trying to make a comeback after years away from television. The Comeback first aired on HBO in 2005, was brought back in 2014 after a nine-year break, and the final season is now available on HBO Max.

Lisa Kudrow Put in One of the Series’ Best Performanced as Phoebe Buffay on Friends

Though her character, Phoebe, on Friends didn’t have the same flashy storylines as some of the others, she was often the one moving the plot forward. Phoebe was a genuinely funny character, and her lines frequently set up and delivered some of the show’s most memorable moments—like when she claimed she didn’t believe in evolution or tricked Chandler into admitting his feelings. Beyond the humor, she also played a vital part in helping her friends and family grow and change.

I always loved watching Phoebe grow throughout the show. What was so great was that even as things went on, she stayed true to herself – she didn’t become a caricature like some long-running comedy characters do. And it was perfect that she finally found happiness with Mike! It felt like a really satisfying ending for her, especially considering how far she’d come.

Read More

2026-04-09 05:05