Lisa Kudrow attends the premiere of Netflix’s ‘No Good Deed’ at TUDUM Theater on Dec. 4, 2024.Photo:Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
Lisa Kudrowsays she was “lucky” to have landed a role inFriends.
In a new interview withToday.com, the actress, 61, reflected on her time on the beloved NBC sitcom — which aired for 10 seasons between 1994 and 2004 — and how it shaped the trajectory of her career.
The immense appeal of the show was undoubtedly due to the chemistry of its charismatic stars: Kudrow as Phoebe,David Schwimmeras Ross,Jennifer Anistonas Rachel,Courteney Coxas Monica,Matthew Perryas Chandler andMatt LeBlancas Joey. The group had a special bond both on and off the set, Kudrow said.
“We loved each other,” she told Today.com. “Going to work every day was heaven. It was too good to be true, but it really was.”
Lisa Kudrow stars as Phoebe in a ‘Friends’ episode in 1994.David Hume Kennerly/Getty Images
David Hume Kennerly/Getty Images
“I won a lottery being onFriends,” Kudrow told the outlet. “Anything else I got to do was icing.”
She said being a part of the massively successful show went “above and beyond” anything she had ever hoped for, paving the way for a career she calls “lucky,” “privileged” and “fortunate.”
“All I ever wanted to do was be able to support myself as an actor. That was the goal,” she said. “Not only that, but I was working with people I loved.”
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“Because I was onFriends, I got to create my own shows that didn’t have to be as big asFriends, so I could do something likeThe ComebackorWeb Therapy, and that was really fulfilling,” she told Today.com.
Kudrow’s latest acting role sees her starring alongsideRay Romanoin the Netflix seriesNo Good Deed, a dark comedy that follows three very different families as they angle to buy the same 1920s Spanish-style villa that they think will solve all their problems.
The two actors, who play married couple Lydia and Paul Morgan in the series, are both ’90s sitcom legends. Romano, 67, famously starred inEverybody Loves Raymond. The pairhave enjoyed connecting on the set ofNo Good Deed.
The cast of ‘Friends’.Jon Ragel/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty
Jon Ragel/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty
During a recentexclusive interview with PEOPLE, Kudrow and Romano revealed that they had immediate chemistry with each other while working on the series.
“[It] was just there,” Kudrow said, while Romano added, “You get lucky, and as two actors sometimes you just have that chemistry. And I think we had it right off the bat.”
“Lisa was not cast when I signed on, and I was drawn to it because the writing was great, the people involved were great,” Romano noted. “And when they told me Lisa was on board, I got frightened only because I’m insecure. But then it all worked out.”
Added Kudrow: “I did know that my husband would be Ray Romano and I’d always wanted to work with Ray and just didn’t think it was ever going to happen. So it was like, well, that’s kind of like a dream come true. Oh my gosh. AndLinda Cardellini, I also knew, was going to be in it. There was no way to say no.”
source: people.com
