Lisa Kudrow is opening up about life after Friends — and the one fan request she politely refuses, no matter how beloved the moment may be.
The 63-year-old actress, best known to millions as the wonderfully eccentric Phoebe Buffay, appeared in all 10 seasons of the NBC comedy, which ran from 1994 to 2004.
Friends centered on six close-knit pals navigating love, work and adulthood in New York City, with Kudrow starring alongside Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer and the late Matthew Perry.
Kudrow said that she has ‘zero complaints about Friends or anything to do with it’ while appearing on Fresh Air with Terry Gross and Tonya Mosley this week.
While reflecting on the enduring popularity of the sitcom in a new interview, Kudrow said she is generally happy to engage with fans — but there is one clear exception.
The actress explained that she does not mind when viewers ask her to repeat memorable Phoebe Buffay lines, and she is even fine with people calling her by the character’s name.
What she would rather not do, however, is perform Phoebe’s famous novelty song Smelly Cat, the offbeat jingle that became one of the show’s most recognizable running gags.
Friends star Lisa Kudrow has revealed the one fan request she consistently avoids while discussing the sitcom’s lasting success in a recent interview; pictured on August 16
Kudrow, 63, played Phoebe Buffay throughout all 10 seasons of the hit NBC series, which aired from 1994 until 2004
‘Sometimes people will stop me and say, “Oh, sing Smelly Cat.” I don’t want to do that. I really don’t want to do that,’ she said.
Elsewhere in the interview, Kudrow spoke about how much she enjoyed making ‘every part’ of Friends and the bonds she made with her co-stars that have lasted decades.
‘Just the relationship with the other actors, we had fun. That is so rare. And real honest respect, mutual respect.’
Kudrow admitted that she and her co-stars had to consistently put in the ‘work’ for their friendships while filming together.
‘It was a really good relationship that took some work, and we did the work. It was great. Everything about it was great.’
Kudrow said that she and her co-stars ‘made sure’ to bond and even played poker together during their break times on set.
Kudrow’s interview comes just a little over a week after she revealed that she initially auditioned for the role of Rachel Green, which eventually went to Aniston.
Kudrow felt snubbed when she was told that she ‘wouldn’t work as the romantic interest’ even though she wanted to play the ‘Jewish American Princess’ role.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter from earlier this month, Kudrow talked about the moment she lost the part.
While appearing on the radio show Fresh Air with Terry Gross and Tonya Mosley this week, Kudrow gushed that she has ‘zero complaints about Friends or anything to do with it’
She said she dislikes being asked by fans to sing Smelly Cat to them and says no when she hears that request; seen in 1995 Friends TV still
Elsewhere in the interview, Kudrow spoke about how much she enjoyed making ‘every part’ of Friends and the bonds she made with her co-stars that have lasted decades; seen in March
Kudrow admitted that she and her co-stars had to consistently put in the ‘work’ for their friendships while filming together
‘Idiot that I am, I went, “Oh, but you know what? I got to say, Rachel is Jewish. And boy, I love doing a Jewish American Princess. I think I could make that really funny.”‘
She said she was ‘not even clocking that, “Oh no, this is the romantic lead to Ross.” Right? I told my agents, “I can do Jewish American Princess and make that really funny.”
‘And so they said, “Uh-huh. All right. Well, we’ll tell [the show’s creators].”‘
Kudrow said she was later told by casting agents that she ‘wasn’t gorgeous’ and was not suited for the part.
‘They went, “No, no. It’s so hard for them to find Phoebe. They’re not messing with that.” So that was the sweet way of saying, “Yeah, you are not the romantic interest.”‘
The actress admitted that at the time she didn’t ‘look like women who were getting cast as series regulars on sitcoms.’
She recalled she was bluntly told by casting agents she ‘wasn’t gorgeous,’ at one point.
