Lisa Kudrow Admits She Felt Invisible on ‘Friends’ and Was Branded ‘The Sixth Friend’

Lisa Kudrow recently opened up about feeling overlooked during her time on the hit sitcom Friends. In an interview with the Independent, the actress admitted that her role as Phoebe Buffay didn’t always get the attention she deserved. “Nobody cared about me,” Kudrow said, revealing that some people at her talent agency even called her “the sixth Friend.”

Despite this, Kudrow’s performance as the quirky, lovable Phoebe earned her an Emmy in 1998 for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. Still, she said many doubted she would have a long-lasting career in Hollywood. “There was no vision for me, and no expectations about the kind of career I could have. There was just, like, ‘boy is she lucky she got on that show,’” she recalled.

Friends aired for ten seasons, from 1994 to 2004, and Kudrow has reflected on how different she was from her character. She explained in a Q&A with Lily Tomlin for Interview magazine that playing Phoebe required work and adaptation. “At first, Phoebe was very, very far from me. It took a lot of work to justify the things she would say and do. Not in an irritating way — it was fun,” she said. Over time, she added, “A little bit of her came into me. I lightened up a little more and read some books on spirituality and things, just to try to understand her.”

Kudrow also addressed the misconception that Phoebe was a “ditzy” character. “At the time, it was like, ‘She’s such a ditz. How is it that you only play ditzes?’ And I thought, Is she a ditz? To me, she wasn’t,” she said.

Outside of Friends, Kudrow has been promoting the third season of her show The Comeback. She has also shared her thoughts on aging and beauty standards in Hollywood. At 62, she said she didn’t try Botox until she was 60 and that she’s likely done with it. “I am scared of having to see myself looking like my grandmother one day, but I’m excited to play older roles,” she told the Hollywood Reporter.

It’s interesting to hear Kudrow reflect on her career and how the perception of Phoebe didn’t always match the effort and thought she put into the role. Despite being considered the “sixth Friend” at times, her performance left a lasting impact.

What do you think about Lisa Kudrow’s candid take on her time on Friends and how she approached aging in Hollywood? Share your thoughts in the comments.