The Reason Lisa Kudrow (62) Doesn’t Watch ‘Friends’ Around Her Husband
Lisa Kudrow opened up about her experience watching Friends from start to finish for the very first time. The 62-year-old actress shared the story during a March 18 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, revealing a surprisingly relatable side of life as a TV icon.
The Emmy-winning star, best known for playing Phoebe Buffay, admitted that she’s doing a full rewatch of the show, but keeps it a private ritual. “I wait until my husband goes to sleep, because I’m too embarrassed,” Kudrow told Kimmel.
She explained that it feels odd to watch herself on screen every night, even though she’s not doing it out of vanity. “I’m not watching it for myself. I just like a sitcom before going to bed, and I ran out of other things to watch,” she said with a laugh.
Kudrow noted that watching the show years later gives her a fresh perspective. “It does now. And everyone’s hilarious, and I’m laughing out loud,” she shared. She admitted her memory of some episodes is a little hazy, recalling a recent favorite where Matt LeBlanc’s character Joey, mistakes a fallen oyster for something far worse.
“I started crying, I was laughing so hard. Tears! Then I had to text Matt,” she said, clearly still amused by the moment. This rewatch comes as Kudrow celebrates another milestone with the return of her HBO series, The Comeback.
The third and final season, which premieres March 22, follows her character Valerie Cherish as she navigates a Hollywood increasingly influenced by artificial intelligence. Kudrow co-created the show with Michael Patrick King, and the new season arrives twelve years after the second one ended.
Beyond Friends and The Comeback, Kudrow has stayed active in both acting and production. She recently appeared in the Apple TV+ series Time Bandits and continues developing projects through her company, Is or Isn’t Entertainment, alongside partner Dan Bucatinsky.
Fans are eager to see how the eight-episode finale of The Comeback wraps up, and Kudrow’s reflections on her past work show that she still finds joy in the shows that shaped her career.
Whether revisiting her iconic sitcom role or exploring new creative ventures, Kudrow proves she can surprise audiences while keeping a sense of humor about her legendary past.
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