Lisa Kudrow, who loves ‘Friends’ Phoebe Buffay, has spoken out about the wave of ’90s nostalgia sweeping through pop culture. While acknowledging the renewed interest among young listeners to meet friends, Kudrow cautions against over-elaborate remakes of the era that launched her career. The 62-year-old shared some candid thoughts during an interview at the premiere of ‘The Comeback’ Season 3 on March 15 in Austin, Texas.
How Lisa Kudrow appreciates the younger generation
Lisa Kudrow appreciates how younger generations are discovering the era that launched her fame, but cautions against romanticizing it too much. “Oh, well, the first part, that young people are interested, I mean it happens every 20-30 years anyway, so yeah, it’s about time,” she told PEOPLE.He quickly added a cautionary note about how history is rewritten. “But it also reminds me of the misinterpretation or the interpretation of history, really, it’s not reliable reporting, and I think it should remind us that unless you’re there, you don’t, you don’t really know,” Kudrow said.
Lisa Kudrow’s imagined future
Kudrow also reflected on how quirky her character Phoebe might be. It depicts the creative life of the singer-guitarist who once stole the hearts of the world with the smelly cat. Phoebe “lives in Connecticut with Mike (Paul Rudd) and their kids, and is in charge of the school’s art program” and is “an advocate for her kids because they’re different like her,” Kudrow shared.
The ‘Friends’ cast and their enduring bond
The actress fondly recalled reuniting with her Friends co-stars, including Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc and the late Matthew Perry, for the 2021 HBO Max special. “It’s funny, when we get together, it’s like no time has passed,” LeBlanc once told PEOPLE, to which Kudrow added, “Yeah, touching.”These encounters highlight the enduring friendships forged on set, even amid the show’s massive success and occasional backlash. Kudrow expressed initial hatred from critics, but the cast pushed through by focusing on their work.
Back in ‘The Comeback’
Kudrow’s latest role is reviving Valerie Cherish in The Comeback Season 3, tackling modern Hollywood issues like social media and the 2023 strike. The show nods to Friends, filmed on the same set, as Valerie talks about making Stage 24 the next hit.He sees this as the end of the trilogy. “We have to say, ‘Third and last.’ I don’t know if I want to do it again in 10 years, so let’s do it, so no one is wondering what’s next or if we want to do more. The most respectful thing we can do for the audience and the character is to do a three-part story. It’s a trilogy, a Hollywood reportage, and this is Kudrow telling it.Kudrow’s visions mix humor, wisdom and a touch of caution, inviting us into the 90s without rewriting its realities. The evolution of her career from Phoebe to Valerie reveals an artist still evolving, true to her roots.
