Photo Credit: Lisa Kudrow's official page
It&rsquo;s been 31 years since &lsquo;Friends&rsquo; first aired, and although the iconic sitcom wrapped up after ten seasons, the stories behind the scenes continue to unfold. Each cast member holds their own unique journey, and recently, Lisa Kudrow opened up about hers&mdash;particularly how she learned to enjoy playing the quirky and beloved Phoebe Buffay.
In a candid conversation with Parker Posey during Variety's Actors on Actors series, Kudrow revealed that early in the series, she was consumed by the pressure of "doing the work" to portray a character so different from herself.
"Phoebe was so far from who I was as a human being&mdash;it was work," Kudrow said. "I needed to justify everything she was saying in my head so that it felt like she meant it and it was real to her."
But everything changed in seasons two or three when her co-star Matt LeBlanc&mdash;who played Joey Tribbiani&mdash;offered a perspective that helped her break free from the pressure.
<iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/DR96WhvrDY4" width="560" height="314" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>&nbsp;
"I remember I went, 'Oh my God, I&rsquo;m not doing the work.' And LeBlanc went, 'What&rsquo;s the matter with you? You&rsquo;re her. You don&rsquo;t have to.'&rdquo;
That moment was a turning point. Kudrow said the experience "became fun because the cast had fun." It was all about getting out of her own head.
"The worst thing was wanting to be a good student. That&rsquo;s what hurt me the most," she reflected.
Friends, which follows six inseparable friends&mdash;Rachel, Ross, Monica, Chandler, Joey, and Phoebe&mdash;living, loving, and laughing through life in New York City, is more than just a sitcom. It&rsquo;s a cultural touchstone. And part of its enduring legacy lies in the real-life connection and joy the cast shared, something Kudrow eventually embraced.
If you're a Friends fanatic, don&rsquo;t miss our exclusive article: &ldquo;<a href="https://nilefm.com/entertainment/article/12194/-the-most-popular-orange-couch-was-abandoned-in-the-basement-25-facts-about-friends-you-didn-t-know-about">The Most Popular Orange Couch Was Abandoned in the Basement&mdash;25 Facts About Friends You Didn&rsquo;t Know.</a>&rdquo; You&rsquo;re bound to discover some surprises!

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