Lisa Kudrow Says Friends Would Not Have All White Cast Nowadays

Lisa Kudrow has said Friends would not have an all white cast if it were made today (not that any shows are being made at the moment, as it happens).

The 56-year-old actor, best known for depicting Phoebe Buffay in the much-loved sitcom, admitted that the show would be 'completely different' if it was made in the modern day. That said, she argued that the comedy was 'progressive' for its day.

PA

Speaking to The Times, she said: "Well, it would not be an all-white cast, for sure. I'm not sure what else, but, to me, it should be looked at as a time capsule, not for what they did wrong.

"Also, this show thought it was very progressive. There was a guy whose wife discovered she was gay and pregnant, and they raised the child together? We had surrogacy too. It was, at the time, progressive."

Expanding on its enduring popularity, she said: "Yes, it's a fun comedy, but it's also about people connecting, and part of what appeals about it now is that young people have this unconscious nostalgia for personal connection. And not just right now during the pandemic, but before that."

The cast will be reuniting for the first time for a HBO special, with Kudrow, David Schwimmer, Jennifer Aniston, Matthew Perry, Courteney Cox and Matt LeBlanc all gathering to reminisce over the show that made them household names across the globe.

Elaborating on what viewers can expect, Kudrow said: "No audience has seen us together since the show was over.

"We will reminisce, talk about what was going on behind the scenes. It's not us playing our characters. It's not an episode. It's not scripted.

"It's six of us coming together for the first time in I don't know how long. I am really looking forward to it, because I think that I remember things, but then I talk to Matt [LeBlanc] or Jennifer, and they remember everything. It's really fun."

Netflix

Kudrow will be coming to Netflix later this month in the form of Steve Carell comedy Space Force, and due to the monumental success of Friends, Kudrow said she has the freedom to only get on board with projects she values.

She said: "First thing I look for is, 'Is it well written?'" she says. "You know, especially after being on Friends. Sorry, it's not for the money! I need to know why I'm doing something."

Space Force drops on Netflix on 29 May.

Topics: TV and Film, Celebrity, US Entertainment, Friends

Jake Massey

Jake Massey is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from Newcastle University, where he learnt a bit about media and a lot about living without heating. After spending a few years in Australia and New Zealand, Jake secured a role at an obscure radio station in Norwich, inadvertently becoming a real-life Alan Partridge in the process. From there, Jake became a reporter at the Eastern Daily Press. Jake enjoys playing football, listening to music and writing about himself in the third person.

@jakesmassey