What was Lisa Kudrow's most difficult part in playing Phoebe in Friends? Here's what the star said

Back when Lisa Kudrow was first cast as Phoebe Buffay on Friends, little did she know that the sitcom would skyrocket her to fame. Even so many years after Friends came to a conclusion, the legacy and the aftermath of the show still haven't entirely left Lisa Kudrow, no matter if she's turned to other projects over the years.

Speaking with Parker Posey during an interview as a part of Variety magazine's Actors on Actors series, Kudrow opened up about initially feeling the weight of the work she had to put in to make her character of Phoebe sound as genuine and authentic as possible.

Here's everything you need to know.

Lisa Kudrow made herself believe everything that came out of Phoebe's mouth

Phoebe was a bohemian character who doubled up as a masseuse and a hippie. She was the heart and soul of Friends and kept the energy up in the room by virtue of her quirky personality and her hilarious antics. During the Variety magazine interview, Parker Posey asked Kudrow about whether it was fun to play the character on the sitcom. Kudrow explained:

"It became fun. It was fun the whole time because the cast had fun. Phoebe was so far from who I was as a human being, it was work — 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. It was a lot of work. I remember Season 2 or 3, I went, “Oh my God, I’m not doing the work.” And LeBlanc went, “What’s the matter with you? You’re her. You don’t have to.”

Kudrow's statements also shed light on the fact that her quest to make the character as authentic as possible is a testament to her perfectionism. This reflects well, as fans of the show will remember that much of what Phoebe said was quite outlandish in its own right and often served to elicit a funny reaction from the other characters on Friends.

Lisa Kudrow made Phoebe unforgettable on Friends

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The first few seasons of the sitcom saw Phoebe dispassionately recounting the events of her past, adding her claims to be a casual occultist, and then proceeding on her journey to return money that she considered didn't belong to her rightfully. All this was dialed up to provide the maximum amount of laughs, and without Kudrow's authentic portrayal, it wouldn't have made the lasting impression that it did.

Alongside Kudrow, special mention must be made of Matt LeBlanc, and the chemistry between Phoebe and Joey on screen not only accentuated both their performances but also made sure that their comic timings were just about perfect.

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