The Reason Lisa Kudrow Thinks She Wasn’t Cast as Rachel Green
In recent months, Lisa Kudrow has gotten really honest about her career. She’s also opened up about the show that made her a household name. Most recently, Lisa Kudrow revealed that initially, she was hoping to land the role of Rachel Green on Friends. She learned later that she was never going to get it because Rachel was set to act as the show’s romantic lead.
Lisa Kudrow wanted to be Rachel Green, but was shot down
Lisa Kudrow’s comedic timing and quirky portrayal of Phoebe Buffay helped make Friends the juggernaut it was. That wasn’t the role she was interested in initially. During a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast, Kudrow revealed that she was keen on playing Rachel Green first. She even pitched her agents, insisting that she could make the role really funny. Kudrow explained that she was interested in playing the role as soon as Rachel was described as a “Jewish American Princess.”
What Kudrow didn’t know was that Rachel had been tagged as Ross Geller’s love interest from the start. While her agent listened to her pitch and even took the idea to the show’s team, they passed quickly. Kudrow says she was told that it was too hard for the show to find its Phoebe, so they wanted her to stick to the role. She accepted it at the time, but now understands it as a polite way of confirming she wasn’t being considered as the romantic interest.
Kudrow said she was never considered “romantic lead” material because, at the time, casting agents were looking for someone who read as “cute” for those roles. She said she was never seen that way, and ultimately didn’t want to be. Decades removed from the show, Kudrow seems almost bemused at her lack of awareness during the process.
Everything Else Kudrow Has Said About Her Time on the Show
This is not the first time Lisa Kudrow has opened up about her time on Friends. Her memories are not 100% rosy. She’s admitted that despite becoming the first cast member to win an Emmy for the role, she didn’t feel like the industry took her seriously as a result. She said she felt undervalued even by people at her own talent agency. Some people called her the “sixth Friend” and had no real vision or expectation for what her career could become.
She’s also opened up about how physically and emotionally demanding it was to portray Phoebe. Though she grew into the role, the show’s early seasons were particularly demanding. Kudrow said she struggled with imposter syndrome and felt overworked as she tried to live as a character she didn’t really relate to. She has credited castmate Matt LeBlanc with reassuring her that she was selling it well.
A Quick Look at Her Recent Acting Work
Lisa Kudrow might be looking back at her time on Friends now, but her career has not been inactive since the end of the series. Her HBO series, The Comeback, in which she plays a struggling actor named Valerie Cherish, has been hailed as some of her best work. The series’ long-awaited third season earned her multiple Emmy nominations. She’s spoken highly of the show, noting the creative freedom it has given her.
She’s also continued voice work on the animated comedy HouseBroken. She will also return to reprise her role in a sequel to Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion. The movie is filming now. Sure, Kudrow was never given a shot at playing Rachel Green. Still, her ability to play flighty Phoebe made the series the hit it was. The role also helped propel the rest of her career. It seems that it all worked out in the end.
