A Phoenix Friendship: Lisa Kudrow Looking Back at the ‘Friends’ Cast Ahead of
30th Anniversary
Talking to Dax Shepherd on his “Armchair Expert” podcast, Lisa Kudrow opened up
about the unique bond forged between the cast of “Friends” – a friendship that,
however, took some work to maintain.
“It was great, we really did get along,” Kudrow shared linguistics
about the close-knit dynamic with Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc,
David Schwimmer, and the late Matthew Perry, who passed away tragically in
October 2023. “That six-way relationship took some work, and we did it.
We worked hard at being friends,” she elaborated.
They nurtured their off-screen bond through open communication. “Really
talking things through” became their mantra.
“If someone said something
or did something, it didn’t get too big, because it was, ‘Can I talk to
you?’” Kudrow explained.
This communication style, she revealed, was a new
experience for her at the time. Learning to directly address a conflict was
invaluable knowledge gained from working alongside such empathic individuals.
“I had to learn to be, ‘Can I talk to you about something?’ because I never
knew that was allowed,” she admitted. “But I saw it modeled really well by
Courteney and Jennifer and Matt. Respectful communication.”
The impact of experience became clear when Kudrow revisited the show in the
summer of 2023, spurred by a deep sense of nostalgia. It was a time of
reflection on the life of Perry, who, coupled with the 30th anniversary of
the show, brought an unexpected sharpness to Kudrow. The marks of his kind spirit were too
poignant to miss
