Lisa Kudrow reveals one line she does not let fans cross

Lisa Kudrow gets candid about fan request that she denies

|
Published August 30, 2026
Lisa Kudrow reveals one line she does not let fans cross

Lisa Kudrow, most known for her role in Friends, revealed the one fan request that she always turns down while reflecting on the show's success in a new interview.

The 63-year-old actress, who famously played the role of Phoebe Buffay, starred on all 10 seasons of the NBC sitcom from 1994 to 2004.

Along with Kudrow, the series, which followed six best friends living in New York City, starred Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer and the late Matthew Perry.

Kudrow said that she has “zero complaints about Friends or anything to do with it” while appearing on Fresh Air with Terry Gross and Tonya Mosley this week.

But she admitted that she does have one fan-related “exception.”

Kudrow told the hosts that she doesn't mind when fans ask her to repeat specific Phoebe lines or even call her by the character's name.

However, she doesn't like being asked to sing the fan-favorite Phoebe jingle Smelly Cat.

“Sometimes people will stop me and say, ‘Oh, sing Smelly Cat.’ I don't want to do that. I really don't want to do that,” she said.

Elsewhere in the interview, Kudrow spoke about how much she enjoyed making “every part” of Friends and the bonds she made with her co-stars that have lasted decades.

“Just the relationship with the other actors, we had fun. That is so rare. And real honest respect, mutual respect,” the actress recalled.

Kudrow admitted that she and her co-stars had to consistently put in the “work” for their friendships while filming together.

“It was a really good relationship that took some work, and we did the work. It was great. Everything about it was great,” she said.

Kudrow said that she and her co-stars “made sure” to bond and even played poker together during their break times on set.

Her interview comes just a little over a week after she revealed that she initially auditioned for the role of Rachel Green, which eventually went to Aniston.

Lisa Kudrow felt snubbed when she was told that she “wouldn't work as the romantic interest” even though she wanted to play the “Jewish American Princess” role.

Sadaf Naushad
Sadaf Naushad is a Journalist and Neurochemistry master's graduate with over four years of experience. Leveraging her scientific background, she specialises in celebrity wellness, mental health, and the psychology of lifestyle trends, bridging the gap between science and pop culture to provide expert insight into global icons' well-being.
Share this story:
Advertisement