VARIETY “Actors on Actors”: Jennifer Aniston and Lisa Kudrow on FRIENDS, THE COMEBACK, And Much More

Pin

In a new conversation for VARIETY’s “Actors on Actors” issue, Jennifer Aniston and Lisa Kudrow reunite to discuss Kudrow having not watched all of FRIENDS until recently, if they would do another multi-camera sitcom together, favorite memories from FRIENDS (including a Matt LeBlanc “booger” moment), THE COMEBACK, Courteney Cox, Kudrow being pregnant during filming FRIENDS, and much more. 

Pin

Pin

Aniston and Kudrow on Kudrow not having watched all of “Friends” initially:

Aniston: You’d never watched “Friends.” And I actually remember thinking to myself, “Really? How could she never watch ‘Friends’?” Except for when we would gather in the very, very beginning, back in the 1900s. We would watch the show at one of our homes.

Kudrow: It was really fun. And then we got busy. There were whole episodes that I hadn’t seen. I just couldn’t sit there at home and have anybody walk by seeing me watching a show that I’m in. Because it felt embarrassing to me.

Aniston: Just like, “Oh, here I am, watching my own self be brilliant and funny”? Because you were.

Kudrow: Well, I wouldn’t feel that way. Watching it, sometimes I would just be like [she affects a loud, reedy voice], “He’s her lobster!” Why that voice?

Aniston: Because it was funny. Boy, that was really fun. That all still feels like yesterday, doesn’t it?

Aniston and Kudrow on Kudrow having finally watched all of “Friends”:
Aniston: Did you love it?

Kudrow: Loved it with all my heart. I’d end up sitting there for three hours, and then it’s like two in the morning: “I need to go to bed! This is bad!” But, oh, it made me so happy to watch it. And, man, you’re all good. Holy cow! You were really good, Jennifer. It’s such a ridiculous thing to say to people! Like, of course.

Aniston and Kudrow on if they’d do another multi-camera sitcom together:

Kudrow: I would love to do another one, if anyone wrote a good one. Let’s do it. You heard it here!

Aniston: Oh, wow. What’s it going to be?

Kudrow: Can we do you, me and Courteney? What would that be?

Aniston: Girlfriends. Let’s pitch it. Let’s workshop it in front of all of these wonderful people.

Aniston and Kudrow on a favorite moment from “Friends”:

Kudrow: The funniest was the Gellers’ anniversary party. Alec Baldwin was in that one. And there was an oyster, and Alec’s like, “Here, eat this.” I’m like, “OK,” and she flicked it on the floor. And then Joey comes over, and she asks, “You having a good time?” He’s like, “No, it’s horrible. I waited forever for the buffet line. I almost slid on a giant booger!” [Kudrow and Aniston are dissolving in laughter.]

Aniston: Why is it so stupid, Lisa? It’s so stupid!

Kudrow: He thought that an oyster-sized booger came out of someone’s nose!

Aniston: Oh, God, LeBlanc was so good! And he played that really not smart guy so well.

Kudrow: It’s so good!

Aniston: “It was a moo point!”

Kudrow: “It’s like a cow.”

Aniston: “It’s a moo point.” Oh, God. Is this too inside baseball? It’s so entertaining for people — just us watching ourselves.

Kudrow: Watching us laugh at our show.

Aniston and Kudrow on Kudrow being pregnant with her son Julian while filming “Friends” and being a toddler on set:

Aniston: It’s like he grew up hearing laughter all the time.

Kudrow:I know. Can you imagine? Just the amount of joy. Because it was the most fun.

Aniston: And he is today one of the most joyful human beings that I get to spend time with. Like, I love him. I would choose him as a person I would like to spend time with as a friend, not just because he’s your son.

Kudrow: Aw! When he could first speak, he’d look at the TV, point to Jennifer and say, “Mommy!” So he had a connection to you.

Aniston: That was weird. He knew, somehow, that that would make me feel good.

[Photo Credit: Mary Ellen Matthews for Variety]

• Editorials
• Jennifer Aniston
• Lisa Kudrow
• Magazines
• Mary Ellen Matthews
• Variety