Lisa Kudrow recalls ‘mean’ writers’ room behaviour during ‘Friends’ filming
In a new interview, Kudrow opens up about the pressures of working on the sitcom and the atmosphere behind the scenes
Photo: Warner Bros.
Lisa Kudrow has reflected on her experience filming Friends, describing aspects of the writers’ room environment as “mean” during the show’s production.
In a recent interview with The Times, the actress, who portrayed Phoebe Buffay, spoke about the pressures of working on the long-running sitcom and the atmosphere behind the scenes.
While she noted that the cast shared a strong bond, she said the tone within the writers’ room could at times feel harsh.
Kudrow explained that the series was filmed in front of a live audience of around 400 people, adding to the intensity of performances.
She recalled moments when errors during filming led to strong reactions from writers, saying, “Can’t the b**** f**king read? She’s not even trying. She f**ked up my line.”
She added that the writers’ room typically consisted of between 12 and 15 individuals, most of whom were men.
Kudrow also addressed earlier claims made by former assistant Amaani Lyle, who alleged inappropriate conversations took place among writers.
Reflecting on those claims, Kudrow said, “And we know that back in the room the guys would be up late discussing their sexual fantasies about Jennifer and Courteney. It was intense.”
Despite the challenges, Kudrow indicated that she maintained a separation between her work and personal life. She said, “For sure, and all because I married early and outside the business. No one was interested. There was no story.”
