Lisa Kudrow, who portrayed Phoebe Buffay in the NBC sitcom "Friends" for all 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004, has revealed one specific fan request she consistently declines. Despite her generally positive experiences with fans and her fondness for the show, Kudrow stated she does not want to sing "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," Kudrow said in a recent interview on Fresh Air with Terry Gross and Tonya Mosley.
Kudrow, 63, also mentioned that she does not mind when fans address her by her character's name or ask her to repeat other iconic Phoebe lines. She reflected positively on her time on "Friends," calling it a rare experience to have enjoyed making "every part" of the show and to have developed lasting bonds with her co-stars, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer, and the late Matthew Perry.
"Just the relationship with the other actors, we had fun. That is so rare. And real honest respect, mutual respect," Kudrow said, noting that maintaining these friendships required consistent effort from the cast. "It was a really good relationship that took some work, and we did the work. It was great. Everything about it was great."
She recalled that the cast played poker together during breaks on set to foster their camaraderie.
This interview also touched upon Kudrow's initial audition for the role of Rachel Green, which ultimately went to Aniston. Kudrow explained that she had initially expressed interest in playing a "Jewish American Princess" character, but was later informed by casting agents that she was not considered suitable for the romantic lead role. She was told, "you are not the romantic interest" and "you aren't gorgeous" in a way that explained why she was a better fit for Phoebe Buffay. "They went, 'No, no. It's so hard for them to find Phoebe. They're not messing with that.' So that was the sweet way of saying, 'Yeah, you are not the romantic interest.'"
Kudrow acknowledged that at the time, she did not fit the typical appearance of actresses cast as series regulars on sitcoms. "I told my agents, 'I can do Jewish American Princess and make that really funny.' And so they said, 'Uh-huh. All right, Well, we'll tell [the show's creators]." She was later told by casting agents that she "wasn't gorgeous," at one point.
