- Born
- Birth nameLisa Valerie Kudrow
- Nickname
- Smart
- Height5′ 8″ (1.73 m)
- Hardly the dumb blonde of Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997), Lisa was born in Encino, California on July 30, 1963. Her mother, Nedra S. (Stern), worked as a travel agent, and her father, Lee N. Kudrow, is a physician. Her parents are both from Jewish families (from Belarus, Russia, and Hungary). Lisa was raised in Tarzana and played varsity-level tennis in high school and college, and is a pool shark who has mastered some of the more difficult trick shots (so beware). She graduated from Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychobiology. At first, she wanted to pursue a career in research, so she returned to Los Angeles to begin working with her father. However, Lisa got inspired to perform by one of her brother's friends, comedian Jon Lovitz, and so the tall (5' 8") blonde-haired, green-eyed beauty entered show biz. Lisa auditioned for the improv theater group, The Groundlings, based in Los Angeles. Cynthia Szigeti, a well-known improv teacher, took Lisa under her wing. In that class, Lisa became a friend of Conan O'Brien. Graduating with honors in 1989, Lisa became a full-fledged member of The Groundlings. Breaking into TV, she got a recurring role as Ursula, the ditsy waitress on Mad About You (1992). This led to her starring role on Friends (1994). In the debut season (1994-95) of Friends (1994), Lisa earned an Emmy nomination as Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series; in 1998, she won that award for her role as Phoebe, the ditsy but lovable folk singer. Lisa has also been nominated for Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild and American Comedy Awards for her performances.
Lisa made the transition to the big screen with a lot of success. In 1997, she starred opposite Oscar winner Mira Sorvino in the above-mentioned Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997). Lisa garnered more praise for her film work when she got the New York Film Critics Award for her starring role in The Opposite of Sex (1998).
Lisa married Michel Stern, an advertising executive, on May 27, 1995. On May 7, 1998, they were blessed with a son, Julian Murray; they live in Los Angeles.- IMDb mini biography by: kdhaisch@aol.com
- SpouseMichel Stern(May 27, 1995 - present) (1 child)
- Children
- ParentsLee N. Kudrow
- RelativesThea Mann(Cousin)Derrick Kudrow(Sibling)Hellene Kudrow(Sibling)David B. Kudrow(Sibling)
- Frequently plays funny, ditzy characters
- Frequently collaborates with Don Roos
- Out of the six Friends (1994) stars, Kudrow was the first to receive an Emmy Award for her performance. She has also been nominated for the Emmy Award more times than any other "Friends" cast member.
- She was terrified of the duck which joined the cast of Friends (1994) in season three.
- Meryl Streep politely asked Kudrow if she could make a guest appearance on Kudrow's show Web Therapy (2011). Kudrow was admittedly star-struck and surprised by the approach.
- Accepted her role in Hotel for Dogs (2009), as a favor for her son, who at the time was too young to see any of the films or television series she had previously starred in.
- She speaks French fluently, as does her Friends (1994) co-star, Matt LeBlanc.
- For me, doing Wonderland (2003) wasn't about strategy. The story was compelling, it was written really well, I thought I understood the characters, and I just wanted to be in it. I've never gone wrong whenever I've done that, and I haven't done that a lot of times.
- We treat sex so casually and use it for everything but what it is - which is ultimately making another human being with thoughts and feelings and rights who will grow up to be an adult.
- There are some issues I'm more conservative on. As a parent, I'm concerned that there are so many young, young, young kids - like 12 years old - that are starting to have sex.
- [April 2006] I think, on network television, I'm still Phoebe to people and it would be hard to convince them otherwise in the bright lights of a sitcom.
- [on Friends (1994)] It was the best experience, an unusually good one in television. We all got along. The producers were great. It was wonderful being involved. I was extraordinarily lucky.
- Friends: The Reunion (2021) - $2,500,000
- Friends (1994) - $24,000,000 (2002-3 season)
- Friends (1994) - $1,000,000 / episode (2001)
- Friends (1994) - $22,500 /episode (1995)
- Friends (1994) - $75,000 /episode (1996)
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