There have been countless TV shows and small-screen entertainment offerings from Hollywood, but only a few remain fresh in public memory. Among those select few, people might just refer to the 1990s sitcom series FRIENDS as one of the most loved and entertaining series in history, and considering its popularity to this day, who can say that they are wrong?
Among the varied and interesting cast members playing their memorable characters, people might especially remember Lisa Kudrow’s performance as Phoebe Buffay for being one of the most enigmatic yet funny characters of the series. But there was a time when the actress wasn’t sure if what she was doing was right, which made her almost quit the show. Thankfully, her co-star Matt LeBlanc was there in the time of need to sort things out.
Matt LeBlanc Stopped Lisa Kudrow From Quitting FRIENDS
From the beginning, what made the audience stay to experience the journey of FRIENDS was the consistent dose of laughter and emotional drama. Along with that, the characters were the main highlight of the series, with all of them possessing some kind of quirky trait that made them loveable, unless you talk about Phoebe Buffay, who possessed a plethora of quirks to last a lifetime.
Even though the character was such a huge part of the series, actress Lisa Kudrow wasn’t sure about playing the role, to the point that she was ready to call it quits with the show.
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In a past interview with comedian Kevin Nealon, the Space Force actress talked about her experience while she was on the sets of her iconic sitcom. She said that as far as Season 3, she was having doubts about being part of the series, which further grew after she experienced the grueling schedule of working on the show. This made her very exhausted and taxed, which led to her almost deciding to quit.
But when Matt LeBlanc witnessed her in turmoil, he was there to lend an ear to her. After listening to Kudrow’s problems, he gave her a piece of simple advice that put things into perspective. She said:
“I had played dumb girls, sure, but it wasn’t really me, I feel like sh*t; I tricked them. At the audition, I was the only one who could cope with the audition process and that’s how I got it, I think. So I had to work hard at being Phoebe, you know. I was struggling so much and LeBlanc was like, ‘What’s going on with you?’ And I said, ‘I can’t, I don’t think I have it, I mean, I don’t know what I’m doing’. And he went, ‘You’re her, relax, you got it. You’ve been doing this f*cking character for three years. You’re working too hard. That’s your problem. You don’t need to work this hard. Relax.’ And he was right,”
Thus, seeing a friend in need, LeBlanc was there to solve her problems and stop her from committing a mistake that she may have regretted down the line.
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Why Is FRIENDS So Popular?
There are a myriad of reasons why people call this show one of the greatest of all time, but all of them have one reason in common, the show was outlandishly funny.
Along with being comedically over the top, the show also possessed the charm of being something that taught the world about the ups and downs of friendship and the journey that it could take us on. With such a premise and an exceptional cast to bring that vision to life, no wonder it’s still one of the most popular TV shows ever.
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FRIENDS, streaming on Max.
