Actress Lisa Kudrow, 63, has revealed there is one specific request from her decade playing Phoebe Buffay on Friends that she refuses to fulfill.
Speaking on the radio program Fresh Air with Terry Gross and Tonya Mosley, the American star explained that members of the public frequently stop her in the street to ask for a live performance of her character's famous tune, Smelly Cat. Kudrow stated that she simply does not want to do it when fans ask.
Fresh Air is a long-running public radio talk show produced by WHYY-FM in Philadelphia and distributed nationally by National Public Radio, known for in-depth interviews with prominent figures in arts and culture.
Despite turning down impromptu musical requests, Kudrow emphasized that she has no complaints about her ten-year stint on the iconic television sitcom, which aired between 1994 and 2004.
Iconic role and signature song
Friends, created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, premiered on NBC in 1994 and ran for ten seasons, becoming one of the most successful comedy series in television history. The show follows six friends living in Manhattan as they navigate their personal and professional lives.
Kudrow portrayed Phoebe Buffay, an eccentric masseuse and self-taught musician who regularly performed original acoustic songs at the fictional Central Perk coffeehouse. Among her many quirky tracks, Smelly Cat emerged as the character's signature song and a recurring element throughout the series.
Cast relationships on set
Reflecting on her time on the show, Kudrow described her working relationship with her co-stars as exceptionally positive, noting that such camaraderie is rare in the television industry. She said the cast shared a genuine, honest, and mutual respect while working together.
To pass the time between scenes, the cast members regularly played poker while waiting for filming to resume and during their shared free time. Kudrow noted that the group put effort into maintaining their relationship, building a strong bond across all ten seasons.
Lucrative royalties from reruns
The revelation follows previous comments Kudrow made regarding the ongoing financial success of the hit series. In an earlier interview with The Times, the actress revealed that the main cast members continue to receive high payouts from their work on the show.
Kudrow told The Times that each of the lead actors receives approximately 20 million dollars every year from re-broadcasts and streaming rights.
These substantial annual earnings are shared among Kudrow and her fellow main cast members, including Jennifer Aniston, who played Rachel Green; Courteney Cox, who portrayed Monica Geller; David Schwimmer, who played Ross Geller; and Matt LeBlanc, who starred as Joey Tribbiani.
