She is one of six actors who became household names thanks to 'Friends' - and considering how the sitcom defined their careers, it's understandable why Lisa Kudrow couldn't watch the show for a long time.
However, the actress who played Phoebe Buffay in the hit 1990s comedy says that she has begun revisiting 'Friends' since the sad death of her friend and co-star Matthew Perry.
Perry died in October at the age of 54, from the acute effects of the drug ketamine - and his death sent shockwaves through both Hollywood and the lives of his former co-stars.
It seems that his tragic passing has caused the 60-year-old Kudrow - who stars in new Apple TV+ show 'Time Bandits' - to reevaluate the legacy of 'Friends'.
"Honestly, I wasn’t able to watch it because it’s too embarrassing to watch yourself. But if I make it about Matthew, then that’s OK," she told The Hollywood Reporter. "And it’s just celebrating how hilarious he was — and that is what I want to remember [about him]."
She added: "I’m laughing out loud [watching it], and everyone is hilarious. I’m blown away by Courteney Cox. I’m blown away by Jen. Matthew, obviously, is just uniquely hilarious. No one ever knew that cadence or comedic rhythm before him. Matt LeBlanc is hilarious. And David Schwimmer, too. Sometimes I even laugh at what I’ve done," she joked. "But it’s embarrassing. At home, if anyone walks in the room and I’m watching Friends, that’s a horrible look, I think, don’t you?"
She fondly recalled her time on the 'Friends' set between takes, too, saying "You’re just laughing all day long, basically, in between the scenes, because these are funny people. And especially someone like Matthew, whose goal was: How many laughs can I get in real life every day? So we were always laughing so hard, tears were flying out of our faces."
