Lisa Kudrow Says Phoebe from “Friends ”‘Wasn’t Stupid’ Despite Everyone Labeling the Character ‘Such a Ditz’

Lisa Kudrow said her Friends character Phoebe Buffay "wasn't stupid" in a recent interview

NEED TO KNOW

• "At first, Phoebe was very, very far from me. It took a lot of work to justify the things she would say and do," the actress said

• Friends aired for 10 seasons on NBC from 1994 to 2004

Lisa Kudrowis setting the record straight on her iconicFriendscharacter.

The actress, 62, said Phoebe Buffay from the hit sitcom "wasn't stupid" while speaking with actressLily Tomlinfor anInterview Magazinearticle published on ​​Monday, March 30.

"At the time, it was like, 'She's such a ditz. How is it that you only play ditzes?' And I thought, Is she a ditz? To me, she wasn't," Kudrow recalled of the public response to her character.

When asked who called Phoebe a ditz, she replied, "Everybody. In 1994, it was like, 'I love her. She's such a ditz.' And it's like, yeah, okay, that was what a ditz was to us. Someone who wasn't toeing the line."

TheComebackstar emphasized, however, that her character "wasn't stupid."

Still, Kudrow said it took some time for her to personally connect with her character, but it eventually happened over the show's lengthy run.

"At first, Phoebe was very, very far from me. It took a lot of work to justify the things she would say and do. Not in an irritating way—it was fun. Over the course of 10 years, a little bit of her came into me. I lightened up a little more and read some books on spirituality and things, just to try to understand her," she said.

The NBC sitcom about six friends living in New York City aired from 1994 to 2004. It also starredJennifer Aniston,Courteney Cox,David Schwimmer,Matt LeBlancand the lateMatthew Perry.

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Phoebe was a musician who juggled a variety of jobs throughout the series. Kudrow won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her portrayal of the quirky character in 1998.

The actressrevisited her time on the beloved showwhile speaking withToday.comin 2024.

"We loved each other," she said of her costars. "Going to work every day was heaven. It was too good to be true, but it really was."

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Kudrow also said starring on the show and having such early success opened the door for her later works.

"Because I was onFriends, I got to create my own shows that didn't have to be as big asFriends, so I could do something likeThe ComebackorWeb Therapy, and that was really fulfilling," she said at the time.

The Comebackpremieredits third and final seasonon March 22, two decades after its first installment in 2005.

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April 05, 2026

Lisa Kudrow Says Phoebe from “Friends ”‘Wasn’t Stupid’ Despite Everyone Labeling the Character ‘Such a Ditz’

Lisa Kudrow said her Friends character Phoebe Buffay "wasn't stupid" in a recent interview NEE...

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Gabrielle Union’s Father Dies at 81 After Dementia Diagnosis: ‘Nothing Prepares You for the Painfully Slow Disappearing’

Gabrielle Union's dad, Sylvester Union Jr., has died at age 81

NEED TO KNOW

• He was placed in memory care in 2023, years after being diagnosed with dementia

• "No matter how much you think you know about dementia, nothing prepares you for the painfully slow disappearing of your loved one," Gabrielle wrote in an Instagram tribute

Gabrielle Union's dad, Sylvester "Cully" Union Jr., has died. He was 81.

Sylvester died on Friday, April 3, according to the actress in a heartfeltInstagram tribute. Her father wasplaced in memory care in 2023, years after he was diagnosed with dementia.

"No matter how much you think you know about dementia, nothing prepares you for the painfully slow disappearing of your loved one," Gabrielle, 53, wrote. "First it's repeating words or forgetting little things here or there, then BOOM, he can't swallow or walk."

"The them that you know gets smaller and smaller," she continued. "You hold out hope for sustained eye contact or a smile; even a hand squeeze can make you feel like they could come back to you 'normal' at any second. It's brutal and it's what he experienced, but it wasn't who he was."

TheBring It OnandRiff Raffstar remembered her dad as someone "surrounded by love and support from his ever-growing village."

"I swear he never met a stranger, just friends he hadn't met yet. A lifelong, die-hard Nebraska fan, he taught me the values of teamwork, a fierce work ethic, and that you are only as strong as your weakest link, so tend to them first," she wrote.

Gabrielle also said Sylvester "was a perfectly imperfect man and father," adding that he "acknowledged his imperfections, apologized, and made amends for as long as it took for the hurts to heal."

"No one was ever left behind or unseen," she wrote.

TheForbidden Fruitsstar recalled her dad being the "life of every party," writing, "He loved music, traveling the world, and spending time with extended family and friends."

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"I am grateful for all who stepped up in his final years to care, nurture, and love on him. My family and I are eternally grateful for the medical and memory care staff who ensured he had the best care. My sisters who stepped up are heroes, and I love you both beyond words," the actress said.

"It's bewildering to feel relief that the pain has ended, but profound heartbreak at the finality of his time. I know I'm not the first or last Daddy's girl to go through this, and I'm sending love and healing to anyone suffering the loss of a parent. I know his love is eternal and will find me in every realm," Gabrielle concluded.

The Instagram post featured a compilation video that included clips of Sylvester singing into a microphone during a meal and at a football game, as well as an array of family pictures.

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ActressAja Naomi Kingexpressed her condolences in the comments section, writing, "Sending you so much love," while comedianRobin Thedewrote, "May he dance in heaven always!"

JournalistKelley Carterwrote, "Your dad was always so incredibly kind. Sending you and your sisters all of my love. Here for you always."

In October, Gabrielle shared an Instagram carousel of photosin honor of her dad's 81st birthday, writing, "It's my Dad's 81st birthday and I don't think I've ever been more grateful to be his daughter."

The photos showed family members — including her husband,Dwyane Wade, and her sister,Tracy Union— gathered around her father as he rested in a chair underneath a Nebraska Cornhuskers blanket.

Gabrille previously shared that her dad's medical care has influenced her career choices, explaining, "You know, nursing homes, what's covered by insurance, what's not, home health aids — like that all adds up and having to really be cognizant of an additional output, I have to go where the money goes."

Read the original article onPeople

byNito

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April 05, 2026

Gabrielle Union’s Father Dies at 81 After Dementia Diagnosis: ‘Nothing Prepares You for the Painfully Slow Disappearing’

Gabrielle Union's dad, Sylvester Union Jr., has died at age 81 NEED TO KNOW He was placed in memory care...

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Prince George, 12, Towers Over Siblings Charlotte and Louis at 2026 Easter Service

Prince WilliamandPrincess Kate Middleton's eldest son, 12-year-oldPrince George, is growing up before the world's very eyes.

William, 43, and Kate, 44, brought George and his two siblings, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7, to theannual Easter Mattins serviceat St George's Chapel on Sunday, April 4. Kate and Charlotte twinned in beige coatdresses, while William and his sons opted for navy suits.

As for George, he showed off his impressive stature as his height nearly rivaled mom Kate's on Sunday.

George, as William and Kate's eldest child, iscurrently second in the line of successionbehind his father. William's dad,King Charles III, assumed the throne in 2022 after the death of the lateQueen Elizabeth II.

How Prince William and Kate Middleton Are Preparing Prince George For the Throne

George has recently started taking on more royal duties in preparation for his eventual ascension, beginning with serving as a pageboy during Charles' coronation. He latermade his debut appearanceat the Festival of Remembrance in November 2025, helping to prepare for his future reign.

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"It's an interesting question, and it's a big question, that one," William said of George assuming the throne onan October 2025 episode ofThe Reluctant Traveller. "Because there's lots of things to think about with that, but obviously, I want to create a world in which my son is proud of what we do, a world and a job that actually does impact people's lives for the better."

He added, "I hope we don't go back to some of the practices in the past that[Prince] Harry[my brother] and I had to grow up in, and I'll do everything I can to make sure we don't regress in that situation."

William and Harry, 41, are the two sons of Charles, 77, and late ex-wifePrincess Diana.The brothers, however, have been estranged since 2020 after Harry moved to California with wifeMeghan Markleand their two children. (Harry and Meghan, 44, stepped down from their duties as senior working royals prior to moving and amid an onslaught of racist media attention.)

"When it's to do with family and things like that, then that's where I start getting a bit overwhelmed, as I think most people would," William acknowledged to hostEugene Levy. "It's more personal, it's more about feeling, it's more about upsetting the rhythm."

Prince George's Royal Life in Photos: Prince William and Kate Middleton's Son Through the Years

As for George, he is likely aware that he will be the future king of England.

"Barring any accidents or health issues, George will not be king for some years," royal historianMarlene Koenigexclusively toldUs Weeklyin August 2025, speculating that George is already "undoubtedly aware" of his future. "George may be a 12-year-old schoolboy who loves sports, but he is most certainly aware of his future."

byNito

in

April 05, 2026

Prince George, 12, Towers Over Siblings Charlotte and Louis at 2026 Easter Service

Prince WilliamandPrincess Kate Middleton's eldest son, 12-year-oldPrince George, is growing up before the world'...

Read More