Lisa Kudrow Reveals She Was Told She Didn’t Have the “Look” for Sitcom Stardom

Lisa Kudrow has opened up about being told she did not have the “look” typically wanted for female sitcom stars before she was cast as Phoebe Buffay on Friends.

In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Kudrow said casting executives wanted women who were “very pretty and appealing.” She recalled being told, “It’s very hard because you’re not gorgeous, and they want gorgeous.”

Kudrow said she understood the criticism but did not want to be cast simply for being “cute.” She went on to become one of the six main stars of Friends, which ran for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004.

Despite the show's success, Kudrow has said she often felt overlooked. In an April interview with The Independent, she recalled that parts of her talent agency referred to her as “the sixth Friend” and said there was little expectation for her career beyond the sitcom.

Kudrow recently premiered the third and final season of The Comeback, the comedy series she stars in and helped create.