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Lisa Kudrow Defends Phoebe Buffay: "She Wasn't Stupid," Just a Free Spirit

Lisa Kudrow has set the record straight about her iconic 'Friends' character Phoebe Buffay, asserting she was not stupid despite being labeled a "ditz" in the 1990s. The actress explained that Phoebe was simply a free spirit who didn't conform to societal norms. Kudrow revealed it took time for her to personally connect with the quirky musician, but she eventually grew into the role over the show's decade-long run. The sitcom, which aired from 1994 to 2004, also starred Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, and the late Matthew Perry.

Key Points: Lisa Kudrow Says 'Friends' Phoebe Wasn't Stupid

  • Kudrow clarifies Phoebe Buffay's intelligence
  • Character was initially seen as a "ditz"
  • Actress says Phoebe was a non-conformist
  • Kudrow grew into the role over 10 years
2 min read

Lisa Kudrow sets record straight for 'Friends' character, says she wasn't stupid

Lisa Kudrow clarifies her iconic 'Friends' character Phoebe Buffay was not a ditz but a free spirit, sharing insights from a new interview.

"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. - Lisa Kudrow"

Los Angeles, April 5

Hollywood actress Lisa Kudrow has made things clear with regards to her character of Phoebe Buffay in the iconic sitcom 'Friends'.

The actress, 62, has said that her character from the hit sitcom "wasn't stupid", reports 'People' magazine.

She spoke with actress Lily Tomlin for an Interview Magazine, as she said, "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".

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

As per 'People', the actress 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 iconic sitcom about six friends living in New York City aired from 1994 to 2004. It also starred Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc and the late Matthew Perry. Phoebe was a musician who juggled a variety of jobs throughout the series.

Lisa Kudrow won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her portrayal of the quirky character.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Interesting perspective. I always thought she was the most emotionally intelligent of the group. She had her own business, was a musician, and gave the best (weirdest) advice. Calling her a ditz says more about the viewers in the 90s than about the character.
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Arjun K
Friends was huge here in India during the 2000s. We all grew up watching it. Phoebe was my favourite because she didn't care about societal norms, much like some of our own spiritual gurus who seem "out there" but are actually profound. Lisa Kudrow nailed it.
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Sarah B
Respectfully, while I love Lisa, I think the writing sometimes *did* play her for cheap laughs based on being naive or clueless. It's great she's reclaiming the character's depth, but the "ditz" label didn't come from nowhere. The show had its problematic moments.
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Karthik V
"Someone who wasn't toeing the line" – that's the perfect description. In our pressure-cooker education system, anyone creative or different gets labelled quickly. Phoebe was an artist and a survivor. She was street-smart in her own way. Smelly Cat forever! 😸
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Nisha Z
This makes me want to rewatch the series. Maybe we all misunderstood her as kids. As an adult now, I can see how she was actually very resilient, having lived on the street and raised herself. That's not a ditz, that's a strong woman.

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