Lisa Kudrow

Lisa Kudrow

Kudrow at the 2009 Streamy Awards
Born Lisa Valerie Kudrow
(1963-07-30) July 30, 1963
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Alma mater Vassar College
Occupation Actress, voice actress, writer, comedian, producer
Years active 1989–present
Spouse(s) Michel Stern (m. 1995)
Children 1

Lisa Valerie Kudrow[1] (/ˈkdr/; born July 30, 1963)[2] is an American actress, comedian, writer and producer. She gained worldwide recognition for her ten-season run as Phoebe Buffay on the television sitcom Friends, for which she received many accolades, including six Emmy Award nominations, winning once in 1998, and twelve Screen Actors Guild Award nominations, winning twice in 1996 and 2000.

She went on to produce, write and star in the 2005 HBO series The Comeback, which was revived nine years later and began airing its second season in November 2014.[3] She received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for both seasons, in 2006 and 2015 respectively. She also starred in Web Therapy, which aired for four seasons on Showtime. As a producer of the series, she was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Class – Short-Format Live-Action Entertainment Program[4] for the show in 2012. She is also one of the executive producers of the TLC reality program Who Do You Think You Are and was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Reality-Program for the series in 2012 and 2014.

Away from television, Kudrow has also appeared in many films, including Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997), The Opposite of Sex (1998), Analyze This (1999) and its sequel Analyze That (2002), Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001), Wonderland (2003), Happy Endings (2005), P.S. I Love You (2007), Bandslam (2008), Hotel for Dogs (2009), Easy A (2010), Neighbors (2014), its sequel Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising (2016) and The Girl on the Train (2016).

Early life

Lisa Kudrow was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Nedra S. (née Stern, born 1934), a travel agent, and Dr. Lee N. Kudrow (born 1933), a physician who specialized in the treatment of headaches.[5] She has an elder sister, Helene Marla (born 1955), and an elder brother, Santa Monica neurologist David B. Kudrow (born 1957). Kudrow was raised in a middle-class Jewish family and had a Bat Mitzvah ceremony.[6][7] Her ancestors emigrated from Belarus, Germany, Hungary and Poland, and some of them lived in the village of Ilya, in the Minsk area. Her paternal great-grandmother, Mera Mordejovich, was murdered in Ilya during the Holocaust. Her paternal grandmother, Grunya Farberman, immigrated to Brooklyn, where her father grew up.[8][9]

Kudrow attended Portola Middle School in Tarzana, California. In 1979, at the age of 16, she underwent rhinoplasty to reduce the size of her nose.[10] She graduated from Taft High School in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles. Kudrow received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Vassar College, intending to follow in her father's footsteps and research headaches. Kudrow worked on her father's staff for eight years while breaking into acting, earning a research credit on his study on the comparative likelihood of left-handed individuals developing cluster headaches.[11]

Career

Kudrow visiting Vassar College in 2004

19891994: Early career

At the urging of her brother's childhood friend, comedian Jon Lovitz,[6] She began her comedic career as a member of The Groundlings, an improv and sketch comedy school in Los Angeles. Kudrow has credited Cynthia Szigeti, her improv teacher at The Groundlings, for changing her perspective on acting, calling her "the best thing that happened, on so many levels."[12][13] Briefly, Kudrow joined with Conan O'Brien and director Tim Hillman in the short-lived improv troupe Unexpected Company.[14] She was also the only regular female member of the Transformers Comedy Troupe.[15] She played a role in an episode of the NBC sitcom Cheers.[16] She tried out for Saturday Night Live in 1990, but the show chose Julia Sweeney instead.[17] She had a recurring role as Kathy Fleisher in three episodes of season one of the Bob Newhart sitcom Bob (CBS, 1992–1993), a role she played after taking part in the memorable series finale of Newhart's previous series Newhart.[18] Prior to Friends, she appeared in at least two produced network pilots: NBC's Just Temporary (also known as Temporarily Yours) in 1989, playing Nicole; and CBS' Close Encounters (also known as Matchmaker) in 1990, playing a Valley girl.[5]

Kudrow was cast to play the role of Roz Doyle in Frasier, but the role was re-cast with Peri Gilpin during the filming of the pilot episode. Kudrow said in 2000 that when rehearsals started, "I knew it wasn't working. I could feel it all slipping away, and I was panicking, which only made things worse".[6] Her first recurring television role was Ursula Buffay, the eccentric waitress on the NBC sitcom Mad About You. Kudrow would reprise the character on the NBC sitcom Friends, in which Kudrow co-starred as massage therapist Phoebe Buffay, Ursula's twin sister.[19]

19942004: Breakthrough

For her starring role as Phoebe on Friends (NBC, 1994–2004) Kudrow won the 1998 Emmy Award[20] for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. According to the Guinness Book of World Records (2005), Kudrow and co-stars Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox became the highest paid TV actresses of all time, earning $1 million per episode for the ninth and tenth seasons of Friends.[21] During her tenure on Friends Kudrow appeared in multiple comedic films such as Romy and Michele's High School Reunion, Hanging Up, Marci X, Dr. Dolittle 2, Analyze This and its sequel Analyze That, and dramatic films, such as Wonderland and The Opposite of Sex.

Lisa Kudrow attends the 2009 Streamy Awards

She also guest starred on numerous television series during Friends, including, The Simpsons, Hope and Gloria, King of the Hill, and hosting Saturday Night Live.

2004present: Post-Friends

Kudrow starred as protagonist Valerie Cherish on the single-season HBO series The Comeback (premiered June 5, 2005), about a has-been sitcom star trying for a comeback. She also served as co-creator, writer, and executive producer. The series was cancelled by HBO before being renewed for a second season nearly a decade after being originally cancelled. Kudrow received two Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her work on The Comeback.[22]

Kudrow served as the executive producer for the American version of the UK television series Who Do You Think You Are? for NBC, in which celebrities trace their family trees. The subjects of the first series included Kudrow herself, in which it was discovered her great-grandmother died in the Holocaust.[23][24] On March 19, 2010, Kudrow’s search for her roots in eastern Europe was broadcast.[25] Kudrow co-created an improvised comedy web series, Web Therapy on Lstudio.com. The improv series, which launched online in 2008, has earned several Webby nominations and one Outstanding Comedic Performance Webby for Kudrow, who plays therapist of unspecified credentials Fiona Wallice. She offers her patients three-minute sessions over iChat.[22] In July 2011, a reformatted, half-hour version of the show premiered on Showtime,[26][27] before being cancelled in 2015 after four seasons.[28] Kudrow has guest starred on multiple television series such as Cougar Town, BoJack Horseman, Angie Tribeca, and Scandal.[29]

Following Friends, Kudrow has also appeared in films such as Easy A, Hotel for Dogs, Happy Endings, and Neighbors. In 2016, she reprised her role as Carol Gladstone in Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising,[30] and co-starred in the thriller film The Girl on the Train.[31]

Personal life

On May 27, 1995, Kudrow married Michel Stern, a French advertising executive.[5][32] Kudrow claims to have been a virgin until her wedding night, due to her mother's advice. They have one son, Julian Murray Stern, who was born on May 7, 1998.[33] Kudrow's pregnancy was written into Friends (seasons 4 and 5), with her character Phoebe having triplets as a surrogate mother for her brother Frank and his wife Alice because they were not able to have children.

Filmography

Lisa Kudrow

Film

Year Film Role Notes
1983 Overdrawn at the Memory Bank Extra
1989 L.A. on $5 a Day Charmer
1991 To the Moon, Alice Friend of Perky Girl Short film
1991 The Unborn Louisa
1992 Dance with Death Millie
1992 In the Heat of Passion Bank Teller
1994 In the Heat of Passion 2: Unfaithful Bank Teller
1995 The Crazysitter Adrian Wexler-Jones
1996 Mother Linda
1997 Romy and Michele's High School Reunion Michele Weinberger
1997 Clockwatchers Paula
1997 Hacks Reading Woman
1998 The Opposite of Sex Lucia DeLury
1999 Analyze This Laura MacNamara Sobel
2000 Hanging Up Maddy Mozell
2000 Lucky Numbers Crystal
2001 All Over the Guy Marie
2001 Dr. Dolittle 2 Ava Voice
2002 Bark! Dr. Darla Portnoy
2002 Analyze That Laura Sobel
2003 Marci X Marci Field
2003 Wonderland Sharon Holmes
2005 Happy Endings Mamie
2007 Kabluey Leslie
2007 P.S. I Love You Denise
2009 Hotel for Dogs Lois Scudder
2009 Powder Blue Sally
2009 Paper Man Claire Dunn
2009 Bandslam Karen Burton
2009 The Other Woman Dr. Carolyn Soule
2010 Easy A Mrs. Griffith
2014 Neighbors Carol Gladstone
2016 El Americano: The Movie Lucille Voice
2016 Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising Carol Gladstone
2016 The Girl on the Train Martha
2017 Table 19 In post-production

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1989 Married to the Mob Pilot
1989 Cheers Emily Episode: "Two Girls for Every Boyd"
1989 Just Temporary Nicole Television film
1990 Newhart Sada Episode: "The Last Newhart"
1990 Life Goes On Stella Episode: "Becca and the Band"
1991 Murder in High Places Miss Stich Television film
1992 Room for Two Woman in Black Episode: "Not Quite... Room for Two"
1992–1999 Mad About You Ursula Buffay 24 episodes
1993 Flying Blind Amy Episode: "My Dinner with Brad Schimmel"
1993 Bob Kathy Fleisher 3 episodes
1993–1994 Coach Lauren / Nurse Alice 2 episodes
1994–2004 Friends Phoebe Buffay / Ursula Buffay 236 episodes
1996 Hope & Gloria Phoebe Buffay Episode: "A New York Story"
1996 Duckman: Private Dick/Family Man Female Beta Maxians (voices) Episode: "The One with Lisa Kudrow in a Small Role"
1996 Saturday Night Live Host Episode: "Lisa Kudrow/Sheryl Crow"
1997 Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist Lisa (voice) Episode: "Reunion"
1998 The Simpsons Alex Whitney (voice) Episode: "Lard of the Dance"
1998–1999 Hercules: The Animated Series Aphrodite (voice) 4 episodes
2001 King of the Hill Marjorie Pittman (voice) Episode: "The Exterminator"
2001 Blue's Clues Dr. Stork (voice) Episode: "The Baby's Here!"
2005 Father of the Pride Foo-Lin (voice) 2 episodes
2005, 2014 The Comeback Valerie Cherish 21 episodes; also co-creator, writer and executive producer
2005 Hopeless Pictures Sandy (voice) 2 episodes
2006 American Dad! The Ghost of Christmas Past (voice) Episode: "The Best Christmas Story Never"
2008–2014 Web Therapy Fiona Wallice 132 episodes; also co-creator, writer and executive producer
2010 Cougar Town Dr. Amy Evans Episode: "Rhino Skin"
2010–present Who Do You Think You Are? Herself[25] Executive producer; Episode: "Lisa Kudrow"
2011–2015 Web Therapy Fiona Wallice 44 episodes; also co-creator, writer and executive producer
2011 Allen Gregory Sheila (voice) Episode: "Mom Sizemore"
2013 Wendell and Vinnie Natasha Episode: "Swindel & Vinnie"
2013 Scandal Congresswoman Josephine Marcus 4 episodes
2015 Bojack Horseman Wanda Pierce (voice) 7 episodes
2016 Angie Tribeca Monica Vivarquar Episode: "Pilot"
2016 Must See TV: An All-Star Tribute to James Burrows Herself Television documentary
2016 Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Fairy Godmother (voice) / Lori-Ann Schmidt 2 episodes

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Title of work Result
1995 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Friends Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Mad About You Nominated
1996 American Comedy Award Funniest Supporting Female Performer in a TV Series Friends Nominated
Golden Globe Award Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Won
1997 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Nominated
1998 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Won
New York Film Critics Circle Best Supporting Actress The Opposite of Sex Won
Satellite Awards Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion Nominated
1999 American Comedy Award Funniest Supporting Female Performer in a TV Series Friends Nominated
American Comedy Award Funniest Female Guest Appearance in a TV Series Mad About You Nominated
Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Friends Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Nominated
American Comedy Award Funniest Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture The Opposite of Sex Nominated
Chicago Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actress Nominated
Independent Spirit Award Best Supporting Actress Nominated
2000 American Comedy Award Funniest Supporting Female Performer in a TV Series Friends Nominated
American Comedy Award Funniest Female Performer in a TV Special Nominated
Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series Won
Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Nominated
American Comedy Award Funniest Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Analyze This Nominated
2001 American Comedy Award Funniest Supporting Female Performer in a TV Series Friends Nominated
Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Nominated
Satellite Award Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy Won
Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Nominated
2002 Satellite Award Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Nominated
2003 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Nominated
2004 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Nominated
2006 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series The Comeback Nominated
Gracie Award Outstanding Female Lead in a Comedy Series Won
Satellite Award Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy Nominated
2008 Satellite Award Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Kabluey Nominated
2009 Streamy Award Best Female Actress in a Web Comedy Series Web Therapy Nominated
Webby Award Special Achievement: Outstanding Comedic Performance Won
2010 Streamy Award Best Female Actor in a Comedy Web Series Nominated
Webby Award Best Individual Performance Nominated
2011 Webby Award Best Individual Performance Won
2012 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Special Class – Short-format Live-action Entertainment Program Nominated
Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Reality Program Who Do You Think You Are Nominated
2014 Dorian Award TV Performance of the Year – Actress The Comeback Won
2015 Critics' Choice Television Award Best Actress in a Comedy Series Nominated
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Nominated
2016 People's Choice Awards Favorite Premium Cable TV Actress Web Therapy Nominated
Critics' Choice Television Award Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Pending

References

  1. "Lisa Kudrow says her middle name". YouTube. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
  2. Family Tree Legends According to the State of California. California Birth Index, 1905–1995. Center for Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services, Sacramento, California. Archived October 18, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
  3. "'The Comeback' Returns Sunday November 9 Exclusively on HBO".
  4. "Web Therapy". Emmy Awards. Retrieved May 10, 2013.
  5. 1 2 3 "FilmReference.com: Lisa Kudrow (1963–)".
  6. 1 2 3 Zaslow, Jeffrey. (October 8, 2000). "Balancing friends and family". USA Weekend. Retrieved June 8, 2008.
  7. Harris, Rob. (June 26, 2012) Oh, what a tangled ‘Web’ Lisa Kudrow weaves. The Times of Israel. Retrieved on 2012-07-25.
  8. McCorquodale, Sara (March 20, 2010). "Lisa Kudrow's tears as she uncovers tragic family connection to the Holocaust". Daily Mail. London. Retrieved October 2, 2010.
  9. Grobel, Lawrence (November–December 2013). "Lisa Kudrow: The versatile comedian (and former science nerd) reflects on high school bullies, motherhood, and life after Friends". The Saturday Evening Post. Indiana. Retrieved November 7, 2013.
  10. Susman, Gary. (October 23, 2002) Gary Susman, "On the Job", ''Entertainment Weekly'', October 23, 2002. ("In the November issue of ''Allure'' magazine, Kudrow reveals a secret she's kept for 23 years: When she was 16, she had a nose job. 'I had a hook nose, and now it's certainly smaller,' she says. 'But I'm not even sure I love how that turned out. I think plastic surgery looks weird – like plastic surgery.'"). Ew.com. Retrieved on 2012-07-25.
  11. Messinger, HB; MI Messinger; L Kudrow; LV Kudrow (1994). "Handedness and headache". Cephalalgia. 14 (1): 64–67. doi:10.1046/j.1468-2982.1994.1401064.x. PMID 8200028.
  12. Barnes, Mike (2016-08-19). "Cynthia Szigeti, Groundlings Improv Teacher and 'Seinfeld' Actress, Dies at 66". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2016-09-06.
  13. "Lisa Kudrow interview: Part 2 of 4". Archive of American Television. 2012-12-22. Retrieved 2016-09-06.
  14. Bio at PX Drive.com
  15. Lisa Kudrow Biography Hollywood Auditions.com
  16. Bolesroor (May 5, 2011). ""Cheers" Two Girls for Every Boyd (TV Episode 1989)". IMDb.
  17. Shales, Tom; James Andrew Miller (October 2003). Live From New York (First paperback ed.). Back Bay Books. pp. 273, 386. ISBN 0-316-73565-5.
  18. Kara Kovalchik, "The Early TV Appearances of Seven Big Stars", Mental Floss, July 15, 2009.
  19. "Fast Chat: Lisa Kudrow". Newsday. January 18, 2009.
  20. Lisa Kudrow Emmy Nominated . Emmys.com. Retrieved on July 25, 2012.
  21. Carter, Bill (February 12, 2002). "'Friends' Deal Will Pay Each Of Its 6 Stars $22 Million". New York Times. Retrieved May 10, 2013.
  22. 1 2 "Lisa Kudrow- Biography". Yahoo! Movies. Retrieved May 10, 2013.
  23. "Who do you think you are". NBC. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  24. "Lisa Kudrow, Sarah Jessica Parker And Susan Sarandon Star In NBC's 'Who Do You Think You Are?' Premiering April 20" January 28, 2009, NBC.com News
  25. 1 2 Who Do You Think You Are – NBC Site. Nbc.com. Retrieved on July 25, 2012.
  26. "'Web Therapy' Renewed: Lisa Kudrow's Showtime Series Get A Season 3". Huffingtonpost. November 16, 2012. Retrieved May 10, 2013.
  27. Hale, Mike (July 28, 2011). "Analyze This: A Webisode's Id Meets Its TV Ego". New York Post. Retrieved May 10, 2013.
  28. http://deadline.com/2015/08/lisa-kudrows-web-therapy-cancelled-showtime-4-seasons-1201497293/
  29. Mickey O'Connor. "Lisa Kudrow Will Guest-Star on Cougar Town". TVGuide.com.
  30. "Neighbors 2 Cast Photos from the Atlanta Set". ComingSoon.net. September 18, 2015. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
  31. Kit, Borys (November 3, 2015). "Lisa Kudrow Joins 'The Girl on the Train' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
  32. "Want the secret to a happy marriage? Don't have sex before the wedding". Daily Mail. London. December 23, 2010.
  33. Shauna Snow (May 9, 1998). "Calendar". Los Angeles Times.
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Preceded by
Samuel L. Jackson
MTV Movie Awards host
1999
Succeeded by
Sarah Jessica Parker
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