Lisa Kudrow Biography

Lisa Kudrow plays Phoebe Buffay on TV show Friends.

Courtesy of NBC

Phoebe Buffay tries to calm down a stranger after meeting him on a telemarketing phone call. (guest star - Jason Alexander.)

Courtesy of NBC

Birthdate: July 30, 1963

Lisa Kudrow Is Not Phoebe

Lisa Kudrow isn't at all like her Friends character. Lisa Kudrow's a brainiac, grounded and she's not looking for love - Lisa Kudrow's married to advertising exec., Michel Stern. It's not surprising Lisa Kudrow planned a career as a medical researcher (she has her Bachelor of Science in biology.) Lisa Kudrow's father is a doctor who specializes in headaches and her older brother is a neurologist.

Lisa Kudrow Drops Test Tubes For Screen Tests

Lisa Kudrow shied away from the medical field and made the jump to acting after being impressed with the gig her friend, comedian Jon Lovitz, landed on Saturday Night Live.

Lisa Kudrow's Big Break

Lisa Kudrow's big break came in 1993 when she snagged a recurring role as a spazzy waitress named Ursula on the TV show Mad About You. Lisa Kudrow's biggest success so far was landing the role of the quirky Phoebe on Friends in 1994. In the beginning Lisa got to play both Ursula and Phoebe. The writer's made them twins - so the Mad About You character crossed over to Friends and even dated Joey!

Lisa Kudrow Takes On Movies

Lisa Kudrow also made the jump from the tube to the big screen with roles in Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion, Analyze This, Analyze That, Hanging Up and Lucky Numbers. Whether she's belting out crazy songs like Smelly Cat, chatting with her dead mother, driving a cab or flirting with Joey, you know Phoebe will send us into hysterics for the last season of Friends.

Lisa Kudrow - Did U Know?

Lisa Kudrow almost played the character Roz on Frasier.

Lisa Kudrow won an Emmy for her role as Pheobe.

Lisa Kudrow was a part-time improv teacher before she landed the role of Pheobe.

Lisa Kudrow Says...

"I've learned you can make a mistake and the whole world doesn't end. I had to learn to allow myself to make a mistake without becoming defensive and unforgiving. "