A quirky and comely actress beloved for playing stunningly dumb blondes, Kudrow first made audiences laugh with her recurring role as a ditzy waitress named Ursula on
Mad About You. Two seasons later she landed her star-making part as an air-headed folksinger (who just happened to be Ursula's twin sister) on
Friends. During the sitcom's 10-year run, Kudrow branched out into movies and smartly took on darker roles in a number of edgy independent films (
The Opposite of Sex,
Clockwatchers) as well as supporting comic turns in Hollywood blockbusters (
Analyze This). Unfortunately, her career stalled in the '00s, with a number of big-screen flops and a short-lived HBO series with a really bad title,
The Comeback.
Lisa Kudrow Fast Facts:
- Made her first on-stage appearance in 1988, in a production called The Ladies Room by Robin Schiff. Kudrow would later reprise this role in the movie Romy and Michele's High School Reunion, also written by Schiff.
- Became a member of the improv-comedy troupe the Groundlings in 1989.
- Used to date Conan O'Brien.
- Was originally cast in the role of Roz on Frasier but was replaced by Peri Gilpin before filming began.
- Won the SAG Award in 2000 for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series for her work on Friends. Was also nominated in the same category in 1996, 1999 and 2004.
- Lisa Kudrow Relationships:
- David Kudrow - Brother
- Derrick Kudrow - Brother
- Helene Kudrow Sherman - Sister
- Julian Murray Stern - Son
- Lee Kudrow - Father
- Michael Stern - Husband
- Nedra Kudrow - Mother
- Lisa Kudrow Awards:
- 2006 Emmy: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- 1995 Emmy: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- 1997 Emmy: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- 1998 Emmy: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - Winner
- 1999 Emmy: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- 2000 Emmy: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- 2001 Emmy: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- 1996 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television - Nominee
- College:
- Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY (BS in Biology, 1985)
