Lisa Kudrow admitted she experienced body image issues after seeing herself on screen with Friends co-stars Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox.
The 59-year-old actress, who played Phoebe Buffay in all 10 seasons of the hit sitcom from 1994 to 2004, said her perception of her body changed after landing her breakthrough role.
“I had body dysmorphia like, ‘Oh, I’m a stick’. Just like my sister, just like my dad. And I wasn’t. Not at all!’ The Comeback star said on Wednesday’s episode of the Popcrushed podcast.
Self-conscious: Lisa Kudrow admitted she experienced body image issues after seeing herself on screen with Friends co-stars Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox. Seen March 2022
She continued: “I didn’t see it. I didn’t have a waist. I didn’t see it at all. I thought I was really thin and I could do anything.
The Emmy winner added: “And I would look at the pictures and say, ‘Wow, the pictures really distort reality.’
“And it wasn’t until Friends that I realized I really didn’t look like I thought I did.
Own image: The 59-year-old actress, who played Phoebe Buffay in ten seasons of the hit sitcom from 1994 to 2004, said her perception of her body changed after landing the role innovative
“I had body dysmorphia like, ‘Oh, I’m a stick’. Just like my sister, just like my dad. And I wasn’t. Not at all!’ The Comeback star said on Wednesday’s episode of the Popcrushed podcast. Photo 1994
“And that’s what was so disconcerting and that’s when I was like, ‘Do I really need to lose weight? Should I go on a diet? Shoot.”
When asked by the hosts if it was the media coverage or certain headlines that made her change her perception, Lisa explained, “It was just seeing me on the show and seeing me in clothes and seeing Courteney and Jennifer in clothes.
“At first, I thought, ‘Oh, they know tailoring so they can discuss it with the costume designer about where exactly to take something.’
“And it wasn’t until Friends that I realized I really didn’t look like I thought I did,” Lisa said. “And that’s what was so disconcerting and that’s when I was like, ‘Do I really need to lose weight? Should I go on a diet? shoot”
Comparisons: When asked by the hosts if it was the media coverage or certain headlines that made her change her perceptions, Lisa explained: “It was just seeing me on the show and seeing me in clothes and see Courteney and Jennifer in clothes. .’
The Los Angeles native said she asked Courteney, 58, who played Monica Gellar, and Jennifer, 53, who played Rachel Green, to join her on their teams to share their advice, which which he said they did because they were “like sisters”. ‘
“And that’s when I would see, oh, it’s not just about tailoring,” Lisa said.
“I’m not trying to say I was overweight either,” she clarified. ‘I wasn’t. I had no idea about the actual shape of my body.
The mother of one recalled that she came to accept her body after reaching her forties.
‘That’s all right. That’s exactly how I feel,” the actress said. ‘It’s okay. Do what you have to do to be healthy, but this is your body and that’s okay.’
“At first, I thought, ‘Oh, they know tailoring so they can discuss it with the costume designer about where exactly they need to get something done.’
Lisa also noted that she would remind herself that she didn’t aspire to look like a typical Hollywood leading lady.
“You just wanted to be a character actress. You don’t go for romantic comedies, romantic lead, you don’t,” she said.
“Anyway, this isn’t a fun role for you, so leave it out. It’s okay, you can look good the way you are.
The Booksmart performer added that her husband of 26 years, Michel Stern, “always loved me the way I was” and “wanted me to be healthy.”
When Popcrushed co-host Penn Badgley shared her thoughts on the pressure actors feel to constantly compare themselves to more famous stars, Lisa said: ‘It’s all in your own head, you’re doing it to yourself.”
Friends on and off screen: The Los Angeles native said she asked Courteney, 58, who played Monica Gellar, and Jennifer, 53, who played Rachel Green, to accompany her to the their outfits to share their advice, which she said they did because they were “like sisters”
“No one needs you to be Tom Cruise or as famous as Tom Cruise,” he added.
“For me, at that time, it was Julia Roberts or Meg Ryan. Nobody is really demanding that from me.
Lisa previously revealed the body image struggles she experienced while starring on Friends during a 2019 appearance on Marc Maron’s WTF podcast.
She admitted to the comedian that she sometimes felt like a “mountain” compared to Jennifer and Courteney.
The Easy A star said she was often compared to her female co-stars, both of whose characters had more preppy styles than Lisa’s character Phoebe.
Phoebe was the most daring dresser of the group, often wearing quirky and extravagant outfits.
Acceptance: The mother of one recalled that she came to accept her body after reaching her forties
While speaking on the subject of body image, the actress said: “Unfortunately for a woman, if you’re underweight, you look good. And that’s all I’ve got.
‘And when I was too thin, I was sick all the time. A cold, sinus infection, some kind of flu. I was always sick,” she added.
When asked by Marc if she was “thin on purpose,” she responded by saying, “Yeah, sure.”
She added that working alongside Jennifer and Courteney often made her feel self-conscious about her own body.
“You see yourself on TV and it’s like, ‘Oh my God, I’m just a mountain of a girl.’ I’m already bigger than Courteney and Jennifer, bigger, like my bones feel bigger,” explained.
“I felt like this mountain of a woman next to him,” she added.
Friends forever: Last week, Jennifer and Courteney marked Lisa’s 59th birthday with touching tributes on Instagram; seen in 2003 at the People’s Choice Awards
However, the trio of actresses have remained close friends over the years since the iconic show concluded.
Last week, Jennifer and Courteney celebrated Lisa’s 59th birthday with touching tributes on Instagram.
“Happy birthday @lisakudrow,” Jennifer wrote in a snap of the two women taken at the 29th People’s Choice Awards in 2003, which she shared on her Instagram Stories.
All together: The cast of Friends reunited for the HBO Max reunion special last May; Aniston photographed with Courteney Cox, Matthew Perry and Kudrow
“I love you,” she added in the next slide, which featured a GIF of them jumping up and down as Rachel and Phoebe.
In another photo, Aniston showed her affection for Lisa, planting a kiss on her temple as the blonde star kissed the camera.
The actress added a red heart emoji, a birthday cake emoji and a kiss face to the photo.
Courteney added her own birthday wish to her friend, sharing a video on her Instagram Stories of the two of them sitting on a couch and laughing.
Homecourt’s founder wrote “Happy Birthday Booty! You make everything better! And more fun!’
The Friends cast, which includes Cox, Matthew Perry, David Schwimmer and Matt LeBlanc, reunited for the HBO Max reunion special last May, at which point Kudrow told PEOPLE of the deep bond she shares with his cast mates.
“I feel like we can pick up right where we left off, and no time has passed. We’re connected no matter what,” he said.