Lisa Kudrow says the 'Sixth Friend' label limited how the industry saw her

Lisa Kudrow told The Independent that parts of her agency referred to her as the 'sixth Friend' and that there was little planning for her career after Friends; she later moved into creating and producing work such as Web Therapy and is promoting the final season of The Comeback in London.

Lisa Kudrow became widely known for playing Phoebe Buffay on Friends, a role that left a lasting cultural mark. In an interview with The Independent published April 4, she said parts of her agency called her the "sixth Friend" and that there was little planning for her career after the show ended. She received a Primetime Emmy Award in 1998 and remained highly visible while the series ran. In later years she shifted toward creating and producing projects that offered more creative control. Noted details: - The Independent interview (April 4) reported that parts of Kudrow's agency referred to her as the "sixth Friend." - Kudrow won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 1998. - She said there were no clear long-term plans from her agency for her career beyond Friends. - She co-created and produced Web Therapy as a way to pursue projects with greater creative control. - The Independent noted she delivered a comment that "nobody cared" with a laugh, a tonal detail some headlines did not convey. Summary: Kudrow's account highlights a gap between public recognition and industry planning, where an actor can be celebrated yet not actively guided toward a post‑show career. That experience influenced her to pursue roles behind the camera and to build projects on her own terms. She is currently promoting the final season of The Comeback in London.