Lisa Kudrow has spoken out about the hostile environment she experienced whilst filming the beloved sitcom Friends, describing the treatment from the show's writing team as "brutal."
The 62-year-old actress, who portrayed Phoebe Buffay throughout the programme's decade-long run, revealed to The Sunday Times that unpleasant behaviour was commonplace during production at the Warner Bros. studio in Burbank, California.
"There was definitely mean stuff going on behind the scenes," Ms Kudrow stated.
The Emmy winner explained that performers faced harsh criticism when they stumbled over dialogue during tapings before live audiences of 400 people.
The stars of Friends became like family during their time on the show
|GETTY
"And if you messed up one of these writers' lines, or it didn't get the perfect response, they could be like, 'Can't the b**** f****** read? She's not even trying. She f***** up my line,'" she recalled.
Beyond the cutting remarks about performance, Ms Kudrow alleged that inappropriate sexual conduct was rife among the predominantly male writing staff.
She claimed that writers engaged in explicit discussions about her female co-stars during late-night sessions working on scripts.
"We know that back in the room, the guys would be up late discussing their sexual fantasies about Jennifer and Courteney. It was intense," Ms Kudrow told the publication.
The star has opened up about her time on the show
|GETTY
These allegations are not the first to emerge regarding the show's writers' room culture.
A former writers' assistant, Amaani Lyle, previously brought legal action against three male writers, NBC and the production studio, claiming sexually coarse language and behaviour amounted to harassment.
The California Supreme Court ruled in favour of Warner Bros in April 2006, citing the "creative atmosphere" of an adult-oriented comedy programme.
Despite the allegedly toxic atmosphere, Ms Kudrow developed a strategy for managing the negativity directed at her.
She acknowledged that the writers were under considerable pressure, often working into the early hours to complete scripts.
Lisa Kudrow played Phoebe Buffay
|NBC
"These guys … were sitting up until 3am trying to write the show, so my attitude was, 'Say what you like about me behind my back because then it doesn't matter,'" she explained.
This pragmatic approach allowed the actress to concentrate on her work rather than dwelling on the criticism being levelled at her away from the studio floor.
The revelations about behind-the-scenes tensions stand in stark contrast to the programme's extraordinary commercial success, which continues to benefit its stars financially.
GB News has approached Warner Bros and NBC for comment.
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Ms Kudrow disclosed that she and her fellow cast members still receive approximately $20million annually in residuals from the show, which remains a streaming staple on Netflix and is frequently repeated on traditional television channels.
When asked about these ongoing earnings, she quipped: "Because Phoebe Buffay was so great?"
The actress revealed she rewatched the entire series following Matthew Perry's death in late 2023 at the age of 54.
"Before, I only saw what I did wrong or could have done better, but for the first time I truly appreciated just how great it was," she reflected, "Because there was a genius at work."
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