Lisa Kudrow

Lisa Valerie Kudrow was born on July 30, 1963, in Los Angeles, California, U.S. Her mother Nedra worked as a travel agent while her father Dr. Lee N. Kudrow was a physician who specialized in the treatment of headaches. She has one brother and one sister.

She was raised in a middle-class Jewish family and received her primary education from Portola Middle School in Tarzana, California before moving on to Taft High School in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles. She was good in academics and also had interest in sports.

She was much inspired by her father and planned to follow in his footsteps. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Vassar College with the intention of researching headaches like her father did.

After completing her education Lisa Kudrow joined her father in his work and earned a research credit on his study on the comparative likelihood of left-handed individuals developing cluster headaches.

Her brother's childhood friend, comedian Jon Lovitz, sensed that she had a talent for comedy and acting and encouraged her to perform. She began taking improv classes while continuing to work with her father. Eventually she was able to join the famous Los Angeles improv comedy group, The Groundlings. During this time she became friends with Conan O'Brien.

Soon she got the opportunity to perform with other improv groups as well and started auditioning for television roles. She appeared as Kathy Fleisher in three episodes of season one of the Bob Newhart sitcom ‘Bob’ (1992–1993).

She landed the role of a lifetime in 1994 when she was cast as Phoebe on the sitcom ‘Friends’. She became very popular in this role and earned several awards and accolades for her performance.

Her role in ‘Friends’ made her a much recognized face in American television and it was not long before she started getting offers of film roles. Even though she had already played minor roles in some movies, she was now getting more substantial roles.

Lisa Kudrow is best known for her portrayal of Phoebe Buffay in the sitcom ‘Friends’. She played a lady who is weird, goofy, eccentric, and promiscuous. Kudrow was much appreciated for her role and won an Emmy Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards for the same.