Three decades after the premiere of Friends, Lisa Kudrow, who portrayed Phoebe Buffay on the iconic sitcom, recently shared her thoughts on filming in front of a live audience. Kudrow expressed her frustration with the excessive laughter from the audience during filming, noting that at times, the pauses for laughter would extend longer than necessary, disrupting the flow of the show.
She emphasized that while the live audience added energy to the set, the primary focus of the show was the TV viewers at home. Kudrow highlighted the challenge of maintaining the timing and pacing of the episodes when the audience reactions were prolonged, causing delays in filming.
During the podcast appearance, Kudrow revealed that some episodes required multiple takes, leading to extended filming hours. She mentioned that the laughter track from the initial takes would often be used in subsequent takes, even if the audience's laughter subsided.
Despite the challenges faced during filming, Kudrow expressed her appreciation for the overall experience of working on Friends. She acknowledged the enthusiasm of the audience members and their genuine enjoyment of the show, even if it occasionally resulted in extended laughter breaks.
Friends, which aired for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004, featured a stellar cast including Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc, and Matthew Perry. Kudrow's insights shed light on the behind-the-scenes dynamics of filming a beloved sitcom that continues to resonate with audiences worldwide.
