Lisa Kudrow has been in the spotlight ever since she played Phoebe on the hit TV show Friends. Known for her quirky personality and sense of humor, the actress has also appeared in films like The Comeback and Mad About You.
Recently, Kudrow joined the cast of a new Netflix series, No Good Deed, which she filmed shortly after the death of her Friends co-star Matthew Perry. She explained how Perry’s passing affected her acting and her relationship with Ray Romano, with whom she had always hoped to work.
Lisa Kudrow struggled with grief in playing her role on “No Good Deed”
Kudrow and Perry were not just co-stars for 10 years but also close friends. Perry passed away in October 2023 from the acute effects of ketamine, and it shook Kudrow. In No Good Deed, Kudrow portrays a character experiencing grief, and she shared that sometimes the boundaries between her emotions and those of her character are blurred because she was experiencing grief from Perry’s death. “In some scenes, things started to overlap, and I couldn’t tell if it was me or the character,” she explained.
Working alongside Ray Romano likely helped Kudrow process her grief. Romano shared in an interview with PEOPLE that the two bonded over their insecurities. “We really had a good time talking about who was more insecure than the other. And I win,” he joked, adding that it was comforting to see someone else with similar thoughts.
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More about Lisa Kudrow’s character in “No Good Deed”
Talking about her relationship with Romano, Kudrow said, “he’s everything I thought he would be. He’s easy, effortless, and a fantastic actor.” She recalled watching him on other projects and thinking she’d love to work with him. When the opportunity finally came, Kudrow admitted she was initially nervous. However, Romano quickly proved to be a supportive and talented co-star.
In No Good Deed, Kudrow and Romano play the roles of longtime couple Lydia and Paul who decide to leave their longtime home and move elsewhere. Their real estate troubles begin when they list their home for sale, they are also forced to face their past and grief. The show premieres Dec. 12 on Netflix.