What If Sunday: Lisa Kudrow, Roz, Frasier and Friends

Way back in 1998, when I was a lot younger than I care to admit, I became obsessed with a little show called 'Friends'.

'Friends' was the first show I truly loved, and it is the series that ignited my fascination with television production.

When she was just starting out as an actress, Lisa Kudrow was cast to play Roz on 'Frasier'. But during the filming of the pilot episode the role was recast with Peri Gilpin.

Luckily Kudrow didn't have long to wait before she was recast in a different series, 'Mad About You'. She played Ursula Buffay, a recurring character, on the hit NBC show.

Even more luckily, Kudrow auditioned for and was cast in 'Friends'. The show, also set to air on NBC, was given the timeslot immediately following 'Mad About You'.

The network was concerned that viewers who watched 'Mad About You', and stuck around to watch the premiere of 'Friends', would be confused by the same actress playing different characters in the two shows. Because of this the script of 'Friends' was altered specifically for Kudrow, and the character of Phoebe on 'Friends' was given the last name Buffay and made to be the twin sister of Ursula (from 'Mad About You'). Kudrow even occasionally played her own twin on 'Friends', allowing Ursula and Phoebe to act out parts of their sibling rivalry.

What if Kudrow had never lost the role of Roz on 'Frasier'? Not only would the role of Phoebe have been played by a different actress, but the character, and key aspects of her motivation, would have been completely different--she wouldn't have had a twin sister.





Kudrow speaks about 'Frasier' and 'Friends' during Vassar's 2010 Commencement address: