Lisa Kudrow | The inspiring success story of the ‘Friends’ star

Lisa Kudrow is an American actress and comedian best known for playing the role of Phoebe Buffay in the hit sitcom Friends. In addition, she is also a writer and producer. In 1998, she became the first Friends cast member to win an Emmy Award. Before getting her big breakthrough with Friends, Kudrow faced several rejections. With hard work and passion, she became one of the highest-paid TV actresses of all time. Here’s her success story. 

Early life

Lisa Kudrow was born in Los Angeles, California. Her mother was a travel agent while her father worked as a physician who specialized in the treatment of headaches. Kudrow was raised in a middle-class Russian Jewish family Her paternal grandmother emigrated from Russia to Brooklyn, where her father grew up. She completed her high school at Taft High School located in Los Angeles. After school, Kudrow received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from Vassar College. SHe planned on being an expert on headaches like her father. Before entering the entertainment industry, she worked with her father for eight long years. 

Lisa Kudrow’s failures and success

Kudrow’s brother’s childhood friend persuaded her to try a hand at comedy. Eventually, Lisa Kudrow began her comedic career as a member of an improv and sketch comedy school in Los Angeles. In 1990, she auditioned for Saturday Night Live but the show hired someone else. After being cast to play a role in the American sitcom Fraiser, Kudrow was fired from the set. In a speech, she stated that it was “so embarrassing” for her. After a couple of months, she ran out of money. However, Lisa kept on going and gave several auditions. She never lost hope and always believed in herself. 

Finally, after many auditions, she became the second person cast in Friends. “When one door closes, another door always opens”, she said. In 1998, she became the first Friends cast member to win an Emmy Award for Oustanding Acting. In 2005, Kudrow and her co-stars became the highest-paid TV actresses of all time. They earned $1 million per episode for the ninth and tenth seasons of Friends. In addition, she has also acted in several films including Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion, Booksmart, Easy A, Neighbors, The Girl on the Train, and many more. 

Lessons we can learn

During the initial period of her career, Lisa Kudrow struggled to find a job. Even though she got fired from the set of a TV show, Kudrow did not give up and worked harder to achieve her dreams. Hard work and determination is the key to success. In order to succeed, you need to believe in yourself and put in the effort to make your dreams come true. Lisa Kudrow did exactly that and reached new heights. Always try to learn from your mistakes and never lose hope. 

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