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Lisa Kudrow and Jennifer Aniston reunited on Variety’s Actors on Actors to discuss their latest projects and share a surprising pitch: a new sitcom featuring both of them alongside Courteney Cox. The two “Friends” icons, who hadn’t been together in person for a year and a half, spoke candidly about their current work, from Kudrow’s final season of “The Comeback” to Aniston’s latest chapter on “The Morning Show.”
Quick Facts
- Kudrow and Aniston appeared together on Variety’s Actors on Actors in June 2026
- Kudrow wrote all eight episodes of “The Comeback” Season 3 with co-creator Michael Patrick King
- The proposed new sitcom would be titled “Girlfriends” and star Kudrow, Aniston, and Cox
- “The Comeback” filmed on Stage 24 of Warner Bros., where “Friends” was shot for its entire run
A Year and a Half Apart, Still Connected
The two actors hadn’t seen each other in person for roughly a year and a half, Kudrow revealed during the interview. She’d been intensely focused on wrapping “The Comeback,” the HBO revival of her cult-classic sitcom that ran for one season in 2005 before returning for a second season on HBO in 2014. This third and final season marks the end of Valerie Cherish’s journey—the character Kudrow created and championed throughout the show’s unexpected life across three decades.
Despite their time apart, the chemistry between Aniston and Kudrow remained effortless. They reminisced about their shared history on “Friends,” which premiered over 30 years ago, and laughed at memories of their castmates, including a particularly funny moment involving Matt LeBlanc and a misunderstood oyster. Aniston even surprised Kudrow by noting that Kudrow’s son, Julian Stern, whom she was pregnant with during “Friends,” now has a supporting role in the final season of “The Comeback.”
Lisa Kudrow and Jennifer Aniston discuss new sitcom idea on Variety’s Actors on Actors
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A Sitcom Pitch: “Girlfriends”
When Aniston asked Kudrow what her next project would be, Kudrow responded with an unexpected proposal: “Can we do you, me and Courteney?” Without hesitation, Aniston replied, “Girlfriends. Let’s pitch it. Let’s workshop it in front of all of these wonderful people.” The moment was both playful and genuine—two actors who have spent decades in the industry still eager to create new work together.
Kudrow emphasized her desire to return to the multi-camera sitcom format that defined her career. “I would love to do another one, if anyone wrote a good one,” she told Aniston, referencing the live-audience setup that made “Friends” and “The Comeback” so distinctive. The chemistry between the two, evident throughout the interview, suggested that such a project could have real potential—though neither confirmed whether the pitch would move beyond the Variety stage.
Reflecting on Legacy and New Chapters
Beyond the sitcom talk, both actors discussed their current work with deep appreciation for the craft. Aniston spoke about Jeremy Irons‘ role as her estranged father in Season 4 of “The Morning Show,” describing him as “a gorgeous human being” who was “as funny and playful” as a collaborator. The season, which premiered in the fall, dealt with complex family dynamics as Aniston’s character, Alex Levy, learned about her mother’s postpartum depression and her father’s absence.
Kudrow, meanwhile, reflected on the emotional weight of ending “The Comeback” on Stage 24 of the Warner Bros. lot—the exact stage where “Friends” filmed every week before a live audience. The symbolism wasn’t lost on her. “Next to ‘Friends,’ ‘The Comeback’ means the most to me,” she said, her voice catching with emotion. The final season explored AI-generated television writing, a theme that both actors felt resonated with contemporary anxieties about technology’s role in creative work.
Sources
- Variety — Full transcript and reporting of the Actors on Actors interview between Lisa Kudrow and Jennifer Aniston, published June 3, 2026, by Kate Aurthur
