Lisa Kudrow defined a generation of comedy with her portrayal of the eccentric Phoebe Buffay. While fans know her as the guitar-playing oddball from Friends, her real life is surprisingly academic and serious. In fact, she planned to be a scientist before her brother's friend convinced her to try acting. Over the years, she has proven herself as a talented writer, producer, and dramatic actress. Prepare to visit Central Perk with the smartest cast member.
Lisa Kudrow
Lisa Kudrow has a degree in biology from Vassar College. She intended to follow in her father’s footsteps and become a doctor. Consequently, she worked on his medical staff for eight years before finding fame.
She conducted serious medical research on headaches. Specifically, she and her father published a study on the link between left-handedness and cluster headaches. Thus, she is a published scientist in the world of neurology.
Originally, she was cast as Roz Doyle in the show Frasier. However, the producers fired her after only three days of rehearsals because she did not fit the role. Fortunately, this rejection left her free to audition for Friends the following year.
The character of Ursula Buffay existed before Phoebe did. Lisa Kudrow played the rude waitress on the sitcom Mad About You first. The writers of Friends created Phoebe as a twin sister to explain why the actress appeared on both NBC shows.
Her real-life pregnancy was written into the show. When she became pregnant with her son Julian, the writers invented the storyline about the triplets. However, they had to pad her stomach because her real bump was not big enough for three babies.
She absolutely hated playing the guitar. She struggled to learn the chords and even asked if Phoebe could play the bongos instead. Eventually, she learned just enough to play her character’s bad songs.
Lisa Kudrow underwent a nose job at age sixteen. She called the surgery “life-altering” because it gave her the confidence to survive high school. She underwent the procedure during the summer break so her new classmates would not know.
She was the first Friends cast member to win an Emmy Award. She took home the trophy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 1998. This win validated her decision to leave science for acting.
Surprisingly, she briefly dated Conan O’Brien. They met while taking improv classes at The Groundlings theater in Los Angeles. He encouraged her to stick with comedy when she felt like quitting.
She co-created the cult classic show The Comeback. In the series, she played a washed-up sitcom star trying to revive her career. Although it was canceled quickly, critics later hailed it as a masterpiece of cringe comedy.
She speaks fluent French. Her husband, Michel Stern, is a French advertising executive. She often surprises fans during interviews by switching effortlessly into his native language.
The rock star Chrissie Hynde appeared on Friends to sing “Smelly Cat.” The lead singer of The Pretenders played a professional musician who taught Phoebe the song. It remains one of the most memorable cameos in the series.
She improvised most of her dialogue in Web Therapy. She created the online series where she played a therapist who gives three-minute sessions. The format allowed her to show off the improv skills she learned early in her career.
In the movie Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion, she claimed to invent Post-it notes. This joke became one of the most quotable lines from the nineties cult film. To this day, fans ask her to sign packs of the sticky notes.
Finally, she produces the show Who Do You Think You Are?. She adapted the British genealogy series for American television. The show helps celebrities trace their family trees and discover their ancestors.
Kim Basinger defined Hollywood glamour in the 1980s and 90s. She transitioned from a successful modeling career to become an Oscar-winning actress. Furthermore, she starred in some of the highest-grossing films of her era. Consequently, her life off-screen has been just as dramatic and interesting as her movie roles. Explore these fascinating details about the star.
Kim Basinger
In 1989, Kim Basinger ambitiously bought the town of Braselton, Georgia. However, she eventually had to sell the property at a significant loss. Therefore, her dream of building a movie studio there never came true.
Interestingly, her failed investment inspired the hit show Schitt’s Creek. Specifically, the creators read about how she purchased the town for 20 million dollars. Consequently, they developed the comedy series based on the idea of a wealthy family owning a small town.
Unfortunately, she suffers from severe agoraphobia. For instance, she once stayed inside her house for six months because she felt too afraid to leave. Eventually, she had to relearn how to drive a car after undergoing therapy.
At one point, she dated Prince and recorded an album with him. During the filming of Batman, the two had a passionate relationship. Furthermore, they produced an album called Hollywood Affair, although it was never released to the public.
Surprisingly, she turned down the lead role in the classic movie Sleepless in Seattle. She read the script and thought the premise of falling in love over the radio was unrealistic. As a result, the movie became a massive success without her participation.
Early in her career, Kim Basinger threw her modeling portfolio into the East River. Although she was a top model for the Ford agency, she actually hated the profession. Thus, to mark her transition into acting, she tossed her professional photos into the water.
Before she became a movie star, she was the face of Breck Shampoo. In fact, she appeared in numerous magazine ads and TV commercials for the brand. Consequently, her blonde hair made her one of the most recognizable models in the country.
Eventually, she won an Oscar for her role in L.A. Confidential. Critics praised her performance as Lynn Bracken, a Veronica Lake look-alike. Moreover, this victory proved she was a serious actress and not just a sex symbol.
She met her second husband, Alec Baldwin, on a movie set. They played lovers in the film The Marrying Man. However, their subsequent marriage and divorce became intense tabloid fodder for many years.
Despite her fame, she is extremely shy by nature. As a child, her parents even had her tested for autism because she refused to talk in school. Similarly, she struggled to speak during her Oscar acceptance speech due to stage fright.
She played a Bond girl in Never Say Never Again. Specifically, she starred opposite Sean Connery in his final appearance as James Bond. Subsequently, this role helped launch her career as a major international sex symbol.
Additionally, she is a strict vegetarian and animal rights activist. Therefore, she has posed for several PETA anti-fur campaigns to raise awareness. She often credits her youthful appearance to her plant-based diet.
She played Eminem’s mother in the movie 8 Mile. Reportedly, she took the gritty role to challenge herself as an actress. The rapper praised her performance, and consequently, they maintained a friendship after filming ended.
Her father was a big band musician. Don Basinger played jazz in the army, and as a result, he influenced her love for music. This background helped her later when she sang in various movie roles throughout her career.
Finally, she washed her own hair for her Batman audition. To explain, she wanted to look disheveled and frantic like the character Vicki Vale. The director loved her messy look, and he cast her immediately.
Jack Nicholson defines the rebellious spirit of Hollywood with his devilish grin and sunglasses. While fans love him as the Joker, his personal life contains twists that rival his best movies. For instance, he grew up believing his grandmother was his mother. Furthermore, he once smashed a windshield in a fit of road rage. Prepare to handle the truth about the screen legend.
Jack Nicholson
He grew up believing his mother was actually his sister. Time magazine researchers uncovered the truth years later. However, Jack Nicholson reacted calmly because both women had already passed away by then.
Jack Nicholson earned roughly $60 million from playing the Joker. He negotiated a smart deal for a percentage of the merchandise sales. Thus, he made a fortune from toys and T-shirts.
He smashed a Mercedes windshield with a golf club in 1994. The driver cut him off in traffic, so he grabbed a 2-iron to vent his anger. Fortunately, they settled the case out of court.
He holds the record for the most Oscar nominations for a male actor. Specifically, the Academy nominated him twelve times over five different decades. This achievement proves his lasting power in the industry.
He started his career as an assistant at Hanna-Barbera cartoons. They offered him a full-time animator job, but he declined it to pursue acting. Consequently, he traded drawing Tom and Jerry for movie stardom.
Jack Nicholson adjusts his filming schedule around Los Angeles Lakers games. Studios must agree to let him attend home games before he signs a contract. He refuses to work when his team plays.
He turned down the massive role of Michael Corleone. He believed that an Italian actor should play the character in The Godfather. Therefore, he stepped aside to ensure cultural authenticity.
He bought Marlon Brando’s house simply to demolish it. After his neighbor died, he knocked the building down to plant a garden. He wanted to respect his friend’s legacy by removing the abandoned structure.
He improvised the famous “Here’s Johnny!” line in The Shining. He borrowed the catchphrase from The Tonight Show because he watched Johnny Carson frequently. The director kept it, and it became horror history.
Jack Nicholson wrote the script for the psychedelic movie Head. The Monkees starred in this bizarre film, which flopped hard at the box office. He allegedly wrote the screenplay while under the influence of illegal substances.
He stands 5 feet 9 inches (1.77 meters) tall. However, he often wore elevator shoes in movies to appear more intimidating. This trick helped him dominate scenes against taller co-stars.
His relatives owned a hair salon with Danny DeVito’s relatives. Consequently, the two legends knew each other’s families long before they became famous. They eventually played enemies in Batman Returns years later.
He wears sunglasses indoors because of a medical prescription. Although they look cool, they actually protect his eyes from bright studio lights. He once stated that he is just a fat man without them.
Real mental patients worked as extras in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Jack Nicholson interacted with them daily to keep his performance grounded. This immersion helped him win his first Academy Award.
He smoked real marijuana during the campfire scene in Easy Rider. As a result, he struggled to remember his lines during the filming. The crew filmed the scene continuously to capture his genuine laughter.
