Lisa Kudrow might be in the HBO Max ‘Friends’ reunion, but not as everyone’s favourite hippie aka Phoebe!
Your fan-favourite group of friends can’t wait to be there for you! For 10 long seasons, fans watched Rachel, Ross, Joey, Chandler, Monica, and Phoebe share coffee and exchange jokes at Central Perk. From time to time, we saw the friends hang out at their favourite coffee shop and Monica’s cosy Manhattan apartment. From Chandler and Joey’s bachelor pad to Phoebe’s home, the setting might have changed but the group of friends never did.
Highlights —
- What the HBO Max ‘Friends’ reunion is about
- Why Lisa Kudrow won’t be Phoebe anymore
- When will the ‘Friends’ reunion air on HBO Max?
The final episode arrived in May 2004, which means it has been 17 years since they graced our screens. Over the years, we have reminisced about their time on the incredible sitcom by revisiting their story through reruns. But it’s time to look beyond that now.
The anticipated HBO Max ‘Friends’ reunion won’t be an addition to the already existing 236 episodes but will be a fans special. They’ll reveal behind-the-scenes footage, engage in nostalgic discussions and the unscripted event will be a stroll down one’s memory lane!
Unfortunately, Lisa Kudrow has declared she won’t be playing the ditzy but incredible Phoebe Buffay in the reunion. Keep reading to learn all about it.
What the HBO Max ‘Friends’ reunion is about
As previously announced, the original cast and creators of the NBC sitcom will find a new home at HBO Max. The ‘Friends’ reunion special has been one of the most anticipated events since it was announced and for good reason. ‘Friends’ dominated ‘90s television and will do it all over again!
Although fans looked forward to a reboot/revival that depicted the future of the gang, the reunion is different. The HBO Max ‘Friends’ reunion will not be a scripted sequel of sorts, but a true reunion instead. The stars, Courteney Cox, Matthew Perry, Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow will play themselves!
The star cast will reminisce about the show’s memories and its legacy since the ending. We’ll never know if Joey became an A-list star if Ross and Rachel married or anything else. What we will get, is the entire cast reuniting to discuss their experience of filming the show.
Related : Now We Know Why Lisa Kudrow Aka Phoebe Buffay Has Not Seen Some Episodes Of FRIENDS
Why Lisa Kudrow won’t be Phoebe anymore
Although ‘Friends’ fans would love to see what their favourite characters are doing today, that’s a conversation for the future. The HBO Max reunion is entirely an unscripted hour-long event for the fans and is all it will be.
The cast is being handsomely paid to take time out from their busy schedules and play themselves on-screen, not their characters. In a video chat with “Variety”, Lisa Kudrow explained how she wouldn’t be Phoebe anymore. She is a part of the HBO Max ‘Friends’ reunion as herself, not the odd but eccentric guitar-player.
Explaining how the special episode won’t be a scripted one,
Kudrow said, “I will not be Phoebe”.
Jennifer Aniston added, “I will not be Rachel, although I kind of am. Well, we’re all sort of little fragments of them. Not really. But yeah”.
When will the ‘Friends’ reunion air on HBO Max?
The special event was intended to kickstart the launch of the HBO Max streaming service but was pushed back. The pandemic imposed restrictions made it impossible for any production house to continue filming and the reunion was affected too.
The unscripted event will reportedly begin filming in March-April 2021 and released sometime after that. Recently, David Schwimmer shared an update with “SiriusXM” and revealed the new plans for the show. The 54-year-old-actor who played palaeontologist Ross Geller on the series revealed when the special will begin filming.
It’s sooner than you might think! As per Schwimmer, the HBO Max ‘Friends’ reunion will begin filming in April which is next month! “Oh, it’s happening. Actually, in a little over a month, I’m heading out to LA”, the actor said. He added, “So, finally, I mean, we figured out a way to film it safely, and there’s going to be a portion of it that we film outside because of, you know, for safety protocols”.
If the cast and crew begin filming this April, it should be available on the service before the end of the year!
Are you excited about the HBO Max ‘Friends’ reunion? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.
