Lisa Kudrow Says A Classic Friends Scene Was Improvised

The education of a Friends expert never stops. Lisa Kudrow disclosed vital new information about one of Friends’ most memorable episodes while discussing Season 5’s “The One Where Everybody Finds Out” with The Hollywood Reporter in June. She revealed that one hilarious scene was improvised by her co-star Matt LeBlanc.

The episode originally aired in 1999 and saw all the friends finally discover that Monica (Courteney Cox) and Chandler (Matthew Perry) are secretly dating. When Phoebe finds out, she and Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) decide to mess with them rather than let them know that they know. Phoebe flirts with Chandler to get him and Monica to come clean about their relationship, and in one famous scene, Joey (LeBlanc) helps her by quickly unbuttoning her shirt with one hand, revealing her bra underneath.

“Wow, you didn’t rip off any buttons,” Phoebe quips in amazement, to which Joey replies, “Not my first time.”

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Kudrow revealed that the unbuttoning of Phoebe’s shirt wasn’t in the script, and was suggested by LeBlanc “to up the stakes.”

“I think it was him that went, ‘What if he just [imitates unbuttoning a shirt with one hand] … and the shirt flies open?’” Kudrow told the outlet. “And they’re like, ‘Are you OK wearing a bra?’ And I went, ‘A bra? There’s more covering than a bathing suit! It’s fine.’”

Kudrow’s recollection of the scene is one of many fond memories from her time filming Friends, which aired for 10 seasons (1994-2004). “You’re just laughing all day long, basically, in between the scenes,” she added. “These are funny people.”

Paying special tribute to her late co-star Perry, Kudrow said he was “especially” funny, revealing that his goal on set was, “‘How many laughs can I get in real life every day?’” She continued, “So we were always laughing so hard, tears were flying out of our faces.”

Kudrow’s Friends Rewatch

In her recent Hollywood Reporter interview, Kudrow also disclosed that she’s been rewatching the hit sitcom in memory of Perry.

“I wasn’t able to watch it because it’s too embarrassing to watch yourself. But if I make it about Matthew, then that’s OK,” she said. “And it’s just celebrating how hilarious he was — and that is what I want to remember [about him].”