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Back in 2005, fans of Lisa Kudrow immediately found themselves thrilled at the fact that the former Friends star was returning to television as Valerie Cherish in HBO's The Comeback. And while it only lasted one season, that didn't stop fans from clamoring and yearning for more of the oh, so persistent Cherish. Well, nine years later, they finally got their wish when HBO decided to revisit the series for an eight-episode, second season which ended earlier tonight in "Valerie Gets What She Really Wants" with Kudrow's character winning herself an Emmy for her new show Seeing Red –– created by her Season 1 "nemesis" Paulie G (played by actor Lance Barber). And while she's not necessarily present to accept the award, it seems that when the episode ends she's right where she wants to be.
Lisa Kudrow recently spoke with MStars News about Season 2 of The Comeback, her role as Valerie Cherish and even her thoughts on whether or not she'd be into doing a Friends movie and reprise her role as Phoebe Buffay.
Kyle Dowling: The season finale of The Comeback aired earlier tonight after being off the air for nearly 10 years. During the gap, were you formulating ideas for a Season 2 should it ever come?
Lisa Kudrow: Not deeply, but things would occur to Michael [Patrick King] and I. Things like, 'Oh, she'd be on one of those Housewives shows.' Just stuff like that.
KD: Did you ever want to take her elsewhere after it didn't work out with HBO the first time?
LK: Not seriously. Especially back then; it wasn't happening so much that any other network would pick up what HBO didn't, you know? Also, after that HBO owned it, so yeah. [laughs]
KD: [laughs] Good point. Then why did they want to bring it back in 2014?
LK: What they said was, "We miss Valerie Cherish and we think other people do too. So if you come up with something that you'd like to do, let's do it." And we were thrilled! How do you say no to that?
KD: I think there's a reason this show was able to effortlessly come back after 10 years. Why do you think it was?
LK: I'm glad it felt effortless to you. That was the scary goal, but we just went with our impulses. It all was happening so fast. We had to shoot it during Michael's hiatus from 2 Broke Girls, so there wasn't a lot of time to think and throw things out.
We went by impulse, as pure as we could get. We went straight into the fact that it's nine years later, and that fueled a lot. That was the best part of it; it's nine years later and the marriage is a 14-year marriage, not four years. We thought all these things we laid out before, let's continue the thought.
KD: It seems like the fact that it is nine years later worked in your favor.
LK: It did! But to move forward with anything you have to beyond accept what really is, you have to embrace it.
KD: As not only the face of the show but also the creator, how did you feel Season 2 compared to Season 1?
LK: I love it! I think it's another version of the exact same thing, and that was the goal. I'm glad people feel the same way.
KD: Where did the inspiration for Valerie Cherish come from?
LK: I did this Groundlings monologue and it was a voice, a very self-serving phony actress-on-a-talk-show voice. When Michael and I started talking about a show, I thought that would fit really well.
KD: The series feels very real, almost as if the viewer is in the show. What's interesting is that there are moments that can sway either funny or awkward, but you guys always find funny –– even in Episode 4, the one with the suicide.
LK: I think sometimes there are things that are just funny. Also, think about it, they didn't know him. There's, of course, the fact that he did drugs and such, which reminds Valerie of Paulie G. But we also had the fantastic Mrs. Yi. That actress, she was fantastic! She was hilarious in that scene.
I think what we did was a version of what could happen, but not too outrageous. It also doesn't look like to most luxurious apartment building so it's not [completely unbelievable].
MS: The end of the finale is very powerful and shows a lot about Valerie's character. Before that, however, she talks to James Burrows, who gives her some life advice –– family is more important than fame. Up until that point, was that something you think Valerie agreed with, or was it all about the career?
LK: I don't even know if she agrees with him when he says it. I think she's looking at him like what? I think she gives a take to the camera, so I don't know if she believes him. He also doesn't know the whole story. In my head that was it. He doesn't know everything.
KD: When she finds out Mickey collapsed does it click for her?
LK: I don't know if she's thinking about that, but she does know she can't go back in there if Mickey is in a hospital room. She wouldn't be able to think straight. She just needs to have eyes on him.
KD: That was a great moment because you realize this woman – who we've been following all along and really cares about her own career – actually has so much love for the people around her.
LK: Yeah! You realize that she is a human being like we've been hoping for. [laughs]
KD: In the end, Valerie wins the Emmy. Did you ever think about not having her win?
LK: I brought that up. But after we thought about it we thought let's have her win, and I was completely onboard with that.
KD: What was the argument for having her not win?
LK: On one level it was would she win? [laughs] The other was what if she doesn't win and is still happy to be with Mickey and Mark? But then we thought no, let's just have her win. And we don't hear her say I wish I was there. Though I think if she had a moment she'd think are people going to be mad? Mainly because Mickey is okay. [laughs]
KD: But I do love the fact that she stays and watches the Emmys with him. And Mark is even quite shocked.
LK: Yeah, I think that's what hit home.
KD: Have there been any talks about a possible Season 3 and/or would you want to do another season?
LK: If we came up with something then yes, I would love to do more. I love doing this, I really do. I think we're going to start talking.
KD: What is it about the project that you like so much?
LK: I really love being this character. It's fun! I like examining the things we get to examine. I know people take a huge statement out of it but it's based on how we think things would go.
KD: I think there's a real element to it, perhaps because of the way it is shot and such.
LK: Right, I agree. You get to observe it. She's not an activist. She understands the limits to her power in this world and she's just trying to work within it.
KD: Everyone is obsessed with doing movies of television shows today. Was there ever a thought of doing a movie instead of another season?
LK: Yeah, we did [talk]. But we felt like it's been nine years and there was so much to cover. We felt we needed at least six episodes to tell the story.
KD: Speaking of film versions of TV shows, if a Friends film came about, would you be into doing it?
LK: Only if the rest of the cast was in and if the right people were in. If Marta [Kauffman] and David [Crane] were writing it then why not? If it was worth doing then yes, definitely, but I really don't see that happening. Everyone's so busy. But who knows –– you never know!
