Top 10 Lisa Kudrow Performances

#10: Maggie Naird

“Space Force” (2020-22)

Lisa Kudrow’s role in the short-lived Netflix series “Space Force” is small but intriguingly mysterious. She plays Maggie Naird, the wife of General Mark Naird, portrayed by Steve Carell, and the mother of their teenage daughter Erin. From the very first episode, viewers learn that Maggie is serving time in prison for a “very serious crime,” though the show never reveals exactly what she did. Kudrow leans into the absurdity of the premise with perfectly dry delivery, especially during Maggie’s awkward prison visits with her family. Even with limited screen time, she adds a strange emotional layer to the series, balancing warmth, confusion and deadpan humor in a way only Kudrow really can.

#9: Linda Martin

“Feel Good” (2020-21)

In Mae Martin’s semi-autobiographical Netflix dramedy “Feel Good,” Lisa Kudrow steps into a more understated kind of comedy as Linda Martin, Mae’s anxious, often overbearing mother. The show explores substance use disorder, relationships and identity, and Kudrow’s performance fits perfectly into its bittersweet tone. Linda clearly loves her daughter, but she also carries a mountain of worry, guilt and awkward attempts at understanding Mae’s life. Kudrow plays those contradictions beautifully, balancing maternal concern with dry humor and subtle discomfort. The result is a character who feels real rather than caricatured. It’s a reminder that Kudrow’s comedic instincts work just as well in quieter, more emotionally grounded storytelling.

#8: Mrs. Griffith

“Easy A” (2010)

This hilarious teen comedy gave us one of Emma Stone’s breakout performances, but let's not sleep on Lisa Kudrow, who absolutely owns every scene she's in. Kudrow plays Mrs. Griffith, the guidance counselor at Ojai North High School who becomes intertwined in the school scandal after having an inappropriate relationship with a student. Delivering sarcasm with surgical precision, Kudrow makes Mrs. Griffith unexpectedly layered. She is sympathetic one moment and completely self-serving the next. The character's personal storyline, which quietly unravels throughout the film, gives Kudrow room to show some real dramatic range. Supporting roles can easily get lost in ensemble comedies, but she ensures Mrs. Griffith is anything but forgettable. Scene-stealing is an understatement here.

#7: Lydia Morgan

“No Good Deed” (2024)

In Netflix’s dark comedy “No Good Deed,” Lisa Kudrow teams up with Ray Romano as Lydia and Paul Morgan, a married couple attempting to sell their stunning 1920s Spanish-style villa in Los Angeles. This simple real estate decision quickly spirals into chaos as prospective buyers, secrets and long-buried tensions threaten to unravel their lives. Kudrow plays Lydia with a fascinating blend of charm and simmering frustration. She captures the feeling of someone trying desperately to keep things together while everything around her slowly slips out of control. Paired with Romano’s dry delivery, Kudrow adds emotional texture and sharp comedic instincts, making Lydia a key force in the show’s tense yet funny ensemble dynamic.

#6: Laura MacNamara

“Analyze This” (1999)

Holding your own opposite Robert De Niro and Billy Crystal is no small task, but Lisa Kudrow manages it with ease in the mob comedy “Analyze This.” She plays Laura MacNamara, the fiancée of Crystal’s psychiatrist Ben Sobel, whose life becomes chaotic once Ben starts secretly treating De Niro’s anxious mafia boss Paul Vitti. Kudrow brings warmth and sharp comedic timing to Laura, who often finds herself bewildered by the increasingly absurd situations around her. Her grounded reactions help anchor the film’s wild premise and she shares easy chemistry with Crystal. Kudrow reprised the role in the 2002 sequel “Analyze That,” showing just how perfectly Laura fit into the mob-therapy universe.

#5: Fiona Wallice

“Web Therapy” (2011-15)

Leave it to Lisa Kudrow to invent one of television’s most hilariously terrible therapists. In “Web Therapy,” a series she co-created, Kudrow plays Fiona Wallice, a self-proclaimed online therapist who insists that three-minute sessions are all anyone needs to solve their problems. Naturally, Fiona has far more issues than her patients. Over the course of the series, the show reveals a long list of personal baggage – from childhood insecurities to a crumbling marriage with her husband Kip, who is secretly gay. Much of the dialogue was improvised with guest stars, giving Kudrow plenty of room to flex her razor-sharp comedic instincts. Fiona is selfish, oblivious and wildly unqualified, and Kudrow makes every moment she spends in her shoes worth our while.

#4: Lucia De Lury

“The Opposite of Sex” (1998)

Lisa Kudrow surprised critics with her dramatic chops in Don Roos’ dark comedy “The Opposite of Sex.” In this film, she plays Lucia DeLury, a sarcastic high-school teacher whose carefully controlled life collapses when the manipulative teenage half-sister of her friend shows up and throws everything into chaos. Lucia navigates betrayal, scandal and heartbreak while maintaining a razor-sharp sense of humor. Released while her juggernaut sitcom, “Friends,” was at its peak, Kudrow proved she had a much wider acting range, as she captured the character’s exhaustion and resilience with remarkable subtlety. The performance earned Kudrow widespread praise and even a Best Supporting Female nomination at the Independent Spirit Awards.

#3: Michele Weinberger

“Romy and Michele's High School Reunion” (1997)

Few comedic duos in the late '90s were as purely delightful as Romy and Michele. Kudrow plays Michele Weinberger opposite Mira Sorvino's Romy White: two blissfully oblivious best friends who panic before their ten-year high school reunion and decide to invent glamorous careers to impress their former classmates. Michele is sweet, gloriously ditzy and completely lovable, and Kudrow plays her with an infectious, wide-eyed commitment that never veers into mean-spirited territory. The film has earned full cult classic status over the years, and Kudrow's performance is a massive reason why. The comedic synchronicity between her and Sorvino remains genuinely magical to watch even today.

#2: Phoebe Buffay

“Friends” (1994-2004)

Phoebe Buffay could easily have been just the quirky friend in the corner. Instead, Lisa Kudrow turned her into one of television’s most unforgettable sitcom characters. Across ten seasons of “Friends,” Phoebe evolved from a sweetly eccentric massage therapist with a mysterious past into the group’s emotional wild card. Kudrow’s fearless comedic choices – from bizarre songs like “Smelly Cat” to Phoebe’s delightfully blunt observations – made the character endlessly unpredictable. Yet she also brought genuine warmth to Phoebe’s backstory, including her complicated family history and deep loyalty to her friends. The performance earned Kudrow a Primetime Emmy Award in 1998 and helped her stand out in an ensemble full of equally brilliant performers.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Wanda Pierce, “BoJack Horseman” (2014-20)

Kudrow Voiced This Happy-Go-Lucky Owl Executive Who Briefly Dates Bojack

Charmaine Antsler, “Booksmart” (2019)

A Brief but Warm Turn as Amy’s Sweetly Supportive Mom

Paula, “Clockwatchers” (1997)

Kudrow Ditches Sweetness for Sharp, Snarky Office Politics in This Underrated Comedy Drama

Jeanetta Grace Susan, “Death to 2020” (2020)

Kudrow Plays a Deadpan Conspiracy Pundit Who’s Very Confident... And Very Wrong

Lori-Ann Schmidt, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” (2015-19; 2020)

Kudrow Turns Kimmy’s Chaotic Mom Into Pure Comedic Absurdity

#1: Valerie Cherish

“The Comeback” (2005-26)

Nothing else in Lisa Kudrow's career quite compares to Valerie Cherish. Co-created by Kudrow herself alongside Michael Patrick King, “The Comeback” premiered on HBO in 2005 and followed a faded sitcom actress desperately clawing her way back into the spotlight via a reality TV show. The series was wickedly ahead of its time in skewering Hollywood ego, the entertainment industry's cruelty and reality television's manufactured authenticity. Kudrow's performance is a breathtaking high-wire act; Valerie is delusional, painfully awkward and yet somehow deeply sympathetic. The show was revived in 2014 to enormous critical acclaim and again in 2026 for a third and final season, earning Kudrow multiple Emmy nominations. It is widely considered the greatest performance of her career, and for very good reason.

Which of Lisa Kudrow’s roles has left the biggest impression on you? Share your favorites in the comments below!