Lisa Kudrow

Born Lisa Marie Diane Kudrow on July 30, 1963 in Encino, California, she graduated from Vassar College with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology before beginning her acting career in an improvisational comedy troupe, The Groundlings.

Bit parts in movies naturally followed, but Kudrow's first big break was on television with a recurring role as Ursula, the wacky waitress on Mad About You. This led to her major starring role on Friends earning the actress a wide audience and a cult following for her character - the space cadet folksinger/masseuse, Phoebe Buffay.

While still employed on the set of Friends, Kudrow turned her attention to a movie career and scored a first hit alongside Mira Sorvino in the smash comedy, Romy and Michele's High School Reunion, followed by The Opposite Sex with Christina Ricci and Lyle Lovett, with more turns at comedy in Analyze This with Robert DeNiro and Billy Crysal (including its sequel, Analyze That in 2002) and earned more raves co-starring with Diane Keaton and Meg Ryan in the comedy Hanging Up.