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Alan Cumming recently shared insights into his enduring friendship with Lisa Kudrow, highlighting the special connection they’ve maintained over the years.
During an exclusive conversation with Us Weekly at the Time100 Gala on April 23, the 61-year-old actor expressed heartfelt admiration for Kudrow, who is 62. This came as Kudrow penned a touching tribute to Cumming for Time magazine’s list of the 100 Most Influential People of 2026, a gesture that left Cumming both surprised and delighted.
“I had no idea she was the one who would be writing it… They keep it a secret. It was such a pleasant surprise,” Cumming revealed to Us. “Everything she mentioned about me, I feel the same way about her.”
In her tribute, Kudrow praised Cumming for being “just as spectacular in person as he is on your television screen.” Her words highlighted not just his professional talents but also the genuine warmth and charisma he brings to personal relationships.
Reflecting on such strong bonds, one might be reminded of Jennifer Aniston’s character Rachel Green from “Friends,” who had a memorable circle of pals on-screen. Yet, even those iconic TV friendships might pale in comparison to the real-life connections Aniston shares with her co-stars, a testament to the enduring nature of true friendship, much like that of Cumming and Kudrow.
“I mean, are you kidding? He steps into the room, and you just can’t help but think, ‘Yes. Glorious,’” the Friends alum continued. “Everything about him is thrilling. And yet, there’s something about him that makes you feel like you can take a deep, calming breath whenever he’s near. He’s so fully himself — so free, so authentic — that simply being around him feels like a celebration. It’s really no wonder everyone is so drawn to him.”
Kudrow added that watching Cumming host The Traitors is “so much fun, not only because he always looks fantastic, but because he plays such a great villain.”
“The Alan I know off-screen is sweet, bubbly, and friendly,” she concluded. “He chooses joy, he chooses glee, and he sees the wonderful in everything. He’s a phenomenal person and also, luckily for us, a brilliant performer. Alan can do anything and everything, and that’s really all there is to it.”
Amy Sussman/WireImage Lisa Kudrow is keen to set the record straight. After her Friends costar, Jennifer Aniston, recently claimed Kudrow, 60, “hated” when the show’s live audience laughed during filming, Kudrow clarified her true feelings to Entertainment Tonight. “No, that’s not exactly … no, no. It irritated me if they would laugh for too long,” […]
While speaking to Us, Cumming recalled the “great connection” he made with Kudrow while they worked together on the 1997 comedy film Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion.
“And we see each other sporadically, and work together sporadically. But I just always think of her as a really good friend,” he noted.
Cumming also recalled Kudrow hosting a panel for The Traitors in 2025, adding that he was “really moved” by her appearance at the event.
“It’s a lovely thing about knowing someone for a really long time, and having it be a genuine friendship,” he concluded.
Kudrow previously gushed about working with Cumming on Romy and Michele during an interview with Vanity Fair earlier this month.
“Alan Cumming, come on. He’s such a force,” she told the outlet. “I was so thrilled that he was going to be in Romy and Michele. He was so good. And then getting to meet him — and he’s so fun and light, so down to earth, but still like a little bit of that — oh, what is it? I don’t know — joie de vivre.”