LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actress Lisa Kudrow says she was never really cut out to play naive young women.

Luckily, she hasn’t had to in a busy post “Friends” career that has seen her become a viable force as an actress and producer in television, Internet and independent film.

“Let’s face it, I was never a great ingenue to begin with,” said Kudrow, now 46. “I always knew I’d have to do either my own stuff or play interesting character roles.”

Kudrow gained fame playing ditzy blonde Phoebe on “Friends” for 10 years. By the time the show ended in 2004, the cast was earning a $1 million dollars each per episode.

This paycheck made Kudrow and her co-stars Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox not only the highest paid TV actresses of all time but gave them the luxury of choice in the future.

“That show did nothing but afford us opportunity forever after,” says a grateful Kudrow.

Kudrow’s latest movie is alongside Jeff Daniels, Ryan Reynolds and Emma Stone in the independent movie “Paper Man,” which opens in U.S. movie theaters on Friday.

“This was a better version of the (traditional) wife character,” says Kudrow. “I liked the idea of how one girl’s charming guy is a wife’s huge burden.”

GIVING BACK TO TELEVISION

Film work is just one facet of Kudrow’s busy professional life.

She recently executive produced and appeared in the genealogy TV reality series “Who Do You Think You Are?”. The NBC network has already picked it up for a second season.

It is based on the long running British documentary series of the same name where celebrities journey to trace his or her family tree.

“I’m really proud to have brought the show to the U.S. and that it’s my contribution to television,” says the actress, whose own episode was not without trepidation.

Learning about her Jewish heritage involved visiting an Eastern European concentration camp where her great-grandparents and others family members were massacred. It’s a trip she had avoided in the past, preferring to keep “an emotional distance because it’s too overwhelming to know that that kind of horror exists.”

The experience brought many feelings to the surface before Kudrow ultimately made peace with the reality of what happened to her family.

“What’s important is that I survived it and I’m here to carry on,” she said.

In carrying on her family name and heritage, the actress has made her own history in the entertainment industry.

During the “Friends” 10-year run, Kudrow got married, had a son, and starred in such films as “Analyze This,” and “Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion” among others.

Today, her improvisational acting chops are showcased on-line in the web series, “Web Therapy,” which is now in its third season. Kudrow plays a not-very-professional therapist who conducts sessions via web cam.

Earlier this year, Kudrow reunited with “Friends” co-star Cox as a guest on Cox’s ABC television comedy “Cougar Town.”

“At first I wondered what that would be like because it wasn’t Monica and Phoebe anymore,” she says. “But we didn’t miss a beat.”

(Editing by Jill Serjeant)

The entire team of “Cougar Town” is running behind Jennifer Aniston to rope her in for the sitcom. The associates of the US television sitcom want Jennifer to be a part of the show by making a guest appearance. But does Jen approve the idea?

E!Online and Hispanic Business report that the crew members of the sitcom “Cougar Town” are eager to see Jennifer Aniston to make a guest appearance in the US television sitcom which premiered on ABC on 23rd September 2009.

Bill Lawrence of “Cougar Town” says that he wishes to see Aniston in a guest appearance. Similar are the thoughts of Busy Philipps who wants to act with Jennifer in the TV series. During the 31st Annual College Television Awards in Hollywood, Philipps told that she had known Aniston through Courteney Cox and felt that Jen was the perfect costar.

With the hope and wish of the entire cast and crew of “Cougar Town”, how about Jen really agreeing to work in the show? Wouldn’t it be just great to catch Courteney and Jennifer together once again after the mega-serial “Friends”?

Cox, 45 and Aniston, 41 have worked together as costars for one of the most successful American sitcoms, Friends. And both are good friends on personal front too. Both Cox and Jennifer have always maintained to be pretty close to each other since long and there seems to be a good chemistry between the two.

Cox plays a recently divorced single mother of a teenager and wants back love in her life. She is a successful real estate agent in Florida who wants to date younger men but ends up men of her own age! She is optimistic about finding true love for herself someday.

With Jen’s entry into the show, it might take a completely new twist in the plot for a better response and raised TRP. After all who wouldn’t love to watch Jen more frequently?

The final episode of long-running comedy Friends has been named TV’s biggest tearjerker in a new poll.

Even as reports suggest a cast reunion for a big screen version of the sitcom, it has emerged that fans shed the most tears when the six friends ended their decade-long run on TV, reported Daily Mail online.

The highly charged moment as the pals in the American show handed back apartment keys and viewers said goodbye to Joey, Chandler, Ross, Monica, Rachel and Phoebe was ranked the most emotional moment in TV.

However, the British soap EastEnders claimed the biggest share of places in the top ten with four sob-laden entries in the poll for Freeview HD.

The poll found 60 per cent of women enjoy a regular cry while watching TV, while the men who took part proved to be an even softer touch with 79 per cent saying they cried once a week.

During the the series’ run, pop psychologists have “prattled” about the cultural impact of Friends, with the producers laughing, “It’s only a TV show.”

Aniston’s hairstyle was nicknamed “The Rachel”, and copied around the world. Joey’s catchphrase, “How you doin’?”, has become a popular part of Western English slang, often used as a pick-up line or when greeting friends.

The series has also impacted on the English language, according to a study by a linguistics professor at the University of Toronto. The professor found that the characters used so as an adjective more often than other intensifiers, such as very and really.

The professor believed that although the preference had already made its way into the American vernacular, usage on the series may have accelerate the change. Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States, ratings increased 17% over the previous season as viewers tuned in for comfort.

The Central Perk coffee house, one of the principal settings of the series, has inspired various imitations worldwide. In 2006, Iranian businessman Mojtaba Asadian started a Central Perk franchise, registering the name in 32 countries. The decor of the coffee houses are inspired by the one in Friends, featuring replica couches, counters, neon signage and bricks.

The coffee houses also contain paintings of the various characters from the series, and televisions playing Friends’ episodes. James Michael Tyler, who plays the Central Perk waiter in the series, Gunther, attended the grand opening of the Dubai cafe, where he worked as a waiter.

 As part of a museum exhibit at Warner Bros. Studios, Central Perk was rebuilt and shown on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in October 2008. Lisa Kudrow revisited the set for the first time after the series finale in 2004

 Here are some of our favorite quotes from Joey, Rachel and the gang!!

“Welcome to the real world! It sucks! You’re going to love it!”
- Monica, to Rachel in The One Where Monica Gets a Roommate

“‘You’re such a nice guy’ means ‘I’m going to be dating leather-wearing alcoholics and complaining about them to you.’”
- Chandler in The One With the Thumb

“Pheebs, who’s George Stephanopoulos?”
“That’s Big Bird’s friend.”
- Rachel and Pheobe in The One With George Stephanopoulos

“You’ll find someone. I know you will. The right woman is just waiting for you.”
“That’s easy for you to say. You found one already.”
- Carol and Ross in The One With the Candy Hearts

“Guys, guys, guess what, guess what?”
“Hmm, I don’t know…the fifth dentist caved and now they’re all recommending Trident?”
- Rachel and Chandler in The One With All the Poker

“I figured after work, I’d pick up a bottle of wine, go over there, and try to…woo her.”
“Hey, you know what you should do? Take her back to the 1980’s when that phrase was last used.”
- Ross and Chandler in The One Where the Monkey Gets Away

“Stop being so testosteroney!”
“Which, by the way, is the real San Francisco treat.”
- Phoebe and Chandler in The One With the Evil Orthodontist

“If I wanna get the money, I’m not allowed to conduct any personal experiments, if you know what I mean.”
“Joey, we always know what you mean.”
- Joey and Monica in The One Where Rachel Finds Out

“Let me get this straight. He got you to beg to sleep with him, he got you to say he never has to call you again, and he got you thinking this was a great idea?”
“Mm…hmm.”
“This man is my god!”
- Joey and Phoebe in The One Where Ross Finds Out

“Hey, hey, check it out! Guess what I got!”
“Rhythm?”
- Joey and Chandler in The One With Russ

“What are you getting so bent out of shape for? It’s not like we agreed to live together forever. We’re not Bert and Ernie!”
- Joey in The One Where Joey Moves Out

“You know what’s weird? Donald Duck never wore pants. But whenever he’s getting out of the shower, he always put a towel around his waist. I mean, what is that about?”
- Chandler in The One Where No One’s Ready

“Quick! How do you get a chick out of a VCR!?”
- Chandler in The One With a Chick and a Duck

“Monica Im quitting, I just helped an 81 year old women put on a thong and she didnt even buy it!”
- Rachel in The One With Rachel’s Crush

“Phoebe, there is no secret, okay? I didn’t propose!”
“Are you lying? Is this like that time you tried to convince us you were a doctor?”
- Ross and Phoebe in The One Where No One Proposes

“If you don’t like this one, I can find you a better one,” (looks around restaurant) “Mike, Mike!”
- Joey in The One Where Emma Cries

“Did I leave the stove on?”
“You haven’t cooked since 1996!”
- Rachel and Ross in The One With Phoebe’s Birthday Dinner

“You got a manny!?”
- Chandler in The One With The Male Nanny

“So let me get this straight. My friends die, then we get Emma, then my wife dies, then Emma, the one tiny ray of hope left in my life gets taken away from me?!”
“Now there’s your movie!”
- Chandler and Phoebe in The One With Rachel’s Other Sister

“Emma is the product of a bottle of Merlot and a 5 year old condom.”
- Monica in The One With Rachel’s Other Sister

“What is the difference between beer and lager?
“I don’t know. We could look it up.”
“Thing’s are about to get wild.”
- Mike and Ross in The One With Rachel’s Phone Number

“No, I want you to have a job that you love. Not statistical analysis and data reconfiguration.”
“I quit, and you learn what I do?”
- Monica and Chandler in The One Where Rachel Goes Back To Work

“You really think she’s hot?”
“Are you kidding? If I wasn’t married she’d be rejecting me right now.”
- Rachel and Chandler in The One With Phoebe’s Rats

“If she wants to go out there kissing guys that she barely knows, then so will I!”
- Ross in The One Where Monica Sings

“They shouldn’t be having S-E-X around the B-A-B-I-E!”
- Joey in The One With The Blind Dates