In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in May 2026, American actress, producer, and screenwriter Lisa Kudrow made a strong statement about artificial intelligence. Known worldwide for her role as Phoebe Buffay in "Friends," she expressed her concerns about the increasing use of generative AI in the film and television industry. Her comments add to the growing number of voices from actors alarmed by the increasing presence of this technology in Hollywood.
A measured, but firm statement
When asked about her concerns regarding the use of her digital image, Lisa Kudrow didn't mince words. "Yes, it scares me. I don't know, AI is a tool, but generative AI technology is very different from people who just enjoy creating fan art or fan fiction," the actress stated. She continued with an important nuance: "The problem is when they can monetize that and create something that can be used however they want. Or when studios decide to use your image as they see fit."
And, regarding the posthumous use of an actor's image, he added: "But they need the estate's permission if someone dies. That worries me. It really does." This is a particularly relevant issue now that several actors have had their images used without their consent in fraudulent AI-generated advertisements.
A third season of "The Comeback" mirroring the debate
This stance is no coincidence. It falls directly within the context of the third and final season of "The Comeback," the cult HBO series that Lisa Kudrow co-created with American writer, director, and producer Michael Patrick King. Airing since March 22, 2026, this final season features her character, Valerie Cherish, now the star of a new sitcom… entirely written by AI.
“When we did the very first ‘Comeback’ 20 years ago, it was about the threat of reality TV; then the next time, it was about streaming; and this time, it’s AI,” Michael Patrick King explained to TheWrap. For Lisa Kudrow, this season acts as a mirror to the current debate: “There are going to be a lot of corrections. The use of AI, then a lot of corrections, and then we’re going to need humans. I think so.”
A debate that goes beyond Hollywood
Lisa Kudrow is not the only one alarmed. During an appearance on the "Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard" podcast, she had already confided that Robert Zemeckis' film "Here," where Tom Hanks and Robin Wright appear at different ages thanks to AI, had amplified her concerns: "All I took away from it was: it's an endorsement of AI. It's not that it's going to ruin everything, but what will be left?"
Beyond Hollywood, actress Lisa Kudrow questions the overall societal impact of this technology: "What kind of work will be left for human beings? And then what? Will there be some kind of basic income, will we no longer have to work? How can that be enough?" This reflection echoes that of other figures in the film industry, such as American actress, producer, and director Demi Moore, and British-American actress Katherine Waterston, the latter deeming AI "terrifying," both for Hollywood and other sectors.
By clearly expressing her concerns, Lisa Kudrow is contributing to a major debate that is currently sweeping through the entire entertainment industry. Between questions of rights, consent, and professional future, AI has become, in her own words, "a subject that will require a lot of corrections."
