'Friends' alum Lisa Kudrow returns as Valerie Cherish for her final season of 'The Comeback.'
Lisa Kudrow attends the Los Angeles Red Carpet Premiere of HBO Original Comedy Series "The Comeback" at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 19, 2026 in Beverly Hills, California.
The beloved star of “The Comeback” returns in the third and final season, premiering Sunday, March 22 on HBO and Max. Fans can expect eight episodes full of laughter, awkward moments, and even an AI-generated sitcom plot that puts Valerie’s charm front and center. At a press conference on March 19 at the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank, Calif., Kudrow spoke with PauseRewind entertainment reporter Courtney Tezeno and other press members, reflecting on both Valerie’s journey and her own career. When asked which fictional sitcom character she would come back as, Kudrow laughed and then revealed, “Fictional sitcom character, who would I choose? Wait, I know there's an answer. I know I've felt it: Frasier.” Actor Kelsey Grammer as Frasier Crane in NBC''s television comedy series "Frasier." Episode: "Mary Christmas" - As excitement builds over his hosting the holiday parade, Dr. Frasier Crane hosts his radio show. Tezeno followed up, asking the reason for choosing Kelsey Grammer's famous psychiatrist Dr.Crane, and Kudrow admitted with a chuckle, “I don’t know maybe self-aware, but not smart.” The exchange highlighted Kudrow’s trademark humor and self-awareness, something the actress says separates her from her on-screen alter ego, Valerie. The conversation also turned to Valerie’s challenges this season, including media backlash and industry scrutiny. Kudrow shared her perspective on how she would react in Valerie’s shoes, “What is there to do except take a deep breath, try to regroup?” she said. { }L-R: Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Courteney Cox Arquette And Matt Leblanc.{ } The actress, known for her role as Phoebe, drew on her experience with the intense press coverage of “Friends,” noting, “We got together and just said, all right, we have to just head down, stop doing press, and just do our work.” Michael Patrick King, Lisa Kudrow, Amy Gravitt, EVP, Comedy Programming, HBO and Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO, HBO and Max Content attend the Los Angeles Red Carpet Premiere of HBO Original Comedy Series "The Comeback" at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 19, 2026 in Beverly Hills, California. BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 19: Series creator Michael Patrick King added insight into Valerie’s evolution, noting that this season explores her knowledge of the industry and her ability to support fellow actors while still navigating her own spotlight. “She knows stuff about her business. She knows about TV. She knows her craft,” King said, emphasizing Valerie’s growth from desperate rising star to savvy professional. Kudrow also shared a personal highlight of the season was acting alongside her son Julian who made his acting debut. “That was heaven. And a little bit of guilt because I forgot that he was my son. He was Evan talking to Valerie. Like, yes, that’s great,” she laughed. Julian Stern, Lisa Kudrow and Michel Stern attend the Los Angeles Premiere of HBO's "The Comeback" at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 19, 2026 in Beverly Hills, California. She continued to reflect on bringing him to set as a child. “We're on Stage 24, and I have a picture of him at two years old in the craft service kitchen washing his hands. And then there he is back and acting, oh my God.” Lisa Kudrow and Julian Murray Stern attend the Los Angeles Red Carpet Premiere of HBO Original Comedy Series "The Comeback" at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 19, 2026 in Beverly Hills, California. When asked about the possibility of a fourth season, both Kudrow and King were clear: “It’s a trilogy,” firmly shutting down the idea, and adding that unless an “extinction level event” somehow intervenes. Fans can catch the final eight episodes of “The Comeback” starting Sunday, March 22, at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and Max, for a last look at Valerie Cherish’s hilariously chaotic world.Savannah Guthrie returned to Instagram with her first post in nearly three weeks amid the ongoing search for her 84-year-old missing mother, Nancy.Elon Musk offered to pay the salaries of Transportation Security Administration workers amid the ongoing government shurdown.He shared the news on X, whiAn abandoned dog rescued by police after being left tied to a fence in the rain for more than a day has found a permanent home with the officer who saved him, AA multi-state sex trafficking scheme was first uncovered in Bellevue when a retired police officer working security noticed an unusually high number of men visiA federal judge said Thursday he will rule in favor of Washington state and a coalition of 20 other states and the District of Columbia, blocking what they call
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