Back in the '90s, movie and TV productions ran wild, chaotic marathons fueled by last-minute script tweaks, grueling night shoots, and zero work-life buffers, unlike today's union-backed schedules with wellness checks and structured breaks. That relentless pace defined the era, and few know it better than Lisa Kudrow, who is now pulling back the curtain on that madness.

Lisa Kudrow has pulled back the curtain on Hollywood's relentless '90s work culture. She shared how she dove back into meetings and taping just 10 days after giving birth to her son Julian in 1998.

“I had just given birth to my son, and 10 days later I was in a meeting for Analyze This,” she told CBS Sunday Morning this week. Back then, the industry offered zero maternity leave or flexibility. Schedules ruled supreme, and new moms were expected to power through. Kudrow, fresh off Friends fame, where writers even wove her real pregnancy into Phoebe's storyline, faced a whirlwind.

Her agent swore filming Billy Crystal's mob comedy would not kick off till July, but abrupt changes sent her jetting to New York. She hit The Tonight Show on day 13 postpartum, then huddled with producers, all while wrestling mild baby blues and hormonal fog. Her husband Michel Stern's French parents and her own even her own insisted a nanny could tag along.

Today, at 62, promoting The Comeback's third season with Julian, now 27, even cameo-ing, she calls it a different beast. Modern standards champion recovery time, mental health breaks, and family-first policies, realities '90s stars like her could only dream of.

“It's insane. I would never do it now,” Kudrow reflected, underscoring how far and how brutally fast Hollywood has evolved.

While Lisa Kudrow reflects on the exhausting demands of the 90s, she also critiques the current state of comedy.

Lisa Kudrow argues modern multi-camera comedies have lost their edge

Lisa Kudrow argues modern multi-camera comedies have lost their edge, shying away from the bold, jaw-dropping zingers that defined classics like Friends, Seinfeld, and 30 Rock. In a chat with Lily Tomlin, she lamented how today's shows stick to predictable gags, dodging the risky punchlines that once prompted live-audience gasps.

Back then, writers thrived on surprise, unfiltered quips about taboo topics or character flaws that hit hard and lingered. Multi-cams fed off that live energy, where actors fed off real reactions, amplifying the thrill. Now, in the streaming age, creators prioritize broad appeal over provocation, fearing backlash or cancellation.

Single-cam formats dominate with polished, character-focused humor, but Kudrow sees multi-cams as watered-down, well-produced yet toothless, missing the courage to unsettle for a bigger laugh. This critique echoes Kudrow's tales of '90s Hollywood grind, both spotlight an industry evolution: from exhaustion-fueled risks to cautious comfort.

What do you think about Lisa Kudrow remembering the tiring work culture of the 90s? Let us know in the comments.

Written by

Pratham Gurung

Edited by

Adiba Nizami