Fans are reeling after Lisa Kudrow shared shocking revelations regarding the “mean behavior” that occurred off-camera during the filming of the hit sitcom Friends.

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As most pop culture fans are aware, Lisa Kudrow and her legendary co-stars—Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Matthew Perry, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer—became household names in the ‘90s. They led the iconic NBC sitcom for 10 seasons, spanning from 1994 until 2004.

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The series was a massive commercial triumph; reports indicate the lead six stars began with a salary of $22,500 per episode in Season 1. By the time the third season rolled around, that figure had climbed to a substantial $100,000.

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By Season 9, the ensemble famously negotiated a record-breaking $1 million per episode—at the time, the highest deal ever secured for a sitcom. Most seasons featured 24 to 25 episodes, making the cast incredibly wealthy.

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Even though Friends remains a cultural phenomenon, Lisa is now exposing the darker side of the production. She recently spoke out about the mistreatment actors faced from the writing staff—specifically targeting the experiences of herself, Jennifer, and Courteney.

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In a candid interview with the Times, Lisa noted that the Friends writers’ room consisted of about 12 to 15 people, the majority of whom were men. She told the outlet: “There was definitely mean stuff going on behind the scenes.”

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“Don’t forget, we were recording in front of a live audience of 400, and if you messed up one of these writers’ lines or it didn’t get the perfect response, they could be like: ‘Can’t the bitch fucking read? She’s not even trying. She fucked up my line,’” Lisa recalled. “And we know that back in the room the guys would be up late discussing their sexual fantasies about Jennifer and Courteney. It was intense.”

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The interview also touched upon a past legal battle where writers’ assistant Amaani Lyle filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against the production. Lyle, whose role involved transcribing brainstorming sessions, was stunned by the graphic nature of the discussions regarding Jennifer and Courteney, which allegedly included crude gestures and sexual comments.

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While Amaani ultimately lost her legal case, Lisa reflected on the environment: “Oh, it could be brutal, but these guys — and it was mostly men in there — were sitting up until 3 a.m. trying to write the show, so my attitude was: ‘Say what you like about me behind my back because then it doesn’t matter.’”

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These insights have come as a shock to long-term fans who are voicing their horror online. Reacting to the interview on Reddit, one user commented: “What the fuck. And this is when Jennifer and Courtney were relatively quite powerful in the industry and you certainly didn’t want to piss them off. You know if those writers made disparaging comments about lead actors they would be fired.”

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“Good on her for speaking out about it now, can’t imagine how difficult it must’ve been for the actors to do their jobs in an environment like this,” another fan noted. Another person contributed: “Sorry to hear that, but happy that’s she’s spilling the beans, no more protecting of shitty men 🤝”

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Finally, one user simply summed up the collective frustration by stating: “men are disgusting.”

You are likely already aware of the “iPhone face” phenomenon—that modern aesthetic where an actor’s features feel far too contemporary to be convincing in a historical setting.

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There are numerous examples of this trend from the last few years. It is fair to argue that “iPhone face”—or “Instagram face”—is becoming a recurring problem as the popularity of cosmetic fillers, Botox, and bright dental veneers continues to rise among Hollywood’s elite.

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Now, we have a new evolution of the trend: “iPhone hands,” brought to you by Millie Bobby Brown.

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This week, Netflix unveiled official first-look images from Enola Holmes 3, which is slated for a July release. The photos feature Millie returning as the lead character—the mystery-solving teenage sister of the legendary Sherlock Holmes, portrayed by Henry Cavill.

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The franchise is famously set during the Victorian era. Keeping that historical context in mind, eagle-eyed fans were quick to identify some glaring inaccuracies regarding the mid-to-late-1800s costume and makeup styling.

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While there is plenty of online chatter regarding whether Millie has undergone cosmetic facial enhancements, the internet’s attention shifted downward. Fans were immediately distracted by her flawless, polished fingernails, which stand out prominently in the latest promotional stills.

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As someone who has been a regular at the nail salon twice a month for over a decade, I can spot a professional manicure from a mile away. Judging by these images, it appears Millie is rocking an almond shape with a gel finish, and likely some acrylic extensions. (If I suggested the color looks exactly like OPI’s “Bubble Bath,” would I be overanalyzing? Perhaps.)

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Regardless of the specific brand, the aesthetic is undeniably modern. Considering UV lamps and LED gel technology didn’t exist in the 1800s, fans are baffled as to how she was permitted to walk onto a period-accurate film set with such a contemporary look.

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A viral post on X, which racked up over 222,000 likes and 5.6 million views, joked: “pulling up to 1885 with a fresh gel set.” Within the replies, another user noted: “You’d think these movie executives would pay more attention to details knowing social media exists…”

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The critique was even sharper on Reddit, where users labeled the “fake nails” as “ridiculous” given the cinematic context. “Are the acrylic stiletto nails historically accurate?” one commenter questioned. “What the fuck are we doing here, girl?”

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“How was this approved?” another person asked. “Fake nails in the Victorian era?!”

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To be fair, this isn’t the first instance where a fresh acrylic set has crashed a Netflix period piece. We haven’t forgotten about Penelope Featherington’s modern glam in Bridgerton.

Aaron Tveit has played some of theater’s most iconic leading men, but his portrayal of Freddie Trumper in the Chess revival might be his most electrifying performance to date.

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If you’ve made a trip to the Imperial Theatre, you’ve witnessed Tveit’s expert command of the stage. From the cocky swagger of “One Night in Bangkok” to the raw, unraveling vulnerability of “Pity the Child,” Freddie is an incredibly layered character. Not only does the chess grandmaster walk a fine line between two contrasting personalities, but he is also one of the most vocally challenging roles in modern musical theater.

It was a true honor to interview Aaron about stepping into this demanding production and what the music of Chess means to him.

Note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

You have an incredible resume. How does the role of Freddie stand out to you compared to your past Broadway shows?

Aaron: Thank you. I’ve been very fortunate to have a varied career. I’ve never really been a performer who does just one thing. Especially in theater, I always look for complicated characters.

I think Freddie is one of the most complex characters I’ve played yet. He is dealing with severe mental health issues, and I really wanted to touch on that as authentically as possible. I had many deep conversations about that with Michael Mayer, the director, and Danny Strong, the writer. It has been a lot of work and a lot of fun to dive into those layers.

On top of the acting, the singing is easily the hardest I’ve ever done. Those two factors combined have made the Chess Broadway score quite a mountain to climb, but I’m always seeking out those challenges.

It’s been really rewarding to be four or five months into the run and still be learning things about the show and the role every day. I’ve been a huge fan of the music for a very long time, and it’s still not quite sinking in that I’m part of this revival that fans have waited so long for.

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Freddie has these two sides: the swaggering public champion and this deeply wounded person. How did you approach balancing those character traits?

Aaron: That’s a great question. It all started with his mental health. If he’s struggling with manic-depressive disorder or undiagnosed bipolar disorder, the performance is all about those extreme highs and lows.

That gave me a lot of creative license. When he’s manic and excited in the public eye, he gets to be this “rock star” in his own mind. I think there’s also a lot of deep-rooted narcissism inside of him that feeds those qualities. The double-edged sword is that when the spotlight fades, he falls really hard to the other side.

During my time in Sweeney Todd, the associate choreographer, Chelsey Arce, and I started using different colors in the script to represent Sweeney’s rage. For Chess, I used that same technique, assigning a different color to Freddie in each scene based on where he sits on that manic-depressive spectrum.

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On the swagger side of things, “One Night in Bangkok” is such a highlight. It’s a very complicated scene, especially how you jump into the pants—how much rehearsal goes into that number?

Aaron: I’m so fortunate that I’m literally lifted by five of the guys in the ensemble, while two of the women hold my pants at a very specific spot for me to get in. Honestly, I’m doing the least amount of work in that moment—it’s the ensemble that makes the magic happen every night. I’m very lucky to be supported through that, both figuratively and literally.

That number is iconic. Even people who don’t know the full plot of the musical have heard that song, so there’s a big responsibility that comes with it.

We had this idea to find Freddie as he’s off his meds and self-medicating in Bangkok. We looked at what it would be like to prop him up and get him ready for his job as an on-camera analyst. We had so much fun with the ensemble and Lorin Latarro, the choreographer, finding our own unique way to stage it. It was a massive mountain to climb.

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On the “wounded” side of Freddie, “Pity the Child” is an incredibly vocally challenging and emotional song. When you’re performing it, are you thinking technically, or are you fully in the moment?

Aaron: That’s a great question. It really depends on the day. My hope is always that I’ve done enough technical work during the rehearsal process so that the singing becomes second nature. I try to navigate the vocal hurdles before I even step into the room. If you’re constantly worried about the high notes, you can’t focus on the emotional scene work.

That being said, we do eight shows a week, and it’s grueling. There are nights—like this past weekend when the weather changed and my allergies went insane—where you have to think technically. You’re trying to figure out where to place the sound while still staying in character. It’s a “split-brain” experience.

With “Pity the Child” specifically, I’ve known the song for years, but I didn’t fully understand the weight of it until this production. It’s the first time Freddie is forced to look inside himself. Discovering that with the audience every night is fascinating. It’s the hardest song I’ve ever sung, but also one of the most rewarding.

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You’ve mentioned this is your most vocally challenging role. How do you maintain your vocal health while doing eight shows a week?

Aaron: Vocal health is everything in a long run. If you’re doing a limited engagement, you can push through, but for a long run, you have to be disciplined.

I grew up studying classical music, so I have a very solid foundation. I’ve worked with the same voice teacher in New York for 20 years. I need to know I can do the show healthily before I even start. I also find that stressing about your voice actually makes things worse.

On a daily basis, I keep my baseline health high. It sounds simple, but it’s about sleep, eating right, staying hydrated, and steaming. Avoiding too many late nights out is just part of the job.

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The cast recording is out now. What was different about recording the Chess album in the studio versus performing the show live?

Aaron: Recording the Chess cast album was incredible. Our live sound at the Imperial is great, but the studio offers a different sonic experience. You get immediate feedback in your headphones, which allows you to access different colors in your voice that might be harder to hear on stage over a live orchestra.

For “Pity the Child,” we only did two takes. Most of what you hear on the album is that second take. They turned the lights down, and it was just me and the music. It was an out-of-body experience where I felt like I was floating above myself, just grateful to be recording such legendary music.

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You have incredible co-stars, like Lea Michele and Nicholas Christopher. What’s your chemistry like off-stage?

Aaron: It’s wonderful. The cast clicked immediately. Lea and I have known each other for years, but this is our first time working together. Nick and I were in Sweeney Todd recently, but we didn’t have a full rehearsal process together like we did for this.

We all love this show so much and approach the work with the same level of intensity. Plus, between the three of us, there are five kids under the age of five! We all look at each other and know when someone has had a rough night with the kids, and we pick each other up. Bryce Pinkham is also a total blast to work with. We’re very lucky to have this group.

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Finally, what do you hope audiences take away from seeing your performance as Freddie in Chess?

Aaron: It’s twofold. First, I just want to share this incredible music that has been beloved for 40 years.

Secondly, the most rewarding part has been hearing from audience members who struggle with bipolar disorder or mental health issues. They’ve told me they felt seen by this story. I had a similar experience with Next to Normal. Mental health still carries a stigma, and if Chess can help people walk away with more empathy and an open mind, that’s the biggest reward for me.

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Thank you, Aaron, for a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at Chess on Broadway.