Ben Winston, who directed Friends: The Reunion, divulged how Lisa Kudrow and Lady Gaga's epic Smelly Cat duet performance came about.
Amongst the most epic moments from has to be Lisa Kudrow aka Phoebe Buffay and Lady Gaga's surprise duet performance; strumming the guitar together while sitting on the trademark orange couch with Central Perk's inimitable set-up. It instilled instant nostalgia and happiness amongst loyal fans as Gaga went a step further and dressed like how Phoebe would in a multicoloured attire. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, director Ben Winston detailed how the now famous duet came along.
Shot on Day 2 of the reunion special's filming, Ben recalled telling Lisa that he "wanted a music performance" which wasn't iconic theme song The Rembrandts' . Winston had asked Kudrow "if she'd consider singing ." While the 57-year-old actress "thought it would be fun," she confessed that "she never really played guitar." Hence, a guitar was given to Lisa "to practice that morning." Moreover, Ben gave Kudrow "a list of three or four names" he "thought would be really great to duet with." However, for Winston, "Gaga was, without question, my number one."
Ben added, "And she loved the idea of Gaga. Because Gaga — and I don't think she’d mind me saying — has some Phoebe spirit in her. There is synergy between Lisa Kudrow and Lady Gaga in some way." As for the 35-year-old musician's response to the duet request, Winston recounted, "Gaga said yes in a heartbeat. She was like, 'I would love to perform in Central Perk with Lisa Kudrow.'"
And, that is how Lisa Kudrow and Lady Gaga's hilarious, heartwarming and overall perfect duet performance came to be! Could we be any happier about this fabulously flawless crossover?!
