Static Media
When we think of the iconic sitcom “Frasier”, helmed by Kelsey Grammer, one of the characters that stand out is Roz Doyle, portrayed by Peri Gilpin. Unlike the character of Frasier, who was a spin-off from an existing character in the sitcom “Cheers,” Roz Doyle was a fresh and novel character. This gave the writers complete creative liberty to shape her character. They successfully portrayed her as Frasier’s witty and sarcastic radio show producer, who gradually becomes one of his closest friends.
Peri Gilpin’s enactment of Roz Doyle was so convincing that it’s difficult to visualize anyone else in this role. However, it may come as a surprise to many that the character was initially meant to be played by Lisa Kudrow. Kudrow, who was chosen for the role, was dismissed before she had a chance to film the pilot. In a recent conversation on the Smartless podcast, she referred to this incident as “heartbreaking”. During an initial pilot run-through, the director, James Burrows, was of the opinion that Kudrow’s portrayal of Roz Doyle was not up to the mark, leading to her firing.
According to Kudrow, the root cause of this decision was a casting error: “I believe there was a casting mistake because Peri Gilpin and I were both presented to the network for consideration,” she said. “I think they were just rectifying an error. Because Peri was always the perfect choice for Roz.”
In a 2023 interview, James Burrows offered more insights as to why Kudrow was let go from the show. He pointed out a scene from the pilot episode where Kudrow’s performance didn’t quite resonate as expected:
“In the scene where Frasier confronts his father, the Lupe Velez speech, which is based on the real-life story of Lupe Velez who intended to commit suicide, there was a disconnect. Kelsey is a dynamic personality and Lisa’s ethereal style just didn’t seem to fit that moment.”
Lisa Kudrow’s Success in Friends a Year Later
NBC
Comparatively, Amanda Walsh’s portrayal of an early version of Penny in the original pilot of “The Big Bang Theory” had a similar fate as Kudrow’s in “Frasier”. Kudrow’s initial interpretation of Roz Doyle wasn’t the right fit for the character. One can only imagine the disappointment Kudrow must have felt upon losing this promising role. Especially since “Frasier” continued for 11 successful seasons and had a ready-made audience, thanks to the massive success of its predecessor, “Cheers”. Kudrow was not yet a well-known actress and could have easily ended up like many others who fail to secure that one big, career-transforming role. (Amanda Walsh, for instance, did not have a breakthrough even after “The Big Bang Theory” let her go.)
However, fortune had something else in store for Kudrow. Her unique, ethereal style of acting was exactly what the creators of “Friends” were looking for in the character of Phoebe Buffay. Phoebe is arguably the quirkiest and most unpredictable character in the six-member friend group of the show. “Friends” premiered in 1994 and quickly became a hit, thanks to its strategic time slot right after the popular show “Seinfeld” and the exceptional chemistry among the lead cast. “Friends” continued its successful run for 10 seasons, and by the 9th season, Kudrow was earning a whopping $1 million per episode. Despite the initial setback with “Frasier”, Kudrow’s career took a turn for the better with “Friends”, and it’s safe to say that things worked out pretty well for her in the end.
Credit: www.slashfilm.com
