Lisa Kudrow stepped back onto the Emmys red carpet Monday for the first time in seven years, arriving at the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards at the Peacock Theater with her son, Julian Stern, as her date. According to reports, Kudrow is nominated this year for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for playing Valerie Cherish in the final season of HBO’s “The Comeback.”
Kudrow wore an all-black gown with a matching blazer, keeping her look sleek and understated. Stern, 28, coordinated in a classic black suit as the mother-son pair posed for photographers outside the venue in downtown Los Angeles.
The appearance marked Kudrow’s first Emmys red carpet showing since 2019, a notable return for an actor who has long been a fixture in TV comedy. She won an Emmy in 1998 for her performance as Phoebe Buffay on NBC’s “Friends” and has amassed 16 Emmy nominations across her career, including two earlier nominations tied to “The Comeback,” the reports said.
This year’s lead-actress comedy race is crowded with familiar names and newer breakout stars. Kudrow is competing against Quinta Brunson of “Abbott Elementary,” Ayo Edebiri of “The Bear,” Elle Fanning of “Margo’s Got Money Troubles,” and past winner Jean Smart of “Hacks,” according to the published nominee list referenced in reports.
Kudrow’s nomination is tied to a role that has become a cult favorite for comedy fans: Valerie Cherish, a former sitcom star who tries to revive her career while navigating the entertainment industry’s realities. “The Comeback,” an HBO series, has been widely recognized for its sharp satire of Hollywood and the often-unflattering behind-the-scenes dynamics of fame—an approach that grew even more resonant as reality TV and social media reshaped celebrity culture in the years after the show first premiered.
Stern’s presence on the carpet also carried a professional connection to his mother’s work. Kudrow and her husband, Michel Stern, share one child, and Julian has appeared on “The Comeback” himself. According to reports, he made his television debut in Season 3 as an AI trainer named Evan, calling the opportunity a “genuine dream come true.”
He has also shared a more personal, lighthearted memory of growing up around his mother’s awards and famous roles. Stern previously joked that as a child he viewed Kudrow’s “Friends” Emmy less as a career milestone and more as “the coolest action figure” he’d ever seen, remembering how he staged mock battles using her “Friends” bobbleheads.
Kudrow’s return to the Emmys carpet arrives at a moment when the awards show continues to evolve, with streaming platforms and premium cable increasingly dominating nominations that once largely went to broadcast networks. At the same time, legacy sitcom stars like Kudrow remain central to the ceremony’s appeal, bridging eras of television for longtime viewers and newer audiences discovering past hits through streaming.
Why this matters
Kudrow’s nomination underscores how a series can gain lasting cultural traction well beyond its original run, especially as audiences revisit older shows and elevate cult favorites into award-season conversation. Her return also highlights the way Emmy campaigns now span multiple waves of television history, with established performers competing alongside newer names from streaming-era hits. For viewers, it’s a reminder that the Emmys still serve as a rare stage where multi-generational TV fandoms meet in one night.
As the ceremony unfolded at the Peacock Theater, Kudrow’s red carpet appearance reinforced her enduring presence in TV comedy—this time with her son alongside her.
