The Conners Season 7's Missing Roseanne Character Causes A Major Ending Problem Summary A casting mistake led to Lisa Kudrow being fired from Frasier , and Peri Gilpin excelled as Roz instead. Her firing from the Cheers spinoff opened the door for Kudrow to play Phoebe in Friends , launching her career. Gilpin thrived as Roz in Frasier , developing chemistry with Frasier and returning for the reboot.
Lisa Kudrow recalls being fired from Frasier after originally being cast in the role of Roz, saying "I think they did make a casting mistake." Peri Gilpin played Roz Doyle, Dr. Frasier Crane's radio producer, in all 263 episodes of the Cheers spinoff that ran for 11 seasons on NBC from 1993 to 2004, and recently returned for the revival on Paramount+. However, Kudrow was originally cast as Roz, going as far as rehearsals before it was decided that she wasn't right for the role.
During a recent appearance on the SmartLess podcast - hosted by Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett - Kudrow recalled being fired from Frasier after originally being cast as Roz. The actress remembers that "it just wasn't working" during rehearsals and admits that they made "a casting mistake" going with her originally since "Peri should've always been Roz." Read Kudrow's full comments below:
I didn't film it. I got fired from Frasier. It just wasn't working... During the run-throughs, [director] Jimmy [Burrows] was saying, like, "This isn't working, so don't even... They have to fix it." Because I was trying to, "What's not working? What can I do?" But I think they did make a casting mistake with me, because I went to the network with Peri Gilpin, and for whatever reason... I think they were just correcting a mistake. Because Peri should've always been Roz.
Frasier's Roz Casting Worked Out For Both Lisa Kudrow & Peri Gilpin Kudrow Went On To Play Phoebe In Friends Close
At the time, being fired from the Cheers spinoff felt like a huge missed opportunity for Kudrow, whose career had yet to take off. However, Roz's casting worked out for the best for both actresses. Shortly after being fired from Frasier, Kudrow was cast in Friends, another classic NBC sitcom, playing Phoebe Buffay in all 234 episodes from 1994 to 2004. If Kudrow wasn't fired from Frasier, she probably wouldn't have been able to play Phoebe, which was not only her breakout role that spawned her successful career, but is widely regarded as one of the greatest television characters ever.
Related What If Lisa Kudrow Had Played Roz Doyle On Frasier
Lisa Kudrow was originally cast as Roz Doyle on Frasier, only to be replaced by Peri Gilpin - but how would Kudrow's Roz have changed the show?
Kudrow struggled in the role of Roz during rehearsals since the show was looking for an actress with a more authoritative presence, as the radio producer is often assertive and exerts control over Frasier at KACL. Kudrow simply wasn't the right fit for Roz, though she was much better suited for Phoebe, who is much less assertive and more of a quirky, free-spirited, and eccentric personality. For her performance as Phoebe, Kudrow was nominated for six Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, winning once.
Kudrow's firing from Frasier allowed them to hire Gilpin, their second choice for Roz. She ended up thriving in the role, perfectly portraying Roz's signature bluntness and sarcasm, while also developing a professional respect and shared sense of humor with Frasier, growing closer over the course of the series. Gilpin recently reprised her role for a guest appearance as Roz in the season one finale of the Paramount reboot and is also set to return in Frasier season 2.
Source: SmartLess
Frasier 4.5
Fraiser is a comedy-drama sitcom that stars Kelsey Grammer as a psychiatrist who takes up the role of a radio show host in Seattle after his life in Boston is upheaved. A spin-off of the series Cheers, Fraiser follows the titular character adjusting to the single life while caring for his father (a retired police officer,) his brother, and other eccentric co-workers.