Who Plays Kathy On Friends, And What Hulu Original Can She Be Seen In Now?
"Friends" didn't just elevate the careers of its lead stars. Over the show's 10 seasons, a revolving door of guest stars made their way into the lives of the main characters. While major players like Julia Roberts and Brad Pitt appeared in cameos, a number of other notable stars lent their talent to the NBC sitcom. Over the years, several of the show's guest stars have gone on to headline and star in their own shows, making "Friends" the perfect launchpad for some of television's most recognizable faces.
One such character who made an impression on viewers is Kathy. Remember her? She dated both Joey (Matt LeBlanc) and Chandler (Matthew Perry), a setup that led to complete and utter chaos. Kathy first appeared in Season 4, Episode 5, titled "The One With Joey's New Girlfriend." In the episode, Chandler runs into the energetic and inquisitive Kathy, a woman he feels an instant connection with at the Central Perk. The problem is, she's waiting for her date... who happens to be Joey.
Naturally, Chandler and Joey feud over Kathy, only for Joey to realize how much Kathy means to his best friend. So, Chandler and Kathy start to date and it's great, until Chandler's insecurities get the best of him, forcing Kathy to leave him. Kathy appeared in six episodes throughout Season 4 and stands out as one of the most interesting characters on the show, particularly because of her genuine intellectual connection with Chandler.
Kathy is played by Paget Brewster, an actress who has dominated the small screen for decades. Brewster has appeared in a number of award-winning, buzz-worthy shows in her diverse career, but audiences can currently find her on the Hulu Original "How I Met Your Father" in a key supporting role.
Paget Brewster is killing it as Sophie's mom in How I Met Your Father
Audiences can now find Paget Brewster as a guest on Hulu's "How I Met Your Father." A spin-off (and sort of sequel) of the CBS sitcom "How I Met Your Mother," the series follows Sophie (Hilary Duff) telling her child about her youthful adventures in New York City. While Sophie is relaying information about her love life, she's also letting her son know about the turbulent relationship she's had with her parents. In the Hulu series, Paget Brewster plays Lori, Sophie's rockstar, happy-go-lucky mom.
She first debuted as Lori in "How I Met Your Father" Season 1, Episode 5, titled "The Good Mom." The episode highlights Sophie and Lori as opposites, two butting heads who can't find common ground. Still, the love between them is apparent, making Brewster one of the standout guest stars in Season 1. In Season 2, Sophie focuses her efforts on finding her biological dad. Thanks to some sleuthing (and Lori's help), Sophie is able to narrow down the possibilities of who her dad could be. Brewster appears as Lori multiple times in Season 2 and eventually forges a relationship with Sophie's biological dad, Nick (Clark Gregg). Fans were enthusiastic about Sophie's mom and dad coming together. "I love Lori and Nick, they're cute together and I'm happy for Sophie that she finally has a Mom and Dad!" wrote Reddit user u/florentinsch on the r/HowIMetYourFather subreddit.
While it remains to be seen if the "Friends" star will return as Sophie's mom in Season 3 of the sitcom, it's clear that she's a pivotal character in her daughter's saga. And even if Brewster doesn't return as Lori, audiences can see her in a number of other projects.
Paget Brewster has appeared in Community, Criminal Minds, and more
For Paget Brewster, appearing on "Friends" was a boon. To this day, the actress remarks how she's remembered for her stint as Kathy, despite having appeared in a number of other iconic projects. "What they recognize is the voice," Brewster told TV Insider. "Because what happens is I'll be talking to someone or in a restaurant and I see a person next to me, they freeze, and then they slowly turn around and they go, 'Kathy, you're Kathy,' and it's because they recognize my voice," Brewster explained.
Of course, Brewster is Kathy to millions but Emily Prentiss to others. Besides "Friends," Brewster is best known for starring as Prentiss in CBS' "Criminal Minds." Brewster joined the iconic procedural in Season 2 and quickly became a fan favorite, appearing in dozens of episodes. Brewster has had an on-and-off again relationship with the series and, as of this writing, continues to be a series regular, thrilling fans as Prentiss for over a decade.
But Prentiss isn't all the Kathy actor is known for. Brewster has appeared in several shows, including "Two and a Half Men" and "Modern Family," but she made headlines in 2015 when she joined Season 6 of "Community" as Frankie, a character who continues to be a fan-favorite in the iconic cult series. In a chat with Variety, Brewster opened up about how she was excited to join the series, especially because she was interested in taking on a comedic role. While Brewster is currently busy as Sophie's Mom on "How I Met Your Father" and playing Prentiss on "Criminal Minds," she's still found time to headline her own series. Audiences can find the Kathy actor as the voice of the titular character in Adult Swim's "Birdgirl."