‘Friends’ Star’s Son Joins Her Show in His TV Debut

Lisa Kudrow’s son will appear on The Comeback. TV Line reports it’s Julian Stern’s on-screen debut.

Other recurring cast members include Abbi Jacobson, John Early, Barry Shabaka Henley, Tony Macht, Brittany O’Grady, and Zane Phillips. Details about their characters have yet to be disclosed. 

The show will return for its third season in 2026 on HBO and HBO Max. It marks the show’s final season.

The Comeback is a cult hit comedy from, which first debuted 20 years ago. It is a mockumentary documenting the life of Valerie Cherish (Kudrow), a washed-up sitcom actress from the ’90s, as she desperately attempts a career revival. Plot details from Season 3 are being kept under wraps. Kudrow scored two Emmy nominations for her role.

Julian has often accompanied his mother to work, but she previously admited he hasn’t always been a fan of her shows. He first watched Friends during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, she said.

“He called me up and said, ‘So I just watched the first two episodes. It’s really good, Mom,’ ” she once said, per PEOPLE. “I said, ‘Thanks.’ He said, ‘Can I ask you some questions about that?’ I’m like, ‘Yes!’ I almost started crying. I didn’t think that anyone in my family liked that show. “He was 5 when we were finished … but he did start watching when his friends at school started watching. He watched it and he was impressed.”

Julian has a love of cinematography. He earned a degree in film and television production from the University of Southern California in 2021. In January 2023, he posted about a short film he starred in, Seth’s Big Break 2, and shared some behind-the-scenes photos of himself working on the set to his Instagram account.

As an only child, he and Kudrow have maintained a close relationship. They are constantly sharing photos of one another to their respective social media accounts.