Lisa Kudrow walked the Emmy Awards red carpet for the first time since 2019 on Monday, accompanied by her 28-year-old son, Julian Stern, at the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. According to reports, Kudrow was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for reprising her role as Valerie Cherish in the final season of HBO's The Comeback .

The 63-year-old actress wore a custom black Celine ensemble designed by Michael Rider, featuring a floor-length gown paired with a cropped blazer, while Stern coordinated in a classic black suit and tie . The mother-son pair also attended HBO Max's Emmys after-party together following the ceremony .

This marked Kudrow's first Emmy appearance since 2019, though she remains one of the Television Academy's most recognized performers. She won an Emmy in 1998 for her portrayal of Phoebe Buffay on Friends and has accumulated 16 nominations across her career, including three for The Comeback—one for each of its seasons . In the lead actress category this year, Kudrow competed against Quinta Brunson for Abbott Elementary, Ayo Edebiri for The Bear, Elle Fanning for Margo's Got Money Troubles, and Jean Smart for Hacks. Smart ultimately won the award, making history as the first woman to take home an Emmy for every season of her series .

Stern, Kudrow's only child with husband Michel Stern, made his own television debut in Season 3 of The Comeback, playing Evan, an AI trainer who assists Valerie Cherish during a sitcom production crisis . In an interview with Deadline, Stern described the experience as a "genuine dream come true" but admitted he was nervous about working alongside his mother professionally for the first time .

"I was really nervous going in, cause I've never worked with my mom professionally like that before," Stern said. "And to be on camera with her, it's like, 'Oh God, am I gonna mess this up because I'm only gonna be able to see my mom?' But my mom, she's a great actress. And when I'm talking with my mom, I'm talking with my mom. When I'm talking with Valerie Cherish, different person" .

Stern also reflected on his character's thematic significance amid growing concerns about artificial intelligence in Hollywood. He described Evan as representing "the hope that it's not fully done," drawing parallels to past industry disruptions like reality TV's rise in the early 2000s and streaming's challenge to traditional television .

Why this matters

Kudrow's return to the Emmys red carpet underscores the enduring cultural footprint of The Comeback, a satirical mockumentary that first premiered in 2005 and gained a cult following before being revived in 2014 and finally concluding this year. The show's three-season arc—spanning nearly two decades—mirrors the shifting television landscape it lampooned. Kudrow's decision to bring her son, who also appeared in the final season, adds a personal dimension to the ceremony, highlighting how the series became a family affair. For Emmy viewers, the moment also served as a reminder of Kudrow's range beyond Friends, with her Valerie Cherish role earning consistent critical acclaim despite never securing a win .

While Kudrow left the ceremony without a trophy, her presence alongside Stern marked a meaningful full-circle moment: nearly three decades after she won her first Emmy just four months after giving birth to him, the two shared the red carpet as professional peers .