You’ve seen the episodes a million times. Phoebe Buffay is sitting on that iconic orange couch, huge with triplets, complaining about her "cravings" while the rest of the gang heads off to London. It’s one of the most famous sitcom arcs of the 90s. But for years, fans have been asking the same nagging question: was lisa kudrow's son ever on friends in the flesh, or was he just a bump in the script?
The short answer? He was there for every single take of Season 4, just not in a way that required a SAG card.
Julian Murray Stern—Lisa’s only child—is technically the most famous cast member to never actually have a speaking role. While the show featured plenty of child actors, like Cole Sprouse playing Ross’s son Ben or the Sheldon twins playing baby Emma, Lisa’s real-life son stayed strictly behind the scenes (or, more accurately, under the maternity clothes).
The Truth About the "Triplets" Pregnancy
When Lisa Kudrow got pregnant in 1997, the writers faced a massive dilemma. Usually, sitcoms just hide a pregnancy behind giant laundry baskets or very conveniently placed kitchen islands. But Phoebe Buffay isn't a "hide behind a basket" kind of character.
The producers decided to lean into the chaos. They wrote the surrogate storyline where Phoebe carries her brother Frank Jr.’s triplets. Honestly, it was a genius move. It gave Phoebe some of her most emotional material in the entire series.
But here is the catch: Lisa was only pregnant with one human being. Because Phoebe was supposed to be carrying three, the costume department actually had to add more padding to Lisa’s belly. Even though she was genuinely pregnant with Julian, she was wearing a "fat suit" on top of her actual baby bump to look large enough for triplets.
Basically, Julian spent his first nine months of existence listening to live studio audiences laugh at his mom’s jokes.
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Did He Ever Make a Cameo?
Despite growing up on that set, Julian Murray Stern never made an official onscreen appearance as a character. He didn't play one of the triplets. He wasn't a random kid in Central Perk.
He was, however, a constant fixture at the tapings. Lisa has shared stories about how the cast would huddle up before every show. In a sweet tradition, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, and David Schwimmer would include the "little fetus" in their pre-show ritual. They’d huddle and say, "Have a great show, love you, love you, love you—love you, little Julian!"
It’s kinda wild to think that he was being cheered on by the biggest stars on the planet before he could even breathe air.
The Jennifer Aniston Confusion
One of the funniest tidbits Lisa ever dropped was during a 2021 interview with Conan O'Brien. Apparently, when Julian was a toddler, he spent so much time around the cast that he got his "moms" mixed up.
He didn't really understand that the lady on the TV was the same lady in the kitchen. He would see Jennifer Aniston on the screen and shout "Mommy!" Julian was obsessed with Jen. Lisa joked that they had some "higher soul connection" because he would fly into Aniston’s lap every time he saw her on set.
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Where is Julian Stern Now?
Julian is 27 years old now—feel old yet?—and he’s stayed mostly out of the tabloid frenzy. He graduated from the University of Southern California (USC) in 2021. He’s actually following in the family business but from a different angle. He’s worked as an editor and has dipped his toes into acting, but he isn't exactly trying to be "the next Phoebe."
Interestingly, he didn't even like the show for a long time.
Lisa has admitted that Julian wasn't a fan growing up. It’s that classic "my mom is embarrassing" thing. He eventually watched it during the pandemic and admitted to his mom, "It’s actually really funny. I mean, the guys are so funny."
Lisa’s reaction? She wanted to tell him, "F*** you!" because he didn't mention her performance first. Typical mom stuff.
Why the Misconception Persists
People often confuse Julian with the actors who played the triplets:
- Dante Pastula (Frank Jr. Jr.)
- Sierra Marcoux (Chandler)
- Allisyn Ashley Arm (Leslie)
Because the timing of the real pregnancy matched the show so perfectly, a lot of casual viewers assumed one of those babies was hers. It wasn't. By the time the "triplets" were born in Season 5, Episode 3 ("The One With the Triplets"), Julian was already a few months old and definitely too big to play a newborn.
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What You Should Take Away
If you're looking for Julian Stern on your Friends Blu-ray set, stop looking. You won't find his face. But if you watch the Season 4 episodes where Phoebe is struggling to get off the recliner or yelling at the gang for being "too loud," you’re looking at a woman who was genuinely experiencing those pregnancy hormones in real-time.
Next time you’re watching the 100th episode (the one where she actually gives birth), remember that Lisa was going through the post-partum transition in real life while her character was handing those babies over to Frank and Alice. It makes that tearful goodbye scene in the hospital room hit a lot harder.
If you're curious about other Friends kids, remember that Courteney Cox was also pregnant during the very last season. Unlike Lisa, they had to hide hers because Monica and Chandler’s storyline was centered on their inability to conceive. You can actually see Courteney’s bump peeking through those baggy Hawaiian shirts in the finale.
Actionable Insights for Fans:
- Re-watch Season 4: Look for the "padding" versus the real bump—it’s actually pretty obvious once you know she’s wearing a prosthetic over a real pregnancy.
- Check out Julian's Instagram: If you want to see what he looks like today, he occasionally pops up on Lisa's feed or his own, usually looking like a perfect mix of his mom and his dad, Michel Stern.
- Listen for the "Julian" shoutouts: In some behind-the-scenes footage and blooper reels, you can occasionally hear the cast referencing "Little Julian" during their backstage antics.