Tim Bagley remembers hilarious early Hollywood moment with Lisa Kudrow

Tim Bagley is looking back fondly on decades of friendship and collaboration with Lisa Kudrow, and he’s got a story involving wigs, mice, and plenty of laughs to prove it.

The two actors, who star alongside each other in the third season of The Comeback, reunited at the premiere at The Wallis Center in Beverly Hills on March 19.

Bagley, 68, plays Frank, while Kudrow, 62, reprises her role as Valerie Cherish in the HBO series, which explores the highs and lows of Hollywood amid social media and ongoing industry strikes.

But long before The Comeback, Bagley and Kudrow first connected at The Groundlings, the Los Angeles-based improvisation and sketch comedy school.

Bagley reflected on those early days, praising Kudrow’s intelligence and dedication to her craft from her time in improv to her iconic portrayal of Phoebe Buffay on Friends.

“She wasn’t just a dumb character,” Bagley told People. “She commits to a point of view. She’s very smart. She went to Vassar, and she’s coming from a cerebral place when she works on a character. Watching her work has always been a joy.”

Bagley also recalled one unforgettable moment from their Groundlings days.

“I hear a scream and look over,” he said. “Lisa was putting on a wig and there were mice in it! It was chaos. But she was always a trouper, always funny, learning in the trenches. That moment really sticks with me.”

Their professional paths continued to cross over the years, including the Showtime series Web Therapy, where Kudrow played therapist Fiona Wallice.