Courteney Cox Admits Nomination for Friends Reunion Is 'Not Exactly the Emmy I Was Looking for'
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Courteney Cox is getting candid about her Emmy track record.
The actress, 57, is the only member of the core Friends cast to not receive a nomination during the comedy's 10-season run on NBC from 1994 to 2004. Earlier this month, however, Cox was recognized as an executive producer when HBO Max's Friends: The Reunion was nominated for outstanding variety special (pre-recorded).
Speaking with Entertainment Weekly Wednesday, however, the star said the long-awaited nomination isn't exactly what she anticipated.
"Honestly, I am so happy that the reunion has been recognized because I think it's terrific. [Director] Ben Winston did a great job and all of his crew. That's not exactly the Emmy I was looking for. I'm being honest with you," she said.
"I'm so happy to be a part of it. I'm so thrilled that I got to do it onstage back at that same studio, the same Stage 24, with those incredible people that I love so much," added Cox. "And I'm so thrilled, but that Emmy [nomination] really belongs to Ben Winston. … So yes, I'm so happy. But when I was on Howard Stern, I wasn't talking about that."
When she was on The Howard Stern Show last month with Friends costars Jennifer Aniston and Lisa Kudrow, Cox admitted it "always hurt my feelings" to be overlooked for awards attention while her cast mates were honored: "When every single cast member was nominated but me, it definitely hurt my feelings. I was happy for everybody, and then when it was finally like, 'Oh, I'm the only one?' It hurt."
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Cox added of still being supportive of her friends and scene partners receiving accolades, "I want them to win. ... I've never wanted to take anything away from anyone. I just sometimes want to be included in certain things … and these girls on the show and the guys, everyone deserved every [nomination]."
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She joked that if she did win an Emmy, she would store the trophy "in my purse" and "take it everywhere."
The Friends reunion special, which premiered in May, was also recognized in three other categories for the awards this year: outstanding production design for a variety special, outstanding directing for a variety special, and outstanding lighting design/lighting direction for a variety special. The Emmys will air in September.
Following the nomination news, Cox wrote on Instagram, "The one where we are incredibly grateful to the Academy for this honor and especially thankful for @mrbenwinston and his entire team for their outstanding achievement."
