Moments From The Friends Reunion That Are More Tragic After Matthew Perry's Death
Since news of Matthew Perry's untimely death broke, "Friends" fans have been grieving the loss in their own ways. Some started re-watching the show for some much-needed comfort. Others took to social media to share their favorite Chandler Bing moments and celebrate Perry's unparalleled comedic timing. Many watched the 2021 reunion episode and found some solace in knowing that, at the very least, the entire cast got to be together one last time.
But when the special first aired, people were concerned for Perry because he was slurring his words and didn't seem to be mentally present a lot of the time. Thankfully, there was no need for worry because his speech was a result of emergency dental surgery that took place shortly before the shoot. However, the procedure almost prevented him from taking part. When Perry spoke to ABC's Diane Sawyer, he explained, "It sounded like my voice was up ... I couldn't not show up. So, what I chose to do was just go and do the best that I could," (via The Standard).
Nonetheless, the beloved actor confirmed to Entertainment Tonight that he thoroughly enjoyed the reunion, gushing, "We've had a wonderful couple of days. It's been very nostalgic and really just heartwarming couple of days, just seeing the set, crew, and [the cast]." We're all very lucky that Perry pushed through his pain and showed up on the day because he gifted us with some emotional moments that hit that much harder now that the actor is no longer with us.
Perry discussed his close bond with his castmates
It wasn't uncommon for Matthew Perry to be asked about his bond with his "Friends" castmates, and during the reunion, he put it perfectly: "The best way I can describe it is after the show was over, at a party or any other social gathering, if one of us bumped into each other, that was it, that was the end of the night. We just sat with the person all night long." The actor continued, "You apologized to the people that you were with, but they had to understand you had met somebody special to you, and you were going to talk to that person for the rest of the night," (via Too Fab).
As he spoke, Courteney Cox and Jennifer Aniston appeared to be getting visibly emotional, and when Perry finished, he started tearing up, too. It's only natural that talking about such strong bonds stirred up a lot of emotions for the actor. When he was struggling with addiction issues while filming "Friends," Aniston was one of the first people on set to directly confront him about it, and she continued to check in on Perry over the years.
In the foreword for his 2022 tell-all memoir, Lisa Kudrow wrote this sweet message: "He has survived impossible odds, but I had no idea how many times he almost didn't make it. I'm glad you're here, Matty. Good for you. I love you," (via Us Weekly). His on-screen best friend, Matt LeBlanc, meanwhile, saw Perry as a younger brother.
The actor had just one wish for his co-stars
During the "Friends" reunion, host James Corden asked the group if they still managed to make time for each other despite their busy schedules. Lisa Kudrow confirmed, "We stay in touch for sure," adding, "Maybe not every day, but, you know, we have such a bond from having done this show and forged this very tight relationship that anytime you text or call someone, they're gonna pick up. They'll be there." But Matthew Perry drily quipped, "I don't hear from anyone!" sending his castmates into fits of laughter (via ET).
When Perry sat down with "Access Hollywood," in 2022, he gushed about Aniston, "Wonderful, she's terrific," before sharing the one wish he had for the "Friends" cast: "We don't see each other as much. I wish the group would see each other more times, but she's the greatest," (via People). Sadly, it didn't happen, but Perry did get to create some sweet memories and reminisce about the old days when he revisited the sets for the reunion.
He and co-star Matt LeBlanc got to reclaim their iconic Barcaloungers and recreate the classic scene where Joey and Chandler sit on them for the first time and let out groans of relief. The two also chatted amiably about an episode where their characters never left the chairs. While Perry recalled that he initially thought the episode would be too silly, LeBlanc knew it was a great idea, and in the end, they had a wonderful time shooting it.