Lisa Kudrow is celebrating Matthew Perry watching again Friends.
In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter published on Wednesday, Kudrow, 60, reveals that she is revisiting old Friends episodes to keep his late co-star’s memory alive. Kudrow starred as Phoebe Buffay and Perry as Chandler Bing on the beloved sitcom for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004.
“Honestly, I couldn’t watch it because it’s too embarrassing to watch yourself. But if I talk about Matthew, that’s fine,” Kudrow told the outlet. “And it’s just celebrating how hilarious he was — and that’s what I want to remember[about him].”
Perry died at his home in Los Angeles on October 28, at age 54. The Los Angeles Fire Department reported that Perry was found unconscious in a freestanding hot tub and despite efforts to revive him, he was pronounced dead before first responders arrived. The results of the autopsy indicated that Perry died due to the “acute effects of ketamine,” the LAPD told ET in a statement at the time. The actors death investigation remains openIt is can lead to charges for multiple people who supplied him with ketamine.
When Kudrow looks back on their years together Friends she is always “laughing out loud”.
“Everyone is hilarious. I’m impressed with Courtney Cox. I’m impressed Jen. Matthew, obviously, is exceptionally hilarious. No one had ever known that comic cadence or rhythm before him. Matt LeBlanc It’s hilarious. AND David Schwimmer, also. Sometimes I even laugh at what I did,” Kudrow tells the outlet with a self-deprecating laugh. “So, yeah, I mean, that’s my way of celebrating (birthdays), just by watching. But it’s embarrassing. At home, if someone comes into the room and I watch FriendsThat’s a horrible look, I think, isn’t it?”
One of FriendsThe funniest episode was “The One Where Everyone Finds Out”, in which the rest of the characters discover that Perry and Cox’s characters, Chandler and Monica, are secretly dating. After the discovery, Phoebe decides to mess with the two by trying to seduce Chandler. Kudrow says she remembers that it was LeBlanc who suggested that Joey unbutton Phoebe’s shirt in an attempt to trick Chandler.
“It’s like, ‘We have to come up with something to raise the stakes.’ And I think he was the one who said, ‘What if he just (imitates unbuttoning a shirt with one hand) … and the shirt comes open?'” Kudrow recalls the storyline with a laugh. “And they said, ‘Are you okay? wearing a bra?’ And I said, ‘A bra? It has more coverage than a swimsuit, okay.’
The joy that Kudrow felt every day with her set remains his best memory of filming Friends.
“You’re laughing all day, basically, between scenes, because these people are funny. And especially someone like Matthew, whose goal was: how many laughs can I have in real life every day? with force, tears flew from our faces”, she recalls with a smile.
Kudrow paid tribute to Perry in November in Instagram with a touching message of gratitude alongside a nostalgic photo of her and Perry.
In her heartfelt tribute, Kudrow recalled the early days of their friendship, which began during the pilot filming of Friends like ussaying, “I shot the pilot, Friends like uswas picked up and immediately, we were at the NBC Upfronts.”
Kudrow continued, “So… You suggested we play poker AND made it so much fun while we initially bonded. Thank you for that. Thank you for making me laugh so hard at something you said, that my muscles ached and tears streamed down my face EVERYONE. THE DAYS.”
The tribute continued with gratitude for Perry’s openness in navigating their six-party relationship, marked by commitment and communication. Kudrow praised her dedication to her work and expressed appreciation for the remarkable 10 years they spent together. The caption concluded with Kudrow writing, “Thank you for the time I spent with you, Matthew.”
Jennifer Aniston spoke to ET in January about how fans can honor Perry’s legacy.
“Celebrate him,” she said, smiling in remembrance.
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