What Co-Stars Said About Working With Matthew Perry

Lisa Kudrow was charming as Phoebe in Friends - someone who was quirky and often marched to the beat of her own drummer. Yet beneath all the whimsy was a complicated personality, and Kudrow deserves a great deal of credit for bringing out the many shades of Phoebe’s character. 

However ditzy Phoebe might've been, Kudrow has been very clear-eyed about her colleague’s struggles, even as she recognized Perry’s undeniable gift for comedy and getting a laugh. In an interview with The New York Times, she stated: 

When Matthew was sick, it was not fun. We were just hopelessly standing on the sidelines. We were hurting a lot. Matthew is one of the funniest people I've ever met in my life. He's charming and hilarious. Most of our hard laughs came from Matthew.

Given the long run and success of Friends, it’s understandable many cast members would have seen Perry at both his best and his worst. Over the years, his colleagues would speak openly about their love and worry for their friend and co-star. 

Jennifer Aniston, for example, said the late actor was “one of the most sensitive people I’ve ever met.” Furthermore, like many others, she admitted:

I didn't understand the level of anxiety and self torture [that] was put on Matthew Perry, if he didn't get that laugh, and the devastation that he felt… Which makes a lot of sense.

Kathleen Turner infamously portrayed Chandler’s parent, a transgender woman named Helena, for a three-episode arc in Friends. While the character was the butt of several unfortunate jokes - something for which the co-creator has apologized on several occasions - Turner’s performance continues to receive praise, and many younger viewers are more familiar with this role than her earlier film roles in the 1980s and '90s. 

She's also had her own history with addiction, and had kind words when she learned of Perry's passing. In addition to reminiscing about how he would continue to visit her and jokingly refer to her as “dad,” she also remarked on his inner warmth: 

I liked him. He had a good sense of humor and a good heart. He liked other people, which, to me, is terribly important, especially for an actor.

In addition to being about friendship, Friends is very much about the unexpected romances that flourish among people in their 20s as they try to figure out their lives and loves. Few viewers could have predicted Monica and Chandler getting together, but, once they did, it’s impossible to deny the palpable chemistry between the characters and the actors. The two just seem to fit naturally together, so it’s no wonder they became one of the series’ most beloved couples. 

Cox, like the other cast members, was very aware of Perry's struggles, but she also praised his “ability to show very raw emotion and make close connections with his audience,” which to her helped explain why he was such a popular character. She also praised his work in the series Go On, stating: 

I loved that Matthew found a way to make his character relatable by showing vulnerability in the personal struggles he was facing.

Even though Perry was best-known for appearing in Friends, he also had a small but diverse filmography. He particularly flourished in the romantic comedy, and in 1997 appeared in Fools Rush In with Salma Hayek. Although the film hits all the familiar beats of the genre, there’s potent chemistry between Hayek and Perry, and the two apparently shared a strong bond on-set. 

In fact, upon hearing of Perry’s untimely passing, Hayek reflected on the nature of their relationship both on the set of Fools Rush In and subsequently: 

There is a special bond that happens when you share dreams with someone, and together you work towards them… Throughout the years, he and I found ourselves reminiscing about that meaningful time in our lives with a deep sense of nostalgia and gratitude.

Before his retirement from acting, Bruce Willis was one of the most respected action stars of his generation. However, while he might be well-known for appearing in such films as Die Hard, he was also remarkably talented when it came to comedy, including his appearance on Friends. 

Interestingly, he only appeared on the show because, as he bluntly put it, "I lost a bet to Matthew Perry.” Apparently the two had engaged in a bit of betting on the set of 2000's The Whole Nine Yards, with Perry arguing the film would be a box office hit, and Willis taking the opposite view. 

Obviously Willis lost, and he ended up appearing in three episodes of Friends as Paul Stevens, who debuts as the father of one of Ross’s girlfriends before he starts dating Rachel. It would earn Willis an Emmy.