When Matthew Perry discussed his death with Lisa Kudrow
What's the story
Actor Lisa Kudrow, who played Phoebe Buffay on F.R.I.E.N.D.S, recently opened up about losing co-star Matthew Perry. Speaking on Jesse Tyler Ferguson's Dinner's On Me podcast, she recounted a heartbreaking conversation with Perry (54) before his death in October 2023. "He said, 'It won't be a surprise, but it will be a shock,' and that was exactly right. It wasn't a surprise, but it was a big jolt. It shook us up. He was so smart—how did he know?"
Emotional coping
Kudrow found solace in Perry's contentment before death
Despite the heartbreak, Kudrow took solace in knowing that Perry was happy before his death. "I think, personally, he died happy. In the days around his passing, he was happy and excited about what was happening next," she said. To deal with her grief, she returned to their days on the hit sitcom by watching reruns of the show. "After Matthew passed away, there were marathons... It felt like part of the remembering, grieving, and celebrating," she said.
Show admiration
Kudrow's newfound appreciation and unwatched 'Friends' episodes
Kudrow also said that she developed a new appreciation for her co-stars while watching reruns. "[David] Schwimmer's hilarious. Matt LeBlanc is making me laugh out loud. Jennifer [Aniston]—oh, come on! She's so good." She even admitted that there are still some episodes she hasn't seen, saying, "I'm still deciding how to work my way through them."
Cherished reunion
Kudrow reflected on the cast reunion and the show's legacy
Kudrow fondly recalled the cast's 25th reunion in 2019, their first get-together in a decade. "It was so good," she reminisced. "We'd only had dinner just the six of us once before since the show ended... But it was fantastic." Kudrow is currently promoting her upcoming Netflix show No Good Deed.