Jennifer Aniston does not see a world where Friends the cast could have a reunion without Matthew Perry.
“It would literally, physically be impossible,” Aniston, 56, said of taking on a potential project. Friends cover or remake without Perry in an interview with Harper’s Bazaar published on Wednesday October 8.
Perry died of an accidental ketamine overdose at the age of 54 in October 2023. Before his tragic passing, the actor spoke candidly about his struggles with depression and drug addiction.
“It’s heartbreaking that he had so many demons,” Aniston mused about her late partner. “But boy, for someone who had so much inner turmoil, he sure had a lot of laughs, and that was it for him.”
Aniston and Perry starred in Friends alongside Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, Courtney CoxAnd Matt LeBlanc. The beloved comedy ran for 10 seasons before ending in 2004.
“Friends I completely formed who I was,” Aniston told the outlet about what the show meant to her. “It was pure joy. I looked forward to it every day.
She added that it was the bond between her and her classmates that made Friends so special.
“There’s something about the chemistry of the cast that created a lightning-in-a-bottle moment,” she mused. “And it turned out to be filmed.”
David Schwimmer, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matthew Perry, Lisa Kudrow and Matt LeBlanc
NBC/NBCU Photo BankFriends has seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years thanks to streaming, as a new generation of fans have loved the series. Aniston exclaimed how inspiring it was to hear that Friends had become people’s comfort show.
“People will say they watch episodes to improve their mental health – that if they’re stressed about the news or the world, they’ll just sit down and watch a Friends episode,” she said Harper’s Bazaar. “And that’s the ultimate compliment.”
After being on hiatus for nearly two decades, the cast of Friends reunited in 2021 for an HBO Max special called Friends: Reunion. The whole group revisited the setting and returned to the filming of the series. This was Perry’s last on-screen appearance.
When news of Perry’s death broke in October 2023, his former teammates released a joint statement reacting to his death.
Jennifer Aniston made a rare comment while watching her Friends costar Matthew Perry struggle with his addiction for decades before his tragic death. “We did everything we could when we could,” Aniston, 56, said in a lengthy Vanity Fair profile published Monday, August 11. “But it was almost like we had been mourning Matthew for a while. […]
“We are all completely devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just comrades. We are family,” the Friends cast said in a joint statement to Us every week. “There is so much to say, but for now, we are going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss. As time goes on, we will continue to say more, as much as we can. For now, our thoughts and love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world.”
Perry’s comrades all attended his funeral alongside his loved ones the following month. The service was held at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, near Warner Bros. Studios. where Friends was filmed.
After experiencing this tragic loss, Aniston, Cox, LeBlanc, Kudrow and Schwimmer all shared personal tributes in Perry’s honor.
“I’m so grateful for every moment I had with you Matty and I miss you every day,” Cox, who played Perry’s love interest on the show, wrote via Instagram in November 2023. “When you work with someone as close as I did with Matthew, there are thousands of moments I wish I could share. For now, here’s one of my favorites.”
