Hollywood actor Lisa Kudrow recently opened up about the profound impact of the loss of her Friends co-star, Matthew Perry, following his death in October 2023. Speaking on Jesse Tyler Ferguson’s Dinner’s On Me podcast, Kudrow shared heartfelt memories of Perry and reflected on how his passing has affected her.
Kudrow recalled a poignant conversation she had with Perry before his tragic death, which was the result of an accidental drug overdose. “He said, ‘It won’t be a surprise, but it will be a shock,’ and that was exactly right,” Kudrow reflected. “It wasn’t a surprise, but it was a big jolt. It shook us up, I have to say. He was so smart—how did he know?” Despite the deep sadness of his loss, Kudrow found some comfort in the belief that Perry passed away content. “I think, personally, he died happy. In the days around his passing, he was happy and excited about what was happening next,” she shared.
To cope with her grief, Kudrow turned to Friends, revisiting the show to honor her late co-star. “After Matthew passed away, there were marathons, and I wanted to watch. It felt like part of the remembering, grieving, and celebrating,” Kudrow explained. Watching the iconic show again allowed her to gain a renewed appreciation for her co-stars’ performances. “Schwimmer’s hilarious. Matt LeBlanc is making me laugh out loud. Jennifer—oh, come on! She’s so good. And Courteney—my god, you’re hilarious. How did you never get nominated for an Emmy? And Matthew, of course. Genius. At the time, he was blowing me away,” she said.
Kudrow also revealed that there are still Friends episodes she hasn’t seen. “I’m still deciding how to work my way through them,” she admitted. “I was there for the table reads, but I didn’t always see the rewrites or the final versions. I was balancing marriage, a child, and movies.”
Reflecting on happier times, Kudrow recalled the Friends 25th anniversary reunion in 2019, when the six main cast members—Lisa, Matthew, Jennifer, Courteney, Matt, and David—came together for the first time in a decade. “It was so good,” Kudrow said of the reunion. “It felt like we didn’t miss a beat—just us at someone’s house having dinner.”
As Kudrow continues to celebrate the enduring legacy of Friends, she finds comfort in the cherished memories of her time with Perry and the rest of the cast. “It’s part of remembering, grieving, and also enjoying what we created together,” she said.