Friends Star Lisa Kudrow Opens Up About How Matthew Perry’s Death Has Changed Her Attitude Towards The Show

Lisa Kudrow has revealed she’s found herself rewatching old episodes of Friends since the death of Matthew Perry last year.

Since the much-loved sitcom came to an end in 2004, the Emmy winner has claimed she’s long avoided watching Friends, as she doesn’t enjoy watching her work back on screen.

“I might not like myself [on the show], so I’d rather not risk that,” she told Entertainment Tonight back in 2019.

However, she’s apparently had a change of heart since her co-star died in October 2023.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Lisa explained: “Honestly, I wasn’t able to watch it because it’s too embarrassing to watch yourself. But if I make it about Matthew, then that’s OK.

“And it’s just celebrating how hilarious he was – and that is what I want to remember.”

Lisa noted she consistently finds herself “laughing out loud” while revisiting Friends, saying: “Everyone is hilarious. I’m blown away by Courteney Cox. I’m blown away by Jen. Matthew, obviously, is just uniquely hilarious. No one ever knew that cadence or comedic rhythm before him.

“Matt LeBlanc is hilarious. And David Schwimmer, too. Sometimes I even laugh at what I’ve done.”

“But it’s embarrassing,” she added. “At home, if anyone walks in the room and I’m watching Friends, that’s a horrible look, I think, don’t you?”

Asked how she wanted her co-star and friend to be remembered, Lisa explained: “I think the world is remembering him the way he wanted to be remembered. I think that’s happening.”

Matthew was found dead at his home in California, at the age of 54 in October 2023.

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner later declared that the actor had died from the “acute effects of ketamine”, with contributing factors to the accidental death including drowning, coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine, a drug used in the treatment of opioid addiction.

Following his death, an old interview resurfaced in which Matthew said he hoped he would be remembered for helping those struggling with addiction, having been candid about his own substance abuse issues throughout his time in the public eye.

“The best thing about me, bar none, is if someone comes up to me and says, ‘I can’t stop drinking, can you help me?’ I can say, ‘yes,’ and follow up and do it. That’s the best thing,” he said in 2022.

“And I’ve said this for a long time – when I die, I don’t want Friends to be the first thing that’s mentioned. I want that to be the first thing that’s mentioned, and I’m going to live the rest of my life proving that.”

Days after the news of Matthew’s death broke, the five core members of the Friends cast issued a joint statement, saying they were all “utterly devastated”.

Each of them later shared more personal individual tributes, with Lisa’s centring around her memories of Matthew making her laugh so hard “that my muscles ached, and tears poured down my face EVERY DAY”.