Though their characters didn't interact as much as some others,
Lisa Kudrow and the late Matthew Perry clearly built a close real-life bond on
the set of "Friends." After all, she's the one he asked to write the foreword of his memoir.
From the moment their first season kicked into gear, it was clear that
something special was happening between the six main cast members on "Friends."
Their friendship wasn't just an act. It clearly extended off-camera, too.
Some pairings of the six "Friends" are more loved than others, but Chandler Bing and Phoebe Buffay
have a special place in many fans' hearts. Not only are Chandler and Phoebe near the top of
our "Friends" character ranking list, but Matthew Perry and Lisa Kudrow's characters shared some of
the most hilarious moments on the show when they were on camera together. The sardonic computer
buff and eccentric masseuse didn't have as many one-on-one scenes as other cast members, but when
they did, it was always brilliant. Their adorable off-key duet of "Endless Love" comes to mind.
Perry and Kudrow's onscreen chemistry was reflected by their offscreen friendship.
The two had a very sweet and caring friendship with one another in real life.
In an ABC News interview with Diane Sawyer,
Perry revealed that he had romantic feelings towards Lisa Kudrow while they were filming
"Friends." Perry also admitted to having crushes on Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox as well.
"It made it kind of difficult to go to work because I had to pretend I didn't have these."
In a red carpet interview from the time "Friends"
was on, Perry labeled Kudrow the funniest cast member on the show.
Knowing Perry was harboring a little crush on Kudrow just makes the scene where Phoebe
attempts to seduce Chandler that much cuter. Even though Perry had feelings for his castmates,
and he did famously ask Aniston on a date once, only to get rejected,
he did set some boundaries. In an interview with "Access," Perry claimed there was a
strict no hookup rule he and his co-stars adhered to while filming.
In 2022, almost exactly a year before his death, Perry released his memoir, "Friends, Lovers,
and the Big Terrible Thing." The bestselling book offers Perry's perspectives on his life,
including his time on "Friends," his acting career, and his experiences with addiction.
He also thanked his "Friends" costars for their continued support over the years.
A testament to how close he was and continued to be with his costars is evident in Kudrow's
foreword to the book. Kudrow writes that she didn't know how to handle Perry's addiction
when it came to light, but she did know how dangerous it could be. Kudrow wrote,
"I did come to understand that this disease relentlessly fed
itself and was determined to keep going."
Kudrow went on to say how happy she was that her
friend had pulled through the close calls detailed in the book, writing,
"He has survived impossible odds, but I had no idea how many times he
almost didn't make it. I'm glad you're here, Matty. Good for you. I love you."
Perry and Kudrow had similar thoughts about the conclusion of "Friends." In 2013,
Perry guest hosted Piers Morgan's CNN show, and of course, he had his bestie Lisa Kudrow on for an
interview. They revealed that while they do have a special place in their heart for "Friends," they
don't often watch it. Kudrow said she would occasionally watch depending on her mood.
The interview then moved to whether the show should have continued past its original 10
seasons. Perry concluded that he had a great time on set and would have loved for it to continue.
"If I had a time machine, I would like to go back to 2004 and not have stopped, you know?"
"Yeah."
Kudrow was on the same wavelength. When Perry gave her a similar scenario,
asking if she would go back in time to prevent the show from ending, Kudrow agreed that she
would have happily stuck around for more seasons. We don't think there's anyone who
would be opposed to more "Friends" episodes with these two and the rest of the ensemble.