“It’s Really Comforting”: Lisa Kudrow on Watching FriendsAfter Matthew Perry’s Death.
More than two years have passed since Matthew Perry died at the age of 54, yet his presence continues to resonate deeply with fans through his unforgettable portrayal of Chandler Bing on Friends. His five co-stars from the iconic sitcom have honored him in various ways, sharing how profoundly his loss affected them. For Lisa Kudrow, revisiting the show has become an unexpected source of comfort.
Kudrow, who played the beloved and eccentric Phoebe Buffay throughout the series’ 10-season run, has long admitted that she avoided watching Friends. The reason was simple: she didn’t enjoy watching herself on screen. But after Perry’s passing, her perspective shifted. Speaking to Capital FM, she revealed that the Friends marathons airing in the wake of his death brought her solace.
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According to Kudrow, seeing Perry on screen — sharp, hilarious, and effortlessly charming — reminded her of just how funny he truly was. She even joked that he was “the funniest,” adding a lighthearted apology to the rest of the cast. For many fans, Chandler Bing’s humor has always been a highlight of the series, and it’s clear that his comedic brilliance continues to offer comfort even now.
Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry'nin ölümünün ardından Friends bölümlerini izleyerek teselli bulduğunu söyledi. pic.twitter.com/Ql6eCfVaPn
— STAmag (@stamagazine) March 30, 2026
Kudrow also shared that she never watched every episode during the show’s original run. The cast was busy filming, and she was raising a child at the time. Watching the series now feels like discovering it anew — not as an actress analyzing her performance, but as a viewer experiencing the story.
Revisiting Friends after Perry’s death also brought back vivid memories from the set, including the chaotic and famously difficult fountain opening sequence, during which Perry kept everyone laughing. Kudrow admitted that rewatching the show even helped her reconnect emotionally with her own character, sometimes bringing her to tears.
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Matthew Perry’s death was ruled an accidental drowning following a ketamine overdose, a tragic end to a life marked by both immense talent and personal struggle. Yet Perry spent much of his life helping others battling addiction, a legacy he hoped would stand alongside his work as Chandler Bing. In his memoir Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing, he expressed his wish to be remembered for the lives he touched.
What he may not have realized is just how much comfort Chandler would continue to bring — not only to fans around the world, but to the friends who knew and loved him most.
All 10 seasons of Friends are available to stream on HBO Max. Fans can also catch Lisa Kudrow in The Comeback Season 3, airing Sundays at 10:30 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.