Lisa Kudrow Can ‘Enjoy’ ‘Friends’ Now Matthew Perry’s Died

Lisa Kudrow has said she can finally watch Friends now that Matthew Perry has died, saying she watches it to enjoy his performance, instead of focusing on herself.

The actress appeared on Monday’s episode of the Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend podcast, titled “Lisa Kudrow Returns,” to discuss her time on the hit show and her new Apple TV+ series Time Bandits.

On Friends, Kudrow played the quirky Phoebe Buffay and Perry played the sardonic Chandler Bing, and the beloved sitcom launched the careers of both actors. In October 2023, Perry was found dead at his home at 54 years old. In December, it was determined that his death was caused by the acute effects of ketamine, a dissociative anesthetic used as a treatment for depression and pain management.

During the podcast episode, O’Brien asked Kudrow, his longtime friend, if she was now able to enjoy the show since so many years had passed since she was on it.

Newsweek emailed a spokesperson for Kudrow for comment on Monday.

“Do you have distance on that now? Like, when you see—’cos it’s ubiquitous—when you see a Friends [episode] on, does that affect you in any way or is it just—”O’Brien asked.

“Well, I used to not be able to watch it at all. I mean, I’d see it on and be, like, mildly interested and then I’d see me and say ‘That’s enough of that, I can’t bear it,’ and then—well, listen, after Matthew died I could start watching the show again because it wasn’t about me, it had to do with him for some reason,” Kudrow explained.

“And, so I have started watching Friends. Not started like season one, you know, but there are marathons on and I have spent at times, since he died, all day long watching the show.”

Perry starred as Chandler for all 10 seasons of the hit series alongside Kudrow, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Courteney Cox and Matt LeBlanc. The show, which is one of the most popular TV series of all time, followed the lives of its six characters as they navigated love, career, and friendships in New York City.

“Especially now you can see—and you can enjoy the show, you can enjoy Matthew, you can enjoy what he’s doing,” O’Brien continued.

Kudrow added: “Everyone is phenomenally hilarious to me.”

O’Brien said he remembers a time when Kudrow called him “raving” about Perry, telling him the actor was “so funny,” admitting that there was a part of him that was jealous. O’Brien and Kudrow dated from 1988 to 1993—Friends started filming in 1994—and remain good friends.

However, the former late-night host said once he saw Perry on the show, he couldn’t help but agree with Kudrow.

“You are the funniest person I know, one of the funniest people I know … that’s just a fact. But he was such a huge—I thought that Chandler character, when I read it, I thought ‘Oh, they have a gay character. That’s good,'” Kudrow said as O’Brien laughed.

“I thought—that’s all I heard, that’s all I heard, you know? And so, at the table read, I just did a double take at him, ‘oh my God.’ I never in a million years could have envisioned anyone playing the character like that and with his own rhythm and everything, it’s his own.”

O’Brien and Kudrow agreed that Perry had “impeccable timing.”

Perry was found dead at his Los Angeles home on October 28 and laid to rest at a service for family and friends on November 3. Kudrow, Aniston, Schwimmer, Cox and LeBlanc released a joint statement two days after Perry was found unresponsive, expressing their collective grief.

“We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family,” their statement read. “There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss.”

“In time we will say more, as and when we are able. For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world.”

Each of the Friends stars later shared their individual thoughts on the huge loss.

“Shot the pilot, Friends Like Us, got picked up then immediately, we were at the NBC Upfronts. Then … You suggested we play poker AND made it so much fun while we initially bonded. Thank you for that,” Kudrow wrote on Instagram.

“Thank you for making me laugh so hard at something you said, that my muscles ached, and tears poured down my face EVERY DAY. Thank you for your open heart in a six-way relationship that required compromise. And a lot of ‘talking.’

“Thank you for showing up at work when you weren’t well and then, being completely brilliant. Thank you for the best 10 years a person gets to have. Thank you for trusting me. Thank you for all I learned about GRACE and LOVE through knowing you. Thank you for the time I got to have with you, Matthew.”