Lisa Kudrow recently revealed that the cast of Friends reunited only once in the 17 years between the series finale and the highly anticipated reunion special.
Kudrow, who played the beloved Phoebe Buffay, shared this information on Modern Family star Jesse Tyler Ferguson’s podcast, Dinner’s on Me. She explained that the cast members, including Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc, Jennifer Aniston, and the late Matthew Perry, got together a decade after the series ended in 2004. However, this was their only reunion as a full cast prior to Friends: The Reunion, which aired in 2021.
“We only had dinner, the six of us, once since the show had ended,” Kudrow shared.
Despite the lengthy gap, Kudrow described the reunion as effortless. “It was so great that it was like, ‘We should do this more’,” she told Ferguson.
Finally, after years of fan anticipation, the cast reunited in 2021 for a one-off special. Friends: The Reunion featured the cast reflecting on their iconic roles, memorable moments, and beloved sets, appearing as themselves rather than their characters.
Kudrow’s revelation comes amidst the recent passing of Matthew Perry, who played Chandler Bing. Perry died on October 28, 2023, at the age of 54, due to complications arising from addiction.
“It shook us up, I have to say,” Kudrow admitted on the podcast.
“He (Perry) said it won’t be a surprise, but it will be a shock, and that was exactly right. So smart, that is true – it wasn’t a surprise, but it was a shock.
“It was a big jolt.
“Personally, I think he died happy. I think in the days around his passing, I think he was happy and excited about what’s happening next.”
Following Perry’s death, Kudrow has been revisiting episodes of Friends for comfort. “Schwimmer was hilarious. Matt LeBlanc was making me laugh out loud. Jennifer, come on, she’s so good, look what she just did,” Kudrow shared.
“And Courteney, oh my God, you’re hilarious. How did you never get nominated for an Emmy?
“And Matthew, of course, at the time he was blowing me away.”
She even confessed that there are still episodes she hasn’t seen. “There’s a certain amount of anxiety around watching it,” Kudrow admitted.
“I’m afraid of what my takeaway is going to be.
“When Phoebe got married and she’s walking down the aisle and has this huge smile on her face, I teared up because she was so happy, she was so honestly happy.
“It was really touching to me, she deserves to be this happy.”
Friends, which premiered on September 22, 1994, became a global phenomenon and continues to be a beloved television classic.
Want to relive the magic of Friends? Stream all 10 seasons on HBO Max.