Lisa Kudrow Finally Breaks Silence On Matthew Perry Death
By Afouda Bamidele on November 15, 2023 at 3:05 PM EST
Updated on November 15, 2023 at 8:25 PM EST
Lisa Kudrow has finally broken her silence on the death of her beloved pal and "Friends" co-star Matthew Perry.
Kudrow opened up about her unique bond with the late actor, making her the last of the "Friends" cast to publicly mourn Perry's passing.
Lisa Kudrow Says She Bonded With Matthew Perry After The Show's Pilot
"Shot the pilot, Friends Like Us, got picked up then immediately, we were at the NBC Upfronts," Kudrow recalled alongside a Polaroid of her and Perry wearing bright smiles shared on Instagram.
Adding, "Then…You suggested we play poker AND made it so much fun while we initially bonded. Thank you for that."
The iconic actress then discussed how Perry always made her laugh, something the rest of the cast addressed in their tributes. "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.'"
Kudrow, who played the role of Phoebe Buffay, referenced her late co-star's addiction battle while they were filming "Friends," writing, "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."
Kudrow appreciated Perry for "trusting" her, adding that she "learned about GRACE and LOVE through knowing" Perry. "Thank you for the time I got to have with you, Matthew," she concluded the heartfelt tribute.
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Kudrow was present at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles’ Hollywood Hills neighborhood alongside her co-stars for Perry's funeral.
Hours before her heartfelt tribute, Dave Schwimmer also broke his silence about the late Emmy Award winner's passing. Alongside a photo of him and Perry from "The One With Thanksgiving Flashbacks," a heartbroken Schwimmer penned:
Matty, Thank you for ten incredible years of laughter and creativity. I will never forget your impeccable comic timing and delivery. You could take a straight line of dialogue and bend it to your will, resulting in something so entirely original and unexpectedly funny it still astonishes.
He continued, "And you had heart. Which you were generous with and shared with us, so we could create a family out of six strangers." The actor who played Ross Gellar went ahead to describe the photo, calling it one of his favorite moments with the late Perry.
"Now it makes me smile and grieve at the same time," Schwimmer grieved. He concluded the sweet tribute, "I imagine you up there, somewhere, in the same white suit, hands in your pockets, looking around— ‘Could there BE any more clouds?"
Jennifer Aniston & Courteney Cox Share Tear-jerking Tributes To Matthew Perry
Matt LeBlanc, who was Perry's on-screen best friend and roommate, was the first cast member to release a personal statement about Perry's passing. Alongside a carousel of their best moments on the hit sitcom, Le Blanc penned:
"Matthew, It is with a heavy heart I say goodbye. The times we had together are honestly among the favorite times of my life. It was an honor to share the stage with you and to call you my friend."
LeBlanc continued, reminiscing on his pal's smile and the good memories they shared. "Spread your wings and fly brother you’re finally free. Much love. And I guess you’re keeping the 20 bucks you owe me," he concluded his message.
Courteney Cox, Perry's on-screen lover soon followed, sharing a never-before-seen scene from "Friends." She began her tribute, "I am so grateful for every moment I had with you Matty and I miss you every day."
Cox shared that she had so many great memories with the late Perry but the scene from Ross' London wedding where she and his character Chandler Bing hooked up was her best. She described the late star as "funny and kind."
Finally, Jennifer Aniston, who was reported to have struggled the most with Perry's death, broke her silence with a lengthy social media post, where she shared one of affectionate texts the "Fools Rush In" actor sent to her.
"Oh boy this one has cut deep…,” Aniston began to write on social media. "Having to say goodbye to our Matty has been an insane wave of emotions that I’ve never experienced before. We all experience loss at some point in our lives. Loss of life or loss of love."
She wrote about how Perry was "such a part of our DNA" and loved to make people laugh like his life depended on it. Aniston concluded her tribute, writing, "Matty, I love you so much and I know you are now completely at peace and out of any pain. I talk to you every day… sometimes I can almost hear you saying 'could you BE any crazier?' Rest little brother. You always made my day…"