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‘It's His Own': Lisa Kudrow Reveals How She Felt About Matthew Perry's First Read For Chandler's Role In Friends
Lisa Kudrow took fans right back to the first days, when the co-stars were still learning about their characters, and Matthew Perry's take on Chandler Bing.
Friends did a great job finding the perfect embodiment of their arguably funniest character but co-star Lisa Kudrow was initially deceived. The star who played Phoebe Buffay in the NBC sitcom was stunned by Matthew Perry’s interpretation of his Friends character, Chandler Bing.
Thirty years after Friends premiered, Lisa Kudrow is taking fans right back to the first days when the co-stars were still learning about each other and their characters. She revealed her expectations for Chandler Bing and how Perry proved them otherwise.
Lisa Kudrow recalls her first table read with Matthew Perry
Lisa Kudrow, 60, sat down with host Conan O’Brien to reflect on her Friends experience and share her first impression of her late co-star Matthew Perry’s comical flair. The actress had initially expected Chandler Bing to be a gay character, which has since become popular Friends trivia among fans.
However, her first table read with Matthew Perry impressively changed Kudrow’s understanding of the character. "At the table read, I just did a double take at him [like], 'Oh my god.' I never, even in a million years, could have envisioned anyone playing the character like that,” the Time Bandits star explained on the Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend podcast on July 22, 2024.
The star further lauded Perry’s finesse, saying, “And with his own rhythm and everything. It's his own. Impeccable timing, but also just [hilarious]." The Friends cast and crew have long believed that Perry was the best fit for Chandler Bing and there could have been no one else who would have better played the role.
From his deadpan humor and witty jokes to his kind and loving nature, Perry had captured the hearts of his co-stars and fans alike. The actor’s unfortunate demise in October 2023 at the age of 54 was a big blow to his Friends’ co-stars. Days later, they issued an official statement expressing regret for the loss of their cherished co-star and pal.
Since then, Kudrow has been able to bring herself to finally start watching the sitcom that launched the careers of all six members. But she explains that it’s not about her but an effort to treasure Perry’s memory.
Matthew Perry got the last line in the Friends finale
Matthew Perry got the honor to wrap up one of the greatest sitcoms of all time, Friends, after it ran for a decade, in 2004. The last line said by Chandler in the finale was a special request by the actor, as he was thoughtful enough to pitch it to creator Marta Kauffman, according to Deadline.
In his memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, Perry narrated how he landed the final dialogue after Jennifer Anniston's Rachel suggested everyone go for one last coffee in the final scene.
“‘Nobody else will care about this except me,’ I said. ‘So, may I please have the last line?’” Perry recalled saying this to Kauffman ahead of the final episode, as stated in the book. Therefore, as the six friends shared a big group hug before stepping out of Monica’s apartment to have coffee at Central Perk, Chandler, in his true sarcastic style, said, “Where?”
Friends is available to stream on HBO Max.
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