31 October 2023 , 16:50
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A look back on Friends following the untimely death of Matthew Perry reveals that there truly was a special connection among the cast members.
One connection bubbled between Matthew and co-star Lisa Kudrow. As it turns out, Matthew had a major crush on some of the leading ladies, but especially on Lisa. He told Diane Sawyer: "It made it kind of difficult to go to work because I had to pretend I didn't have these crushes."
However, Matthew avoided having any sort of romantic relationship with Lisa or any of the other cast members. He said that on set there was a "no hookup rule."
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The cast of Friends was a support system for Matthew (AFP via Getty Images)Although no romance ever took off between the two, Lisa still maintained a platonic relationship with Matthew, including offering him special support. When Matthew was struggling with addiction, the Friends cast was truly there for him. In the years prior to his death, Matthew opened up about his health issues, including a near death experience.
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When Matthew's colon exploded, he went into a coma. The doctors told his loved ones that he only had a 2% chance of pulling through, but ultimately Matthew did survive and come out of the coma. From there, he began his journey of recovery which included trips to rehab. Matthew revisited this portion of his life in his memoir, which Lisa penned a prologue letter for.
"I did come to understand that this disease relentlessly fed itself and was determined to keep going," she explained. In the emotional note, Lisa explained that she didn't fully know how to handle the situation as a whole. However, she said: "He has survived impossible odds, but I had no idea how many times he almost didn't make it. I'm glad you're here, Matty. Good for you. I love you."
This adorable connection extended into their sentiments about the show itself. Both actors insisted that they would absolutely take the chance to get a "time machine" and do it all over again. By revisiting that set, they would also be revisiting their character's friendship and connections and, in a way, their own personal relationship.