‘Friends’ star Lisa Kudrow couldn’t ‘bear’ to watch hit sitcom until after Matthew Perry’s death
Perry died in October from 'acute effects of ketamine'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Lisa Kudrow was never one to watch herself on television — until now.
During Monday's episode of the "Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend" podcast, the "Friends" actress openly discussed why she now feels comfortable enough to watch the beloved sitcom — whereas before, she could not "bear it" and explained how her longtime friend, the late Matthew Perry, played a part.
"Do you have distance on that now? Like, when you see — because it's ubiquitous — when you see a ‘Friends’ [episode] on, does that affect you in any way or is it just…" O'Brien asked.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Lisa Kudrow is rewatching "Friends" with a focus on Matthew Perry. (Donato Sardella)
"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,'" said Kudrow, who is currently promoting her new Apple TV+ series, "Time Bandits." "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."
"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," she added.
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"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.
"Friends," which aired for ten seasons, was shot in front of a live-studio audience. (Gary Null/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images)
"Everyone is phenomenally hilarious to me," said Kudrow.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A representative for Kudrow did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
In October 2023, Perry died of acute effects of ketamine and drowning. Los Angeles Police Department officials recently confirmed to Fox News Digital that the department is still actively working on the criminal investigation into Perry's death.
In November, Kudrow honored the actor and thanked him for his friendship throughout the years.
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"Shot the pilot, Friends Like Us, got picked up then immediately, we were at the NBC Upfronts," she wrote on Instagram. "Then… You suggested we play poker AND made it so much fun while we initially bonded. Thank you for that."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"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.'"
She added, "Thank you for showing up at work when you weren’t well and then, being completely brilliant."
COURTENEY COX REMEMBERS MATTHEW PERRY WITH ICONIC ‘FRIENDS’ SCENE, HEARTWARMING OUTTAKE
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Friends" focused on the lives of six young adults living in Manhattan. (NBC)
"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," she said.
"Thank you for the time I got to have with you, Matthew."
"Friends," which first debuted on NBC in 1994, was one of the most watched sitcoms on television. Throughout the years, the cast remained close, even reuniting for a special on HBO Max in 2021.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}During the reunion, Perry spoke about how the sitcom impacted his life and the friendships he made with his fellow cast members.
Matthew Perry, right, was 24 years old when he was cast on "Friends." (NBC)
"The best way that I can describe it is after the show was over, at a party or any kind of social gathering, if one of us bumped into each other, that was it. That was the end of the night. You just sat with the person all night long and that was it," Perry said.
"You apologized to the people you were with, but they had to understand you had met somebody special to you, and you were going to talk to that person for the rest of the night. And that’s the way it worked."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Co-star Jennifer Aniston agreed, and Courteney Cox teared up as Perry added tearfully, "It’s certainly the way it worked with all of us. It’s just the way it is."
Matthew Perry starred alongside Lisa Kudrow, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer in "Friends." (Hulton Archive)
"We stay in touch, maybe not every day. We have such a bond from having done this show and forged this very tight relationship, anytime you text or call someone, they’re gonna pick up. They’ll be there," Kudrow said.
In May, Cox celebrated 20 years since the iconic, emotional "Friends" finale aired.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The 59-year-old actress took to Instagram to pay homage to one of the more emotional scenes the cast ever filmed – the final moment of the last episode.
COURTENEY COX REMEMBERS MATTHEW PERRY WITH ICONIC ‘FRIENDS’ SCENE, HEARTWARMING OUTTAKE
"It’s been 20 years since the series finale of Friends," she wrote, alongside a clip of the scene. "I don’t know how we were able to act through all the tears. Forever grateful."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The last scene shows the six friends – Monica (Cox), Rachel (Aniston), Chandler (Perry), Ross (David Schwimmer), Joey (Matt LeBlanc) and Phoebe (Kudrow) – gathered in Monica and Chandler's apartment, saying their goodbyes and fighting through tears as the couple prepares to move out with their new babies.
The "Friends" cast became close on and off-screen. (Photo by: David Bjerke/NBCU Photo Bank)
The end of the clip sees the cast sharing their final bow with the live audience applauding.
"Years may pass and FRIENDS will always be the best thing that happened in a world that is totally different nowadays," one user commented. "Thank you friends for bringing joy and love to our lives. we love them so much forever."
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Fox News Digital's Tracy Wright and Elizabeth Stanton contributed to this post.