Anna Faris says she wishes she’d known Matthew Perry better after he suggested her for Friends role

Anna Faris has shared her memories of working with Matthew Perry on the final season of Friends, revealing that she “wishes” she had got to know him better.

Perry, who played Chandler Bing in the much-loved sitcom, was found dead in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home in October 2023. A toxicology report later confirmed that the actor, who was 54, had died from “acute effects of ketamine”.

Faris, 47, appeared in four episodes of Friends during the show’s 10th and final series, playing Erica, the birth mother of twins adopted by Chandler and Monica (Courteney Cox).

“It was an honour and he was just an incredible person,” the actor told People magazine. “I wish I knew him better. It feels a little audacious for me to speak too much about somebody that I felt like I had a brief interaction with, but they were wonderful and I am honoured to be a part of the show.”

The House Bunny star also confirmed that Perry had suggested her for the role. “That was my understanding at the time,” she said. “He told me that he’d seen me in Lost in Translation and he thought I was good.”

“I worked mostly with Courteney and Matthew, and they were unbelievable to me,” she added. “They were so kind. I mean, it was such an intimidating idea. To give birth on Friends. Friends? The final season?”

She went on to share her impressions of the “emotional” atmosphere on set as the show’s six lead actors – Perry, Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer – prepared to say goodbye to the comedy, which aired from 1994 to 2004.

“They were also getting pretty emotional because they were wrapping things up,” Faris recalled. “It was really sentimental. At the same time, I felt like, ‘OK, I should probably go back to my dressing room during this group hug.’”

After Perry’s death, his co-stars have shared heartfelt tributes to their late friend and colleague.

Kudrow, who played Phoebe Buffay on the show, recently revealed that she has been re-watching the sitcom as a way of “celebrating” Perry and his comedic talents.

The actor admitted that she had previously struggled to look back at the show “because it’s too embarrassing to watch yourself”, but had changed her attitude after Perry’s passing.

“If I make it about Matthew, then that’s OK,” she told The Hollywood Reporter. “And it’s just celebrating how hilarious he was – and that is what I want to remember [about him].”