Friends celebrates its 30th anniversary today, with its premiere episode having aired on September 22, 1994. The show quickly became an iconic sitcom and has captivated audiences around the globe, amassing over 100 billion views across various platforms during its ten-season run and 236 episodes.
However, this milestone is overshadowed by the recent passing of Matthew Perry, who played the beloved character Chandler Bing. Perry's death at the age of 54 in 2023 was attributed to acute effects of ketamine. In a tragic turn of events, law enforcement officials later arrested multiple individuals, including two doctors, for allegedly exploiting Perry's well-documented struggles with addiction.
Marta Kauffman and David Crane, along with executive producer Kevin S. Bright, reflected on the deep connection among the six main cast members—Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer, and Perry—highlighting how that bond was palpable from day one. While there has never been a full reboot of Friends, a reunion special aired on HBO Max in 2021.
Friends Creators and Executive Producer Reflect on Matthew Perry
“He’d been fighting the good fight for so long,” Bright shared in a recent interview. “It really did feel like he had finally found some peace.”
Kauffman acknowledged the bittersweet nature of this anniversary: “It’s a huge loss, and it does make the 30th a little fraught.”
Reflecting on Perry's impact during their time together, Bright said: “He made us laugh every day—David always said he was the funniest man in the room.”
Kauffman recalled her first impressions during rehearsals: “When the six of them got on stage together...I got a chill up my spine and thought, ‘This is something special.’”
In her efforts to honor Perry’s legacy after his passing, Kauffman suggested meaningful ways to remember him: “Donate to drug treatment centers—let’s fight the disease,” she stated. “The second way is to watch Friends and remember him not as a man who died like that but as a man who was hilariously funny and brought joy to everybody.”
Shortly after his death in 2023, Kauffman, Crane, and Bright released a joint statement expressing their sorrow: “We are shocked and deeply saddened by our beloved friend Matthew’s passing. It still seems impossible. All we can say is that we feel blessed to have had him as part of our lives. He was a brilliant talent.”
Their heartfelt tribute continued: “We will always cherish the joy, light, and blinding intelligence he brought to every moment—not just to his work but in life as well. He was always the funniest person in the room; more than that, he was sweet with a giving heart.”
The creators concluded their statement with an emotional note: “We send all of our love to his family and friends. This truly is The One Where Our Hearts Are Broken.”