Matthew Perry Awkwardly Interacted With A Co-Star 3 Years Before Friends
For 10 seasons, the late Matthew Perry played Chandler Bing on NBC's sitcom "Friends." The comedy series turned the actor into a household name and introduced him to co-stars who'd ultimately become like family to him. However, he was already acquaintances with Jennifer Anniston before they landed the dream gig, but their early interactions weren't exactly smooth sailing.
As documented by The Times, Perry revealed in his memoir, "Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing," that he met Aniston through their mutual buddies three years before the show came to fruition. The Chandler actor recalled being immediately attracted to his future colleague, and she was the first person he called after getting two acting jobs on the same day.
According to Perry, he could sense her cold reaction to his career news through the phone, and he made it worse by asking her out. Aniston declined his date invitation, but she offered to be his friend, and the rest is history. There was no tension on the "Friends" set following their awkward phone call, and the pair developed quite a close bond as the years passed. Furthermore, Aniston was there for Perry when he really needed support to overcome trying circumstances.
Jennifer Aniston helped Matthew Perry through a difficult period
Matthew Perry's drug and alcohol issues were well documented. The actor had to go to rehab during the height of "Friends'" success, and the events took their toll on his health. At one point, Perry's chances of survival were low following his addiction, but Jennifer Aniston was the first co-star to bring up his drinking habits in the first place. Moreover, she remained a supportive friend throughout his ups and downs.
According to Perry, Aniston confronting him about his drinking affected him, and he never forgot about it. "Imagine how scary a moment that was," he told ABC News' Diane Sawyer. "She was the one who reached out the most, you know. I'm really grateful to her for that."
After that, Perry knew he had a friend for life in Aniston. While he enjoyed positive relationships with his other co-stars, this conversation with the Rachel Greene actress ultimately had a profound effect on him.