Netflix‘s three-part docuseries The One About Matthew Perry, which examines the late actor’s life, premiered on October 27.
Perry, best known for playing Chandler Bing on the hit sitcom, passed away in 2023. In the new documentary, his loved ones reflect on his life and demise.
However, none of Perry’s Friends co-stars appeared in the series, prompting questions from viewers.
Sources close to the cast have since offered insight into why Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, and their former co-stars declined to participate.
Insiders reveal why Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox didn’t appear in new docuseries
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Across its ten-season run, Friends starred Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer, and Matthew Perry.
The sitcom became a cultural phenomenon and remains popular more than two decades after it ended in 2004.
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The actors reunited for Friends: The Reunion in 2021. Following Perry’s demise in 2023, the special became the last on-screen reunion of all six original cast members.
All five surviving Friends cast members were reportedly invited to participate in the Netflix docuseries about Perry but declined.
According to a source who spoke to the Daily Mail, Aniston did not feel the need to discuss her memories of Perry publicly.
“It’s too painful,” they said.
The insider said the decision not to participate was not a collective one. Aniston, 57, reportedly discussed the invitation with Cox, 62, before the two decided to decline.
A separate source close to Cox said the cast wanted to protect Perry’s legacy and preferred not to discuss the struggles he faced in his final days.
“They all loved him, and there’s really nothing to gain from revisiting his lowest moments when they’d rather celebrate the man he was,” they said.
The One About Matthew Perry director reveals why the Friends cast didn’t appear
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Following Perry’s passing in 2023, his five co-stars issued a combined statement on social media, asking for privacy as they grieved.
However, after almost three years, the cast is reportedly still not ready to speak publicly, according to The One About Matthew Perry director Mary Robertson.
In an interview with Gold Derby, Robertson confirmed that all five surviving Friends stars were invited to participate in the docuseries but declined.
“We did reach out to them, and they declined to participate. We know the cast of Friends were very close with Matthew in real life, and they are grieving,” she said.
The decision was “shocking” for one TV insider, especially given the cast shared a close bond and had spent nearly a decade working on the hit show.
“You’d think at least a couple of them would have wanted to give a little of their time to pay tribute to Matthew. They spent ten years working together,” they told Daily Mail.
The cast’s absence reportedly surprised Netflix, which had all five actors high on its wish list. A source close to the streamer said the company even considered scrapping the project after they declined.
Fans react to new Matthew Perry documentary three years after his tragic passing
Despite their absence from the series, Perry’s half-sister, Mia Perry Bowick, revealed that his Friends co-stars attended his funeral and comforted his family during the intimate service.
“All five of them walked up to the casket holding hands, and just stood around him, crying,” she said in the series.
After the documentary premiered on Netflix, several fans were stumped by the absence of Perry’s Friends co-stars. Some viewers expressed disappointment on social media, while others understood why the cast chose not to participate.
The three-part series received generally positive reviews from critics. It currently holds a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Viewers also praised the documentary for looking beyond Perry’s iconic role on Friends to explore his life off-screen, with many describing it as “beautiful” and “moving.”
“This documentary about Matthew Perry on Netflix was exceptionally done and honest,” one user said.
Another added, “I just finished the Matthew Perry documentary; it broke me to remember him. I definitely can’t watch Friends the same way now.”
“Too painful to watch”: Netizens express mixed feelings on The One About Matthew Perry
