For the 10 years that Friends aired on NBC, the sitcom was known to boast some impressive guest stars. That means a lot of big names crossed paths with Matthew Perry and his co-stars, and many of those celebrities are reflecting on their time on the show after Perry’s death at age 54. Marlo Thomas — who played Sandra Green, mother of Jennifer Aniston’s Rachel — recalled her first appearance on Friends, sharing a sweet memory of the late actor.
Marlo Thomas guest-starred on three episodes of the famous sitcom as Rachel’s mom, and it seems that Matthew Perry made a lasting impression on the That Girl star during her first appearance in Season 2. Thomas remembered the actor’s reaction to her character entering Central Perk in search of her daughter, telling E! News:
I noticed how appreciative he was of the other actors. And I remember when I did my very first scene, I walked into the coffee shop and he was sitting on the sofa, and he looked at me in a generous way. I could tell that he liked what I was doing. He gave that vibe off.
If you look back on Season 2’s “The One with the Lesbian Wedding” (all 10 seasons of Friends are available to stream with a Max subscription), you can see what Marlo Thomas is talking about, as Matthew Perry’s Chandler gives a warm smile to the 1960s icon as she makes her entrance. It must have been reassuring to get that kind of support from one of the main cast members, as the experience apparently “terrified” many of the guest stars over the years. Thomas continued:
He had a very sweet smile on his face, and that said to me, ‘I like what you're doing.' And I remember that very much. They were all very nice, but it's the one thing I remember specifically about him.
It sounds like Marlo Thomas’ Friends career started off on the right foot, which is especially good considering she went on to have a big kissing scene with Matt LeBlanc’s Joey later in Season 2.
Other celebrities who appeared on the sitcom have shared similar stories in the weeks since Matthew Perry’s passing. Full House star John Stamos opened up about the “embarrassing” moment he had on Friends and how Perry totally jumped in to save him. Julia Roberts recalled having a “really fun time” on set, saying that The Whole Nine Yards star and the rest of the cast were very welcoming
Paget Brewster, who still gets recognized as Kathy from her Season 4 appearances on Friends, recalled Matthew Perry being “lovely” to her, as she, Selma Blair and other celebrities paid tribute to the actor.
Meanwhile, Marlo Thomas wasn’t the only “parent” character to speak out about the Chandler portrayer. Morgan Fairchild, who played his mom Nora Bing, remembered Matthew Perry as being the embodiment of Friends’ theme song, “I’ll Be There for You.”
Fans of Friends continue to be saddened by Matthew Perry’s death, as do the actors who crossed paths with him. You can check out these TV shows and movies to watch in Perry’s honor, or relive these Friends episodes that might make you a fan of Chandler Bing.
