Friends Then and Now: A look at the the cast following the untimely death of Matthew Perry aged 54

Matthew Perry who was best known for playing the character Chandler Bing in the TV sitcom ‘Friends’ has died following an alleged drowning at his Los Angeles home on October 28. The TV series which aired from 1994 - 2004 has become one of the most popular TV shows of all time and is still watched by millions even though it has been off air for nearly two decades. 

Friends creators Marta Kauffman, David Crane and executive producer Kevin Bright paid tribute to the actor in a joint statement: “We are shocked and deeply, 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.”

They went on to describe how Matthew Perry made the role his own and from his first audition “there was no one else for us”. The statement ended with “This truly is The One Where Our Hearts Are Broken,” in reference to the title for most of the Friends episodes which would always begin with “The One With/Where”

The TV sitcom Friends followed the lives of six adults living in Manhattan, New York (but in reality was  filmed in LA). The main cast included Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer. 

Jennifer Aniston - Rachel Green 

Jennifer Aniston played the role of Rachel Green who after leaving her husband to be ‘Barry’ at the altar decides to move in with old school friend Monica Geller (Courtney Cox). Rachel becomes so much more than the shopping obsessed, spoiled daughter of rich parents and the eldest of two sisters (Amy Green played by Christina Applegate and Jill Green Reese Witherspoon). There is also the will they won't get together storyline between Rachel and Ross Gellar (David Schwimmer). 

The actress, 54, married Brad Pitt (2000-2005) - who also made an appearance in the show as part of the ‘I hate Rachel club’ along with Ross Gellar - she later married Justin Theroux (2015-2017). Since Friends ended Jennifer Aniston has gone on to have success in films such as ‘Marley & Me’, ‘The Break-Up', ‘Horrible Bosses’ and ‘Murder Mystery' and well as the Apple TV series ‘The Morning Show’. Jennifer Aniston has an estimated net worth of $320 million. 

Courteney Cox - Monica Gellar

Courteney Cox plays Monica Gellar, the cleaning obsessed character who sublets her grandmother’s purple apartment in New York. Monica is obsessed with getting married and having babies and after many failed relationships finds love with Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry) who lives in the apartment across the hall, after getting together following a drunken night in London. 

The actress, 59, has also gone on to have a successful career, she starred in the horror movie Scream franchise and played the lead role in TV series ‘Cougar Town’ as well as directing some of the episodes. Courteney Cox married ‘Scream’ co-star David Arquette in 1999 and the pair had a daughter Coco Arquette in 2004. The former couple divorced in 2013 she has been in a relationship with Snow Patrol’s singer/songwriter Johnny McDaid since 2013. Courteney Cox has an estimated net worth of $150 million.

Lisa Kudrow - Phoebe Buffay 

Lisa Kudrow played the ditzy-hippy Phoebe Buffay who had a complicated family and she had a twin sister Ursula Buffay in the show. This was because when Lisa Kudrow,60, was cast as Phoebe for Friends she was still playing the role of the waitress Ursula in the series ‘Mad About You’. The producers thought it would be a fun crossover. 

Lisa Kudrow had a small role in Courteney Cox’s Cougar Town and also starred in movies such as ‘Easy A’, ‘Boss Baby’ and the iconic ‘Romy and Michele's High School Reunion’. 

Lisa Kudrow married advertising executive and French native Michael Stern in 1995. Lisa Kudrow was heavily pregnant with her son Julian Murray Stern, in season four of Friends when her character was carrying triplets as a surrogate for her half-brother Frank Jr and his home economics teacher and wife Alice Knight-Buffay. Lisa Kudrow has an estimated net worth of $110 million.

Matt LeBlanc - Joey Tribbiani 

Matt LeBlanc played Joey Tribbiani, the dim witted character who was a bit of a ladies man of the show known for his ‘How You Doing?’ chat-up line. The actor, 56, was also Chandler Bing's roommate, had seven sisters and played a struggling actor who ends with a role on popular daytime television show ‘Days of our Lives’ as Dr Drake Ramoray. 

After Friends Matt LeBlanc continued his portrayal as the character in spin-off series ‘Joey’ but the show was cancelled after two series. He also starred in the movie ‘Lost in Space’ and in 2016 came over to the UK to co-host BBC One’s Top Gear which he did for three seasons. The actor married Melissa McKnight in 2003 and divorced in 2006. The former couple share a daughter Marina LeBlanc. Matt LeBlanc has an estimated net worth of $85 million.

Matthew Perry - Chandler Bing 

Known as the funny one Matthew Perry played Chandler Bing who would always make you laugh with his sarcastic comments. He lives with best friend Joey Tribbiani in the apartment across the hall from Monica and Rachel and has been friends with Ross Gellar since college - they were in a band called ‘Way No Way’. Chandler has an on again off again relationship with Janice Litman Goralnick (who is famous for her Oh My God catchphrase). However, it’s on a trip to London for Ross’ wedding to Emily that he ends up in bed with Monica.

He starred in many films including ‘Fools Rush In’, ‘The Whole Nine Yards’, ‘The Whole Ten Yards’ and ‘17 Again’. In fact it was after making  a bet with ‘The Whole Nine Yards’ co-star Bruce Willis that he got the movie star to feature in three episodes of Friends. 

Although he played a happy and funny character on the show outside of Friends Matthew Perry struggled with substance abuse including alcohol and opioids. He was an ambassador for the National Association of Drug Court Professionals and spoke openly about his battles with addiction in his 2022 memoir ‘Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing.’ Matthew Perry tragically died on October 28 at his home in LA didn’t have any children or ever married. At his time of death Matthew Perry had an estimated net worth of $120 million. 

David Schwimmer - Ross Geller 

David Schwimmer played Monica’s geeky older brother Ross Geller. He married his college sweetheart Carol Wilick but she ended up leaving him for another woman Susan Miller after falling pregnant with Ross’ baby. Ross is best known for being the one who gets divorced after three failed marriages throughout the show, even divorcing Rachel Green - who he’s had a crush on since high school - after a drunken wedding in Vegas in series five but don’t worry they do end up together eventually. 

David Schwimmer, 56, went on to star in films such as ‘Madagascar’ and ‘The Iceman’. He played the role of OJ Simpson’s defence attorney Robert Kardashian in ‘The People vs OJ Simpson: American Crime Story’. The actor married Artist and photographer Zoe Buckman in 2010 but divorced in 2017. The former couple share a daughter Cleo who was born in 2011. David Schwimmer has an estimated net worth of $120 million.