As the 20th anniversary of the Friends finale approaches, the surviving cast members are preparing to commemorate the occasion without their beloved co-star, Matthew Perry.

Last year, just days before Halloween, the world was shocked to learn of Matthew’s untimely passing at the age of 54. His death, reportedly due to accidental drowning in his hot tub, left a profound impact on his Friends family.

Over the years, Matthew had openly shared his struggles with substance abuse, and an autopsy later revealed that he had succumbed to the acute effects of ketamine.

Now, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, and Matt LeBlanc are planning a private reunion to mark the show’s milestone anniversary on May 6. Despite the immense void left by Matthew’s passing, they know he would have wanted them to celebrate the show’s enduring legacy.

The cast of Friends in the finale episode.

The Friends finale aired in May 2004, bringing the main love stories to a happy resolution.

The wildly successful 10-season run of Friends catapulted its cast into worldwide stardom. The show’s hour-long finale in May 2004 wrapped up the main love stories, with Ross (David Schwimmer) and Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) finally ending up together and Chandler (Matthew Perry) and Monica (Courteney Cox) adopting twins after a difficult fertility journey.

Adding a touch of melancholy to the finale, Chandler and Monica moved away from New York City and their close-knit friend group.

As the 20th anniversary approaches, an insider shared that the prospect of a reunion without Matthew is bittersweet, as his absence will leave a huge void. However, the cast is determined to commemorate the occasion and is in ongoing discussions about a private gathering.

Matthew’s death served as a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the importance of cherishing their bond. The source added that it underlined the unbreakable connection they share and their commitment to supporting each other.

Matthew Perry passed away last year at the age of 54.

The Friends cast took this selfie during the HBO reunion special in 2021.

Jennifer Aniston was deeply affected by Matthew Perry’s passing.

Jennifer Aniston, in particular, was devastated by Matthew’s death, and even now, she finds it difficult to come to terms with his absence. Matthew and Jennifer shared a close bond during the making of Friends, and he later revealed that he had a crush on her in the early days of the series.

However, those romantic feelings dissipated when he discovered that Jennifer and David Schwimmer had a mutual attraction. Years later, he fondly recalled his crush on The Jess Cagle Show, saying, “How can you not have a crush on Jennifer Aniston, you know?”

During his time on the show, Matthew maintained a close relationship with Jennifer, who confronted him about his addictions when they spiraled out of control. He was surprised, as he believed he had been effectively hiding his drinking from the rest of the cast, but she could smell the alcohol on his breath.

Jennifer Aniston and Matthew Perry shared a close bond during their time on Friends.

Reflecting on that time, Matthew shared on Good Morning America, “But I wasn’t in a position to stop, you know? And that’s what addiction is. But she was the one that reached out the most, you know. I’m really grateful to her for that.”

In 2004, the year Friends ended, Jennifer broke down in tears while discussing Matthew’s struggles with addiction on TV. She admitted that they weren’t equipped to deal with his issues and feared the possibility of losing him.

Matthew’s struggles with substance abuse began early, with his first drink at 14 and daily drinking by 18. His addiction worsened after a jet ski accident in 1997, when he became hooked on Vicodin.