Anna Faris opens up about working with ‘incredible’ Matthew Perry on ‘Friends’ final season

Anna Faris is reminiscing about her time with Matthew Perry on the set of “Friends” nearly nine months after his shocking death.

The “My Spy: The Eternal City” actress, 47, gushed about working with the late star, saying, “It was an honor, and he was just an incredible person.”

“I wish I knew him better. It feels a little audacious for me to speak too much about somebody that I felt like I had brief interactions with, but they were wonderful and I am honored to be a part of the show,” she told People in an interview, which published Friday.

Faris played the role of Erica, a pregnant woman who gave birth to twins, whom Perry’s character (Chandler Bing) and Courteney Cox (Monica) adopted. She starred in four episodes of the last season in 2004, including the finale, which was watched by 52.5 million viewers.

Faris said Perry was the one who suggested her for the role. “That was my understanding at the time. He told me that he’d seen me in ‘Lost in Translation’ and he thought I was good,” Faris recalled.

“I worked mostly with Courteney and Matthew, and they were unbelievable to me. They were so kind,” she said. “I mean, it was such an intimidating idea. I mean, to give birth on Friends. Friends? The final season?”

The actress emphasized that the rest of the “Friends” cast — Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow and Matt LeBlanc — “were really kind” on the iconic set despite emotions running high during their farewell season.

“They were also getting pretty emotional because they were wrapping things up,” Faris explained. “It was really sentimental.”

“At the same time, I felt like, ‘Okay, I should probably go back to my dressing room during this group hug,'” she joked, adding, “they don’t rerun too much of the last season because I think I get a check for 9 cents every, you know, four months.”

“Friends” ran for 10 seasons, airing on NBC from 1994 to 2004.

Perry’s loving costars released a joint statement after his unexpected October 2023 death when he was found in the jacuzzi of his Los Angeles home.

“We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family,” read their statement, obtained by People. “There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss.”

“In time we will say more, as and when we are able,” they continued. “For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world.”

The actor’s death at 54 sparked a large-scale criminal investigation after it was discovered he had passed from “acute effects of ketamine.”

The Los Angeles Police Department is working overtime with the US Drug Enforcement Administration and the US Postal Inspection Service to discover who is responsible for supplying Perry with the fatal dose of ketamine.

Several high-profile celebrities and industry insiders have been questioned in connection to the investigation, including Charlie Sheen’s ex-wife Brooke Mueller, who has a history of substance abuse and became friends with Perry in rehab.

Mueller has not been accused of any wrongdoing.

Former CIA and FBI special agent Tracy Walder told Page Six that several people could be charged in the case, sharing that drug rings have been sending prescription medication by mail, which is a federal offense.

“Intent is going to be the question,” she said. “They obviously knew what they were doing was wrong [by drug dealing]. However, did they actively know that by procuring this it would kill him?”