Matthew Perry said he “sweated” and experienced “convulsions” while filming every episode of “Friends” during the show’s heyday.
The 51-year-old actor admitted as much during the series’ long-overdue cast reunion that he often felt like was “going to die” while playing the role of Chandler Bing on the beloved sitcom due to the fact the show was taped in front of a live studio audience and he feared onlookers wouldn’t find him funny enough. The show ran from 1994 to 2004.
“To me, I felt like I was going to die if they didn’t laugh,” he said when fellow castmates David Schwimmer and Courteney Cox admitted they thrived under the pressure of performing live takes.
“It’s not healthy, for sure, but I would sometimes say a line and they wouldn’t laugh and I would sweat and just go into convulsions if I didn’t get the laugh I was supposed to get,” Perry added. “I would freak out.”
‘FRIENDS’ REUNION TRAILER LEAVES FANS CONCERNED ABOUT MATTHEW PERRY
Friends Reunion special featuring Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matthew Perry, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, and Matt LeBlanc.
(Courtesy of HBO Max )
Perry’s revelation took his co-stars by surprise and Lisa Kudrow replied: “You didn’t tell us that. I don’t remember you ever saying that,” to which Perry retorted, “I felt that every single night.”
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Meanwhile, his former co-star Maggie Wheeler, who played Chandler’s on-again-off-again girlfriend Janice, said there wasn’t a day that Perry didn’t crack her up on set.
“When Matthew started speaking I knew he was going to crack me up,” she revealed. “I knew that if Janice couldn’t laugh on set or laugh at that moment, I was going to be in big trouble and that is why that laugh exists.”
The actor reportedly earned more than some $24 million in the 2002-2003 year.
‘FRIENDS’ STARS REVEAL THEY HAD A REAL-LIFE CRUSH ON EACH OTHER DURING REUNION SPECIAL
“Friends: The Reunion” is now streaming on HBO Max.