Friends fans have expressed their concern after Matthew Perry appeared to slur his speech in a promo for the upcoming reunion special.
It was hard to overlook Perry’s awkward demeanor as he sat with co-stars Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer and Matt LeBlanc to tease the show, which was shot in April and will air on May 27 via HBO and HBO Max.
The 51-year-old actor stammered and stared in the clip, even slurring together his words at one point.
When asked if he ever took anything from set as a souvenir, he admitted: ‘I stole the cookie jar that had the clock on it’ with a heavy ‘sh’ sound at the start of ‘stole.’
Worrisome: Matthew Perry raised concerns after appearing to slur his speech in a teaser for the upcoming Friends reunion, which airs later this month
Off kilter: The 51-year-old actor stammered and stared while with co-stars Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer and Matt LeBlanc, even slurring together his words at one point
Though his speech was stilted, Matthew’s physical appearance was on the healthier side.
His castmates were able to hide any of their concerns, as David and Matt giggled and smiled at the TV star, who played Chandler Bing on the NBC hit.
But fans were quick to voice their worries.
‘Just saw People interview and can’t believe how Matthew Perry looks like… seriously it breaks my heart,’ one fan wrote on Twitter.
‘It pains me to see Matthew Perry like this, he just seems off, gazing at the void, speaking slowly,’ wrote another.
‘Hate to say it, but I’m sad and scared like hell for Matthew Perry,’ a third added. ‘Damn, Matthew Perry in those PEOPLE Friends interviews.’
Upbeat: His castmates were able to hide any of their concerns, as David and Matt giggled and smiled at the TV star, who played Chandler Bing on the NBC hit
Better than bad: Though his speech was stilted, Matthew’s physical appearance was on the healthier side, showing less ruddy skin and a pearly white smile
Another tweeted: ‘Just watched @people exclusive interview clip of Friends casts and the time hasn’t been kind. I hope Matthew Perry is okay. Damn how much I love them.’
One wrote: ‘Let’s not use the friends reunion to make fun of the way matthew perry looks these days. people age, funnily enough.
‘Matthew has been through A LOT since friends wrapped up in 2004. be respectful instead of judgmental. hard block me rn if you think making fun of him is funny.’
Heartbreaking: ‘Just saw People interview and can’t believe how Matthew Perry looks like… seriously it breaks my heart,’ one fan wrote on Twitter
Perry has been open about his past struggles with addiction, previously telling People things got ‘out of control and very unhealthy’ after a 1997 jet-ski accident left him addicted to the painkiller Vicodin.
Addiction left Matthew in a tough state, as he admitted to BBC Radio 2 in 2016.
‘I don’t remember three years of [the show],’ he said. ‘Somewhere between Seasons 3 and 6 … I was a little out of it.’
The Massachusetts born actor last starred in a movie in 2009’s 17 Again opposite Zac Efron.
Keeping a low-profile: Matthew has stayed under the radar in recent years. He caused concern in 2019 when he looked dishevelled in his first sighting for almost two years
Following that he appeared in several TV series including Mr. Sunshine, Go On and The Good Wife.
After a break of several years, he will next be seen in the comedy Don’t Look Up, which follows the tale of two astronomers, played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence, discover that a giant asteroid that could destroy all life on Earth is cruising toward the planet.
The film boasts an absolutely stacked cast including Cate Blanchett, Timothée Chalamet, Ariana Grande, Kid Cudi, Tyler Perry, Melanie Lynskey and Chris Evans, among others, and is expected to be released later this year.
Under the radar: Prior to his shock reemergence in 2019 he had been pictured in Beverly Hills in 2017 (left) and in 2016 (right)
It comes after Perry was embarrassed after a match from the dating app Raya leaked a video message sent by the star.
The Friends actor allegedly asked the 19-year-old girl, ‘Am I as old as your dad?’ during a flirty exchange that was leaked earlier this month.
Perry, who is currently engaged to fiancée Molly Hurwitz, 29, can be seen in a video posted on Thursday flirting with TikTok user @kittynichole – real name Kate Haralson – who claims they matched on the membership-only dating service in May last year.
Haralson, now 20, shared the footage of herself with the caption: ‘When you match w Matthew Perry as a joke on a dating app and he facetimes you and plays 20 questions with you.’
Could this BE more embarrassing? The engaged Friends star was outed for sending a girl, 19, cringe-worthy messages after matching on celeb dating app Raya
TikTok tell-all: It appears some TikTok users have started a worrying new trend of outing celebrities for using the dating service
In the 16-second video, Perry is seen smiling as he asks his potential date, ‘Do you always play with your hair this much?’ to which she responds, giggling: ‘I guess so.’
Haralson, a personal assistant who says she was 19 when Perry first contacted her, told PageSix on Thursday that she wanted to show how older men in Hollywood are ‘taking advantage’ of younger women on dating apps.
‘A lot of people were saying I’m a bully and mean for posting this, and it made me feel kind of bad, but at the same time, I feel like a lot of guys in Hollywood are talking to all these young girls and it’s something that I think a lot of people should be aware of,’ she told the outlet.
Haralson claims the FaceTime exchange happened in May last year, which is when Perry is said to have briefly split with his current fiancée Hurwitz, who he had been dating since 2018.
Now THIS is a match: Perry, 51, got engaged to fiancée Molly Hurwitz in November last year having started dating in 2018 (though the pair were reportedly ‘on a break’ in May last year)
The LA-based PA said she had matched with other celebrities before but wouldn’t ‘ever talk to older guys’ though she thought talking to the Friends actor ‘would be funny.’
The exchange was believed to have been filmed six months before he announced his engagement to literary manager Hurwitz.
‘I decided to get engaged,’ the TV icon announced in People magazine on Thanksgiving after proposing. ‘Luckily, I happened to be dating the greatest woman on the face of the planet at this time.’
Chandler’s crush: In 1996 Matthew briefly dated Baywatch beauty and Chandler’s famous crush Yasmine Bleeth, although the romance only lasted a few months
Former flame: Perry dated Oscar winner Julia Roberts from 1995 to 1996 (pictured on the set of Friends)
This will mark the first marriage for Perry, who is famous for playing loveable and sarcastic Chandler Bing in Friends.
However, he has had several highly publicized romances with notable names.
Perry briefly dated Baywatch star Yasmine Bleeth in 1995 and then moved on to Oscar winner Julia Roberts from 1995 to 1996.
He has also dated Neve Campbell, Heather Graham and Maeve Quinlan.
His longest relationship was with actress Lizzy Caplan from 2006-2012.
Exes; Matthew and Scream star Neve Campbell struck up a romance on the Three To Tango set in 1998 (pictured that year)
Split: Matthew and former fashion student Rachel Dunn had a 14 year age gap but dated for two years from 2003-2005 (pictured 2004)
Perry was also engaged to Kayti Edwards, who previously claimed he had her score drugs for him while she was pregnant – during their brief romantic relationship in the early Noughties.
In December last year, Kayti alleged in The Sun that when he was in the depths of his addiction he would take 80 Vicodin in one day.
She claimed that in 2011 when their relationship was platonic and she was five months pregnant he would pay her thousands of dollars to procure drugs for him.
Kayti alleged that he would ‘guilt trip’ her into going on the drug runs by offering to ‘go there myself and walk downtown,’ prompting her to pick up the slack instead in order to prevent him ‘driving’ or ‘wandering around the streets.’
However she also praised him as ‘funny’ and ‘easy-going,’ expressing her joy that he has gone on the wagon and settled down with Molly.
Like the old days: And the Friends: The Reunion official trailer showed the unbreakable bond between the cast as they reminisced on the iconic show ahead of HBO Max special
While Perry’s Friends teaser and ill-suited Raya match-up caused some concerns, fans were thrilled to get the very first teaser for the upcoming special on Wednesday,
It’s quite the homecoming for the actors, which shot the special at Stage 24 at Warner Bros. Studios in LA, where the series shots it’s entire 10-season run
The opening scene was certainly familiar as Aniston joined Cox and LeBlanc on their old couch for an updated trivia game with Schwimmer, Kudrow and Perry.
Recreating a memorable moment from the show, David’s character, Ross Geller, stood at the trivia board.
‘Rachel wrote Ross a letter and demanded he read it before they got back together. How many pages was that letter?’ he asked the group.
Matt, who played Joey Tribbiani, screamed ’18 pages’ only for Aniston to correct him: ‘front and back!’
Memories: The opening scene was certainly familiar as Jennifer Aniston joined Courteney Cox and Matt LeBlanc on their old couch for an updated trivia game with David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow and Matthew Perry
‘Rachel wrote Ross a letter and demanded he read it before they got back together. How many pages was that letter?’ he asked the group.
Together again: Lisa Kudrow was overwhelmed upon walking onto set at the Warner Bros. lot as Matt enthusiastically said: ‘Here we go!’
Make em laugh: Matt picked up his cup of coffee and muttered ‘bulls***’ under his breath while David laughed and pointed
Courteney screamed back, ‘Wait, wait do it one more time!’
Lisa Kudrow was overwhelmed upon walking onto set at the Warner Bros. lot as Matt enthusiastically said: ‘Here we go!’
Jennifer proved to be already emotional as she asked: ‘Where’s the tissue box?’
‘Does Courteney still have her lines written on the table?’ Matt asked as he toured the old apartment set.
‘We have such a bond from this show,’ Lisa explained while sitting on the iconic orange couch from the show’s intro.
‘Were Ross and Rachel on a break?’ host James Corden asked the group, to which Jennifer and Courteney yelled ‘yes!’
Matt picked up his cup of coffee and muttered ‘bulls***’ under his breath while David laughed and pointed.
So many memories: Cox wiped away tears while chatting with her co-stars during the reunion
Tough: In one of many touching moments, Jennifer leaned down to comfort Perry as he stuttered through his words and said: ‘I’m going to cry now’
Chatty: Lisa admitted the first table read was the ‘first time I laid eyes on any of you’ while Schwimmer noted everyone was ‘so perfectly cast’
Lisa admitted the first table read was the ‘first time I laid eyes on any of you’ while Schwimmer noted everyone was ‘so perfectly cast.’
‘I remember I went to the producer of the show that I was on and he said, “That show’s not going to make you a star,'” Jennifer recalled.
In one of many touching moments, Jennifer leaned down to comfort Perry as he stuttered through his words and said: ‘I’m going to cry now.’
Friends ran for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004, and was created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, who executive produced the series with Kevin Bright through Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television.
‘Does Courteney still have her lines written on the table?’ Matt asked as he toured the old apartment set
Classic: Joey Tribbiani and Chandler Bing were roommates for years before he moved out to pursue a relationship with Monica
I’ll be there for you: A host of celebrities are set to join the cast in some capacity with guest stars including: Justin Bieber, Cindy Crawford, Lady Gaga and David Beckham
Comedian: Maggie Wheeler, who played Janice Litman-Goralnik, Chandler’s on-and-off longtime girlfriend laughed while on set
Friends forever: The iconic show first debuted in September 1994 and followed a group of friends living in New York City
It was reported in April that the reunion special was filmed over three days, with a live audience participating in the reunion.
A host of celebrities are set to join the cast in some capacity with guest stars including: Justin Bieber, Cindy Crawford, Lady Gaga and David Beckham.
Cara Delevingne, Tom Selleck, BTS, Kit Harington, Mindy Kaling and Malala Yousafzai are also slated to appear on the reunion.
The special is hosted by James Corden, a move that has not gone down well with fans, who questioned why the British comedian – who has no links to the series – was chosen.
The HBO Max special debuts on May 27.
Friends fans react in fury as James Corden is revealed to be host of the reunion special
Friends fans reacted in fury on Wednesday as the trailer for the hotly-anticipated reunion special finally revealed that its celebrity host will be British star James Corden.
As seen in the teaser, Corden, 42, has landed the plum role of talking to the series legendary stars Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, and David Schwimmer as they reunite.
‘The Friends reunion is not a musical. Yet James Corden’s in it. Why? And when will this man be stopped?’ one fan tweeted, while another said: ‘How did James Corden worm his way into the Friends reunion, does America know that he doesn’t have to be in everything?’
Wrong choice? Friends fans reacted in fury as James Corden is revealed to be host of the reunion special… and question what the British star has to do with the iconic show (pictured in 2018)
Other fans of the show questioned why stars of the show like Paul Rudd or Maggie Wheeler (who played Janice) could not have been put on hosting shows, as they have strong links to the classic series.
In 2014, late night host Jimmy Kimmel put together a mini Friends reunion with Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow and Courteney Cox, and others suggested he would have been a better fit.
‘It should have been Paul Rudd and Christina Applegate on the guest starring Friends reunion but we got Bieber & James Corden,’ another said.
Getting stuck in: James Corden is seen hosting the all-important reunion interview with stars Jennifer Aniston , Courteney Cox, Matthew Perry, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer and Matt LeBlanc
Outcry: Fans of Friends were less than impressed when the celebrity host was revealed to be James Corden
Last week it was revealed that Friends: The Reunion would include a slew of special guest stars including Justin Bieber, BTS, Cindy Crawford, Cara Delevingne, Lady Gaga and returning cast members.
Many fans had already reacted negatively to those stars, once again questioning what they have to do with the show – and appeared to be pining from other guests stars who would have been better choices.
Corden, who reached superstardom with his BBC comedy Gavin and Stacey, went on to crack the US when he landed a role hosting The Late Late Show, and is loved by A-List stars.
Could they BE anymore disappointed? Fans were quick to crank out the memes on Twitter in reaction to the news
Mean tweets: Sadly it was not a good day for Corden on Twitter
Why the random stars? It’s not just Corden, the reunion show also features Justin Bieber