Matthew Perry reveals he had CRUSH on Friends co-star Jennifer Aniston

Matthew Perry has revealed he harbored a huge crush on Jennifer Aniston both before and during their time on Friends – but was rebuffed by her ‘lack of interest’

The Chandler Bing star, 53, who starred alongside the Rachel Green actress, 53, in the iconic show, said he was ‘immediately taken’ by the star during their first meeting – detailed in an excerpt from his memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing.

The star said he called up Aniston before they started filming Friends in a bid to impress her with two acting roles he had booked – but she was allegedly left unimpressed.  

On a permanent break: Matthew Perry has revealed he harbored a huge crush on Jennifer Aniston both before and during their time on Friends – but was rebuffed by her ‘lack of interest’ (pictured 1995)

He wrote in the book: ‘It was clear that this made her think I liked her too much, or in the wrong kind of way.’

He then asked her out, with the beauty suggesting they stay friends instead, with Perry responding: ‘[We] can’t be friends!’

The two actors were then brought together for their first Friends table read in 1994, with Perry saying: ‘We were able to sail right past the past and focus on the fact that we had both gotten the best job Hollywood had to offer.’

Perry said he continued to be attracted to Aniston as they filmed the show, and was ‘frequently overanalyzing’ every conversation they had – but that he slowly got over her due to the star’s ‘deafening lack of interest.’

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Oh my! The Chandler Bing star, 53, who starred alongside the Rachel Green actress, 53, in the iconic show, said he was ‘immediately taken’ by the star during their first meeting – but she wasn’t interested (pictured on season four of the show)

Not happening: Perry said he continued to be attracted to Aniston as they filmed the show, and was ‘frequently overanalyzing’ every conversation they had – but that he slowly got over her due to the star’s ‘deafening lack of interest’ (pictured on set in 2003)

Icons: The two actors were then brought together for their first Friends table read in 1994, with Perry saying: ‘We were able to sail right past the past and focus on the fact that we had both gotten the best job Hollywood had to offer’

The Odd Couple star said he had  ‘long since gotten over her’ when Aniston began a relationship with future husband Brad Pitt in 1998 and was able to maintain conversations with her ‘without it being awkward.’

While Perry’s on-screen relationship with Aniston also remained platonic, they did share kisses in the show, including a liplock in the season 10 episode, The One Where The Stripper Cries – showing a flashback to Chandler and Ross’ college days.

Perry’s revelation comes after Aniston and co-star/on-screen love David Schwimmer  confessed that they had crushes on each other when filming began on Friends in 1994 – with the revelation coming during the 2021 HBO Max reunion special

‘I mean, the first season, I had a major crush on Jen. At some point, we were crushing hard on each other,’ David revealed.  

David explained: ‘But it was like two ships passing, because one of us was always in a relationship and we never crossed that boundary. 

Ross and Rachel: Perry’s revelation comes after Aniston and co-star/on-screen love David Schwimmer confessed that they had crushes on each other when filming began on Friends in 1994 (pictured on the show in 1995)

Matt LeBlanc, who played Joey Tribbiani, jokingly said: ‘Bulls**t.’   

Jennifer said that she had a conversation with Ross prior to their character’s first kiss. 

‘Honestly, I remember saying one time to David, ‘It’s going to be such a bummer if the first time you and I actually kiss is going to be on national television,’ Jennifer said. ‘

Jennifer noted: ‘Sure enough, first time we kissed was in that coffee shop. So we just channeled all of our adoration and love for each other into Ross and Rachel.’

David and Jennifer also spent time together during breaks from rehearsal, with David recalling that they would ‘cuddle on the couch.’

‘We would spoon and fall asleep on the couch,’ Jennifer said.   

During the reunion special, footage of their characters snuggling aired, with David adding: ‘How did not everyone know we were crushing on each other?’

However, Courteney Cox, Matthew Perry both said they ‘knew’ about David and Jennifer’s attraction to each other.

I didn’t get a cat!  David explained: ‘But it was like two ships passing, because one of us was always in a relationship and we never crossed that boundary (pictured 1995)

In the end, David said it ‘was a situation we couldn’t do anything about,’ with Courteney adding that it was for the best: ‘How great though, ultimately. Because if you had [acted on it] and it didn’t work out, it would have not been as great [on the show].’ 

The Friends cast had an ‘unspoken rule’ not to date one another.

Although Jennifer, David, Matt, Matthew and Courteney all saw their sitcom alter egos hook up with one another at various times on the show, the group – along with castmate Lisa Kudrow – insisted their chemistry never spilled over into real life because they were determined not to ‘mess with’ the bond they had on screen.

Matthew said: ‘There was a rule, it was really important to the six of us, that we kept a friendship. Hooking up could have caused a strangeness that might mess with things. And we are really good friends to this day.’ 

David added: ‘We didn’t want to jeopardize any of the great relationships and friendships we had established. It was kind of an unspoken rule.’     

Ross and Rachel’s on-off romance kept viewers hooked for ten seasons, culminating in their iconic reunion in the ‘I got off the plane’ finale scene.

She got off the plane! Roschel was finally reborn in the show’s finale episode in season 10