‘Friends’ Stars Reportedly Turn Down Matthew Perry Netflix Documentary in a Stunning Snub

‘Friends‘ remains one of the most popular and highest-grossing television shows of all time, built on the chemistry of six leads. Matthew Perry played the sarcastic Chandler Bing, and for many fans he is still inseparable from that role.

Perry also became known for speaking openly about his addiction. In a 2022 interview with Diane Sawyer, timed to his memoir ‘Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing,’ he described his battles in detail and said Jennifer Aniston was the friend who reached out the most. That openness is part of why a new documentary about his life is arriving with so much attention.

Now a report about who isn’t in it is drawing headlines. Page Six says Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer were all approached for Netflix’s ‘The One About Matthew Perry’ and decided not to participate.

The three-part docuseries premieres Oct. 27, the day before the third anniversary of Perry’s death. He died on Oct. 28, 2023, at age 54 from the acute effects of ketamine. Director Mary Robertson, known for ‘Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV,’ made the series, which is produced by Maxine Productions, part of Sony Pictures Television.

Netflix describes the project as the first in-depth documentary about the actor. It is anchored by testimony from his younger sister, Mia Perry Bowick, who gives her first on-camera interview about him. It also includes friends of more than 40 years, Roger Castillo and David Pressman, along with unreleased photos and videos from the family’s private archive.

Matthew Perry’s sister and friends remember the generous, funny and larger than life man who rose to global superstardom — and share how the actor’s honesty became his greatest legacy. The One About Matthew Perry, an intimate documentary series, premieres October 27. https://t.co/WkQeiF8S3y

— Netflix (@netflix) September 29, 2026

Netflix has not said that any of the ‘Friends’ stars took part. A TV Insider report notes that the streamer said some of Perry’s lifelong friends would appear but didn’t explicitly name the show’s cast.

Page Six’s source said the five were reached out to and chose not to take part. A second source told the outlet that Aniston in particular would find it too hard to revisit his loss publicly, saying she doesn’t want to relive it in front of cameras. That claim comes from an unnamed insider and hasn’t been confirmed by Aniston or her representatives.

The reasoning lines up with what Aniston has said before. After Perry’s death, she told Variety that she had been texting with him the morning he died and that he seemed happy. The five co-stars also released a joint statement saying they were devastated by his loss.

Netflix has already released a trailer that traces his rise to fame. It opens with Perry recalling the prayer he made before his ‘Friends’ audition, and it closes with a clip from ‘The Late Show With Stephen Colbert’ from the year he died. Variety’s coverage says the series also explores his struggle with drug use and his attempts to get sober.

Robertson has said the goal is to let the people who knew and loved Perry reveal the person behind the public figure. She also credited him with speaking bravely about addiction, noting that the public only knew part of his story. That framing suggests the documentary is meant to focus on perspectives from his family and closest friends rather than his famous co-stars.

Whatever the reports say about the cast, the premiere will land at an emotional moment for fans. Perry remains closely tied to the show, and he used his fame to advocate for people facing addiction. The series is designed to look beyond Chandler Bing and show how he lived and what he left behind.

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, support is available through local health services and helplines.

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