Anna Faris regrets not getting to know Matthew Perry better during her guest appearance on Friends, and reveals he actually suggested her for the role.

Anna Faris wishes she had got the chance to know Matthew Perry better when she guest-starred on the final season of Friends in 2004.

Matthew was found dead in his hot tub in October 2023 at the age of just 54, having overdosed on ketamine following years of addiction struggles.

On Friends, Anna played a pregnant woman named Erica whose baby is adopted by Matthew’s character Chandler and his wife Monica, played by Courteney Cox.

Now, Anna has glowingly shared how pleased she was to work with him – while admitting she regrets only having ‘brief interactions’ with him.

‘It was an honor, and he was just an incredible person,’ the 47-year-old The House Bunny actress said in a new interview with People.

Anna Faris wishes she had got the chance to know Matthew Perry better when she guest-starred on the final season of Friends in 2004

‘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.’ 

Matthew apparently suggested Anna for the role of Erica after watching her in Sofia Coppola’s 2003 film Lost In Translation, starring Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson. 

‘That was my understanding at the time,’ said Anna. ‘He told me that he’d seen me in Lost in Translation and he thought I was good.’ 

Anna featured in Lost In Translation as a ditzy movie star who was rumored to be based on Cameron Diaz, although Sofia has denied the conjecture.

Erica, Anna’s character on Friends, is a similarly bubbleheaded woman who is unsure which of her two latest exes is the father of her baby – despite the fact she only had vaginal sex with one of them.

Looking back at her time on the show, Anna recalled: ‘I worked mostly with Courteney and Matthew, and they were unbelievable to me. They were so kind.’

She confessed she had nerves about the job, sharing: ‘I mean, it was such an intimidating idea. I mean, to give birth on Friends. Friends? The final season?’

Matthew and Courteney starred on Friends for 10 seasons alongside Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer and Matt LeBlanc. 

Matthew was found dead in his hot tub in October 2023 at the age of just 54, having overdosed on ketamine following years of addiction struggles; pictured 2016

Now, Anna has glowingly shared how pleased she was to work with him – while admitting she regrets only having ‘brief interactions’ with him; pictured this week

On Friends, Anna played a pregnant woman named Erica whose baby is adopted by Matthew’s character Chandler and his wife Monica, played by Courteney Cox

Erica is a sweet, bubbleheaded woman who is unsure which of her two latest exes is the father of her baby – despite the fact she only had vaginal sex with one of them

Matthew apparently suggested Anna for the role of Erica after watching her in Sofia Coppola’s 2003 film Lost In Translation (pictured), starring Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson

Anna explained that while she was shooting the last season, the cast were ‘getting pretty emotional because they were wrapping things up. It was really sentimental.’

Anna candidly revealed; ‘At the same time, I felt like: “Okay, I should probably go back to my dressing room during this group hug,”‘ 

In spite of the positive experience she had on the set, Anna disclosed that her royalty payments are somewhat less than might be hoped.

‘They don’t rerun too much of the last season because I think I get a check for nine cents every, you know, four months!’ she quipped.