How the cast of ‘Friends’ is celebrating the show’s 30th anniversary

The Friends The cast is gearing up for several exciting milestones, but it will be a “bittersweet” moment for former co-stars Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer and Matt LeBlanc. The beloved ’90s sitcom will celebrate its 30th anniversary this September, in addition to the series finale’s 20th in May; however, the cast will be missing one crucial member: Matthew Perry, who died last October.

A source said We weekly that the old friends have become even closer since Perry’s death and are planning something special for the upcoming dates. “They were the rare cast of a hit sitcom who meant it when they said they were as close to being on screen as they were on screen,” the insider said. “The prospect of a reunion or formal get-together without Matthew is bittersweet.”

“There will be a huge void,” the source added, referring to Perry’s absence. “(But) they know Matthew would have wanted them to go ahead and celebrate the show. So that’s very much on their mind as they move forward.”

The actor’s death anniversary falls a month after the sitcom turns 30 years old. Perry drowned at his home in Pacific Palisades on October 28, and it was later revealed that the cause of death was acute effects of ketamine, effects of buprenorphine. (a drug used to treat opioid addiction) and coronary artery disease. After his death, Aniston was “in pieces for months,” the source said. “Even now it is something she finds difficult to reconcile.”

The five have also kept in close touch in “group chats” and “one-on-ones” since Perry’s death – “Jen and Courteney are in constant contact and they are both very close to Lisa too” – and have also had “ongoing discussions” about the anniversaries, especially the 20th anniversary of the final, which is just weeks away.

“They will definitely commemorate it in some way,” the source said, adding that they will likely post about the milestone on social media, as well as celebrate it together privately. “For all their individual successes after that Friends, nothing else even comes close to that experience. They continue to look back on it fondly, and of course they give Matthew all the credit for everything he contributed.”