matthew perry book jennifer aniston crush© Photo: Getty Images

Matthew Perry had a crush on a Friends co-star — but she turned him down!

He made the stunning revelation in his new memoir

Kathy Campbell - New York
New York
October 27, 2022

Matthew Perry isn't holding anything back in his new memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing. The actor is opening up about his struggle with opioid and alcohol addiction, his romances with some of Hollywood's biggest names, and he's even naming the ones that got away.

MORE: Matthew Perry dishes on Julia Roberts romance – and reveals why he broke up with her 

In the book, which is released on Tuesday, November 1, the Friends alum, 53, reveals that he had a big crush on his costar Jennifer Aniston — both before and during the shooting of the beloved sitcom.

Matthew Perry 'really grateful' for Jennifer Aniston's friendship during height of addiction

Matthew writes that he met Jennifer, 53, before they were cast on Friends and he was "immediately taken" with her, according to a report published by the New York Post's Page Six on Wednesday.

MORE: Matthew Perry shares rare glimpse into family life with unexpected photo  

READ: Matthew Perry makes shocking allegation against Hollywood actress

The Whole Nine Yards actor remembered calling Jennifer at one point and trying to impress her with the news that he'd booked two roles.

© Photo: Getty Images

Jennifer and Matthew shared an onscreen kiss on the Season 3 episode "The One With the Flashback"

"It was clear that this made her think I liked her too much, or in the wrong kind of way," he writes in the book. But he asked her out, anyway — and she turned him down and suggested that they just be friends. His response: "[We] can't be friends!"

© Photo: Getty Images

"They were understanding, and they were patient," Matthew told People of his Friends castmates' support

After they were cast on the NBC show and sat down for their first table read, Matthew writes that he still had a crush on Jen, but they "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."

He continued to harbor those romantic feelings as the show became a smash hit, but Matthew eventually moved on because of her "deafening lack of interest."

The Odd Couple star writes that by 1998, four years into Friends' run, he had "gotten over her" and figured out how to interact with Jen, who was by now dating Brad Pitt, "without it being awkward."

Matthew's friendship with Jen deepened through the run of the show and he admitted in an interview with ABC News' Diane Sawyer that's set to air on Friday, that the Morning Show star confronted him over his substance abuse during their time on Friends and said, "We know you're drinking."

RELATED: Where are the kids from Friends now? You won't believe how much they've grown!

"Imagine how scary a moment that was," he admitted. "She was the one who reached out the most, you know. I'm really grateful to her for that."

Matthew wasn't the only cast member with a crush on Jen. During the Friends 2021 reunion, David Schwimmer, who played her on-screen love interest, Ross Geller, admitted that he had romantic feelings towards her — and Jen revealed that she'd felt the same way about him!

"I mean, the first season, I had a major crush on Jen. At some point, we were crushing hard on each other," David 55, revealed. "But it was like two ships passing, because one of us was always in a relationship and we never crossed that boundary."

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