Matthew Perry’s private funeral included a heartbreaking reunion among his Friends co-stars, who gathered to say goodbye to the actor they loved. His sister, Mia Perry Bowick, recalled the emotional farewell and an unexpected moment of laughter that made her feel his presence.
The intimate memories surfaced in a new Netflix documentary exploring Perry’s life, career and struggles with addiction. The account offered a deeply personal glimpse into the grief surrounding his 2023 death at 54.
Matthew Perry’s sister reportedly details ‘Friends’ co-stars final goodbye at funeral in new doc
In The One About Matthew Perry, Bowick described seeing the sitcom’s cast at the funeral after nearly two decades apart. Speaking to Page Six, director Mary Robertson called her account “wrenching and harrowing,” highlighting its mixture of heartbreak and humor. Bowick remembered Jennifer Aniston approaching her first with a big hug. “I hadn’t seen them in easily 20 years,” she said, adding that all five castmates embraced her. She then watched Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer and Matt LeBlanc approach the casket together.
“And then, all five of them walked up to the casket holding hands and stood around him, crying,” Bowick recalled in the documentary. Yet one of the funeral’s most unexpected moments came when Bowick felt her brother’s presence. She said she suddenly imagined him behind her right shoulder, asking, “How f–ked up is this?” The thought made her burst into laughter despite the devastating circumstances.
“And I started laughing so hard. I was like, ‘Oh my god — there he is!’” she recalled. She described the moment as inappropriate for the occasion, but also deeply comforting. Robertson told the outlet that laughter at funerals did not diminish grief. She considered Bowick’s account true to Perry’s personality and legacy. The director also confirmed that the filmmakers approached the Friends cast, but they declined to participate.
“I know the ‘Friends’ actors love Matthew, and grieve Matthew. We did ask them if they would participate, and they decided not to,” Robertson said. She added that everyone grieved differently and understood why some relatives, including Perry’s stepfather, Keith Morrison, chose not to appear.
Perry died in 2023 from the acute effects of ketamine, with his death ruled an accidental drowning. The three-part documentary examined his fame, relationships and addiction struggles. The One About Matthew Perry was scheduled to premiere on Netflix on October 27.
