‘He was raw talent,’ Tom Selleck shared ‘Friends’ memory about Matthew Perry | Hollywood helobaba.com
Tom Selleck, the man from “Magnum P.I.,” took a trip down memory lane, revealing a unique connection with Matthew Perry’s Chandler Bing on the set of “Friends.” Here’s the scoop on their interesting role reversal.
Selleck steps into Chandler’s shoes
Imagine playing Chandler Bing on “Friends” – that’s what Tom Selleck did! In a quirky episode, Selleck’s character, Richard Burke, decided to be a bit more Chandler-esque. Selleck spilled the beans, saying, “We had this role reversal thing going, where (Richard) tried to be like them, and them like me.”
Mastering the Chandler speak
Turns out, imitating Chandler wasn’t a walk in the park for Selleck. He struggled with Perry’s sarcastic delivery, especially for a line about foosball skills: “Could that shot be any prettier?” Selleck confesses, “Matthew had this speech pattern that I hadn’t been aware of.” Seeking guidance, he went straight to the source – Perry himself.
Perry’s signature line
Perry’s famous delivery left an impression. Selleck recalls, “Matt told me: ‘It’s a joke, Tom. It’s the way he says it.’ That was his signature.” Picture Selleck, asking Perry repeatedly, “Can you say it again?” – a hilarious behind-the-scenes moment.
Friendship off-screen
Selleck, now 78, joined “Friends” in Season 2, forming a special bond with Perry’s father, actor John Bennett Perry. Selleck shares, “But every day I’d see Matthew, and I’d ask him, ‘How’s your father?’ And he’d always smile and we’d catch up.” Real friendships off-screen made the set a warm place.
Selleck cherishes the laughs on set, especially during the Season 2 episode “The One Where Old Yeller Dies.” Richard turns into Chandler, and Joey turns into Richard – cue the hilarity! Perry’s entrance as Joey and Chandler worshipper brought the house down.
Praise for Perry’s talent
Selleck doesn’t hold back in praising Perry’s acting chops: “He was raw talent. Matthew’s gone, so it’s easy to say this, but it’s true. I think he was the most talented of a very talented group of people.” High praise from one talented actor to another.
Missed memorial, real friendship
Perry’s passing in October left a void. Selleck was touched to be invited to a private memorial with the “Friends” cast but couldn’t make it due to his New York shooting schedule. Real friendship among the cast shone through, with Selleck noting, “There are no bad stories. No star stuff. Nothing like that there.”
The camaraderie among the “Friends” cast was genuine. Selleck shares, “They all just got along. I think it’s because all these actors had failures on other shows. And now they’re in this hit. They all realized how lucky they were.”
