--- description: The actor's rep said that NBC knew he couldn't make it before announcing the reunion title: Matthew Perry Won't Be at the 'Friends' Reunion image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5effd1c8843206d5/698879385f570f1e92b1f32c/gettyimages-140631884.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Entertainment](/section/entertainment/) ## Entertainment Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Matthew Perry Won't Be at the _Friends_ Reunion  by [Eliana Dockterman](/author/eliana-dockterman/)  ## Eliana Dockterman Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Correspondent Jan 14, 2016 9:06 PM CUT  (l-r)Matthew Perry as Chandler Bing, Courteney Cox as Monica Geller-Bing (l-r)Matthew Perry as Chandler Bing, Courteney Cox as Monica Geller-BingDanny Feld—NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images  by [Eliana Dockterman](/author/eliana-dockterman/)  ## Eliana Dockterman Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Correspondent Jan 14, 2016 9:06 PM CUT The [_Friends_ reunion](http://time.com/4179320/friends-reunion-happening-nbc/ "undefined") is already falling apart. After NBC [announced](http://time.com/4179320/friends-reunion-happening-nbc/ "undefined") Wednesday that all six cast members from the popular show would be reuniting on Feb. 21 during a tribute to director James Burrows, a representative for Matthew Perry said Thursday that he won’t appear in person. “Matthew will not be attending as he is in London in rehearsals for his play, _The End of Longing_, which begins previews on Feb. 2 at the playhouse Theatre. NBC executives were aware of this prior to their TCA announcement yesterday,” Lisa Kasteler wrote in an email to reporters. “Matthew may tape something for the tribute. In other words, this is not the reunion people have been hoping for.” NBC head Bob Greenblatt was cautious in his original announcement about the special, noting that all of the actors might not be in the same room. “I’m not sure we can logistically pull that off,” he said. _Friends_ fans have been lobbying to reunite all six cast members—Perry, along with Jennifer Aniston, Courtney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and [David Schwimmer](http://time.com/4057340/david-schwimmer-friends-new-tv-show/ "undefined")—since the show’s [record-breaking finale](http://time.com/3101660/friends/ "undefined") 12 years ago. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4181510/friends-reunion-matthew-perry/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4181510/friends-reunion-matthew-perry/"},"headline":"Matthew Perry Won't Be at the Friends Reunion","datePublished":"2016-01-14T21:06:19.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T14:09:02.678Z","description":"At least not in person","url":"https://time.com/4181510/friends-reunion-matthew-perry/","keywords":["Television"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5effd1c8843206d5/698879385f570f1e92b1f32c/gettyimages-140631884.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Eliana Dockterman","jobTitle":"Correspondent","url":"https://time.com/author/eliana-dockterman/"}],"articleSection":"Entertainment","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5effd1c8843206d5/698879385f570f1e92b1f32c/gettyimages-140631884.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Friends","caption":"Friends","creditText":"Danny Feld—NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/entertainment/","name":"Entertainment"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4181510/friends-reunion-matthew-perry/","name":"Matthew Perry Won't Be at the Friends Reunion"}}]}] ```