Matthew Perry Got A ‘Friends’ Storyline Axed, Didn’t Let Chandler Cheat On Monica

The late Matthew Perry, who played Chandler Bing on ‘Friends’, nixed a storyline that would have let his character cheat on Monica Geller – his on-screen love interest played by Courtney Cox, according to Lisa Cash, who had been tabbed to play his would-be fling.

For two days, Cash rehearsed the role of a hotel worker bringing room service to Chandler, who was upset over Monica having lunch with her former boyfriend Richard, played by Tom Selleck. But on the day her part was to be shot, Cash recalled being told the scene had been cut.

“I Do Think It Was The Best Decision”

“Matthew Perry went to the writers and said the audience would never forgive him (Chandler), which made a lot of sense,” Cash told NBC News on Tuesday. She noted “I think he was very right”, stressing a cheating arc could have altered the show.

“The Ross and Rachel (played by David Schwimmer and Jennifer Aniston) thing, ‘They were on a break’, but this wouldn’t have been on a break,” Cash added. The sitcom still used the actor in that Season 5 episode, casting her as a flight attendant instead.

Over the years, Lisa Cash has wondered a lot on how the potential role as the other woman could have impacted her career. “But I do think it was the best decision for the show and, in the end, that was the most important,” she said.

Nonetheless, even though Perry got that storyline axed, he never showed his displeasure at the time of rehearsals, Cash revealed. She said the actor made her “feel very comfortable and we just had fun and we played and did what actors are supposed to do.”

The Enduring Appeal Of ‘Friends’

The ‘Friends’ star passed away on October 28, shocking both who admired his acting work as well as those who were familiar with his efforts to raise awareness about addiction. Many of us feel we have lost a personal friend in Perry, highlighting the enduring appeal of the show.

One of the most popular shows of its era, ‘Friends’ premiered in early 1990s. The 2004 finale attracted a staggering 52.5 million viewers in the United States, on top of maintaining an average viewership of more than 20 million each season. The show brought people together.