In a poignant and deeply emotional moment, Jennifer Aniston was brought to tears during a recent interview for Variety’s “Actors on Actors” series, marking the 30th anniversary of the beloved sitcom Friends. The milestone celebration became more than just a look back at television history—it became a powerful reminder of the bonds that formed between cast members, especially the enduring connection Aniston continues to feel with the late Matthew Perry.

Sitting down with Abbott Elementary star Quinta Brunson, Aniston visibly struggled to hold back tears when the topic of Friends came up. Before Brunson could even ask the suggested question about what it’s like to watch the show now, Aniston interrupted gently: “Oh God, don’t make me cry.”

Moments later, as she became visibly emotional, Aniston paused to collect herself, her voice cracking as she tried to respond. It was clear that she was thinking of Perry, whose unexpected death on October 28, 2023, at the age of 54, left a permanent mark on her and the rest of the Friends family.

“I’m sorry, I just started thinking about—” she began, before pausing to take a tissue, as captured in the raw and touching footage released by Variety. Though Brunson offered to skip the question, Aniston insisted on continuing. “No, I’m OK. It’s happy tears,” she said, dabbing her eyes.

The weight of the moment was not lost on the audience—or on Brunson, who watched with empathy and respect as Aniston fought through her emotions. “It’s so strange to even think that it’s 30 years old,” Aniston continued, reflecting on the show. “Because I remember the day that it was going to premiere on NBC: Matthew and I were having lunch, and we knew Lisa [Kudrow] was getting her hair colored. So we ran into the salon, and I took the nozzle and just started washing her hair.”

It was a moment Aniston said she’ll never forget—one of many little stories from their early days that now feel larger than life in the wake of Perry’s passing. “The excitement we had, it feels like yesterday,” she added.

What moved fans most, however, was what came next. For the first time, Aniston shared a private ritual she’s kept since Perry’s death—a small but heartfelt gesture that helps her feel connected to him every day.

“I talk to him,” she revealed, her voice soft. “Every morning, usually when I’m getting ready for work or heading out for a walk. I say something to him. Just a little hello. Sometimes I can hear his voice in my head saying something sarcastic or funny. And I laugh. It’s like he’s still here.”

Aniston described this daily habit not as an act of grief, but one of love—a quiet way of carrying her friend with her as life moves forward. “It’s my way of keeping the thread alive. We were always the six of us. That will never change. And Matty, he’s just… he’s still part of my day.”

Her heartfelt words echo the powerful tribute she posted to Instagram shortly after Perry’s death. “He was such a part of our DNA,” she wrote at the time. “We were always the 6 of us. This was a chosen family that forever changed the course of who we were and what our path was going to be.”

In the interview, Aniston also touched on the incredible legacy of Friends and how it continues to resonate with fans around the world, three decades later. “The fact that it’s had this long, wonderful life and it still means a lot to people is one of the greatest gifts I think all five of us — all six of us — we never could imagine,” she said.

She went on to share that the cast remains close, a bond that has only deepened over time. “I talked on FaceTime with Court [Courteney Cox] last night for an hour, and Lisa and the boys—we just have a really, it’s a family forever.”

Though the original transcript of the interview posted by Variety left out the tearful exchange, the unfiltered footage captured something more profound than words—a raw, human moment that reminded audiences of the enduring power of friendship, both on and off screen.

As Friends turns 30, it’s clear that its magic goes beyond punchlines and Central Perk coffee mugs. It lives in the stories the cast still tell, in their laughter, their shared grief, and in the quiet rituals like Aniston’s—simple acts of remembrance that speak volumes about love, loss, and connection.

In her final words about Perry, Aniston summed it up best: “Matty, I love you so much and I know you are now completely at peace and out of any pain. I talk to you every day… sometimes I can almost hear you saying, ‘Could you BE any crazier?’”

And maybe, just maybe, he is still saying that—somewhere, with a smile.