Actor Lisa Kudrow recalls how Matthew Perry's thoughtful gift left her emotional

Lisa Kudrow recently shared a touching memory involving her late Friends co-star Matthew Perry. The story revolves around a sentimental gift Perry gave her, the iconic 'Cookie Time' jar from the show.

In Short

• Lisa Kudrow received a special gift from Matthew Perry
• It was a prop - cookie jar - from the sets of Friends
• The jar held a note Perry wrote for Kudrow

Lisa Kudrow recently opened up about a heartfelt gift from her late Friends co-star Matthew Perry. Speaking about the iconic "Cookie Time" jar that became a memorable prop from the beloved sitcom, Kudrow shared the sentimental story behind it.

“Matthew gave that to me at the end of our last episode,” Kudrow revealed on The Drew Barrymore Show. She added that the jar, which Perry gifted her when the show ended in 2004, held a special note inside. “I had recently found the note that he had in it for me. I hadn’t opened it up or looked inside of it,” she said.

Recalling a humorous moment on set, Kudrow explained how the cookie jar became significant during an improvised scene. She saaid, “We were shooting a scene years before we finished. My line was, ‘Ohhh, I’m late. I better get going,’ and it was too late when I realised I don’t have a watch. As the words were coming out I went, ‘Oh good there’s a clock,’ and I gestured to that [the cookie jar] and said, ‘Oh look at the time. I better get going.’”

This moment left an impression on Perry, who played Chandler Bing on the show. Kudrow recalled his playful reaction, “Did you point to the cookie jar and say, ‘Look at the time?’” They both laughed about the incident, and years later, Perry ensured the prop would become a cherished keepsake for Kudrow.

Reflecting on receiving the gift, Kudrow recounted her initial surprise. “I think the first thing I asked was, ‘This was so nice — did you get permission?’ I mean, my car used to get searched every night when I left,” she joked.

Looking visibly emotional, Lisa added, "I had recently found the note that he had in it for me. I hadn’t opened it up or looked inside of it. But yeah, he did. He had a note in there, and I forgot about it. Timing is everything."

Matthew Perry died at 54 in October 2023 from "acute effects" of ketamine and other factors that caused him to lose consciousness and drown in his hot tub, according to a December 2023 autopsy report.