Why Matthew Perry Refused to Let Chandler Cheat on Monica in ‘Friends’

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Despite his recent passing, fans haven’t changed in honoring Matthew Perry’s artistic legacy. He will always be Chandler to them, that lovable romantic who managed to captivate millions of people with one of the most applauded romances in all of Friends.

And now, thanks to the testimony of another actress from the series, it has been revealed that he was one of the responsible for ensuring that viewers maintained their opinion about the longest and most constant couple in the show.

Any Friends fan will fondly remember how Monica and Chandler gradually developed their friendship into a secret relationship that would eventually lead to marriage and two children. In short, an ideal relationship in which plot twists hardly affected their love, solidifying their status as the perfect couple. However, not everything was meant to be that way, or at least the writers had other plans for Chandler.

In an interview with the TMZ media, actress Lisa Cash, who appeared as an extra in the fifth season of the series, has revealed that the relationship between Monica and Chandler was going to change radically. Her debut was intended for episode 120 of the series – the 23rd in the season – titled «The One in Las Vegas» (1999), where she was supposed to be the woman with whom the character would cheat on Monica.

Basically, the original idea was for the couple to have a heated argument due to her ex, Richard, played by Tom Selleck, which would lead to Chandler being alone in his room. Cash’s character from room service would then visit him, and after laughing and talking, they would end up sleeping together.

Matthew Perry’s Refusal

It seemed like this plot twist could have put the couple in a tight spot and likely kept the audience glued to their screens. However, there was a chance that they would no longer be the beloved couple for so many fans of the series.

Matthew Perry, well aware of the affection he received from people during that time, refused. «The day before we were going to film in front of a live audience, I was told that Perry went to the writers and told them that the viewers would never forgive him for cheating on Monica. And he was probably right! That would have changed the course of the series and his character,» Cash commented to the media.

The scene was rehearsed, so it was a last-minute change that ultimately prevented it from being included. In fact, what can be seen in the series is far from infidelity: Chandler’s proposal ended up being one of the most memorable moments in the entire show and still holds a special place among all the memorable moments the group of friends created over a decade.