Lea Thompson is looking back at her memorable “Friends” appearance with Matthew Perry. The actress – whose wide-ranging career has spanned the Marvel and DC universes as well as Star Trek – recently revisited the 1995 crossover and her experience working with the late actor. As Matt LeBlanc celebrates his 59th birthday, fans are also revisiting the sitcom’s enduring legacy. Thompson’s brief appearance as Caroline Duffy became part of one of NBC’s biggest sitcom crossover events of the 1990s.
Lea Thompson Remembers Her “Friends” Appearance
According to Entertainment Tonight’s interview, Thompson still remembers her time on “Friends” fondly. She called the sitcom “such a big big deal” and said it was “very cool” to be on the show.
Her appearance came during Season 2. She brought Caroline Duffy, her character from “Caroline in the City,” into the episode “The One With the Baby on the Bus.”
The scene featured Chandler and Joey looking after Ross’ baby. Caroline walked past them and assumed the two men were raising the child together.
Caroline then asked, “Who is this little cutie pie?” Chandler responded, “Don’t think me immodest, but me.”
Thompson also recalled another memorable part of the scene. Caroline leaned toward the baby and sniffed his head. She then delivered the line, “I think my uterus just skipped a beat.”
The actress said she still appreciates getting scripts with great material. She described opening a script as being “like a Christmas present.”
Lea Thompson Calls Matthew Perry “The Best Ever”
As reported in Gold Derby‘s 2025 retrospective on the crossover, Perry had been disappointed that he did not share a scene with Thompson during his appearance on “Caroline in the City.”
That detail was mentioned during an older 1995 interview with Thompson. When told that Perry was “kind of bummed” about missing a scene with her, Thompson replied, “Isn’t that sweet? Oh, he’s so adorable.”
The two eventually got their chance to work together on “Friends.” Thompson now remembers Perry with obvious affection.
“He was the best ever,” she said during the recent interview.
The crossover was part of NBC’s “Star-Crossed Thursday” event on November 2, 1995. “Friends,” “The Single Guy” and “Caroline in the City” swapped characters during the evening.
Gold Derby reported in 2025 that “Caroline in the City” creator Marco Pennette remembered deliberately asking for Perry. The “Caroline” team wanted Chandler, while the “Friends” team wanted Thompson.
The arrangement gave both sitcoms a connection to the network’s biggest comedy hit. It also helped boost attention for the newer shows.
From “Jaws 3-D” to Broadway
The “Friends” appearance was only one part of Thompson’s long career. She appeared as Kelly Ann Bukowski in the 1983 horror movie “Jaws 3-D.” She later starred as Amanda Jones in the 1987 romantic drama “Some Kind of Wonderful.”
She also appeared as Sally Bowles in the Broadway revival of “Cabaret.”
Her television work has covered several genres. Thompson starred as Debbie Smith in the 2007 Lifetime television movie “A Life Interrupted.” She also played Cathy Davis in the “Jane Doe” television-movie franchise beginning in 2005.
Her Christmas credits include 2003’s “Stealing Christmas” and 2008’s “The Christmas Clause.” She later appeared in Hallmark’s 2021 film, “Next Stop, Christmas.”
Thompson also starred as Kathryn Kennish in “Switched at Birth.” The family drama ran for five seasons from 2011 to 2017 and is available to stream on Netflix.
A Career Spanning TV, Film and Music
Thompson has also taken on roles behind the camera. She directed five episodes of DC’s “Stargirl” between 2020 and 2022.
Her connection to the “Star Trek” universe came through “Star Trek: Picard Season 2.” She directed two episodes and also appeared onscreen as Dr. Diane Werner.
In 2014, Thompson competed on Season 19 of “Dancing With The Stars.” She was partnered with professional dancer Artem Chigvintsev and finished in sixth place.
She also showed off her singing skills on “Celebrity Duets” in 2006. The competition saw her perform with recording artists including Belinda Carlisle, Randy Travis and Michael Bolton.
Her connection to Marvel goes back to 1986’s “Howard the Duck.” She starred as Beverly Switzler, the rock singer and lead human protagonist opposite the title character. In 2016, she also made a special guest appearance as a fictionalized version of herself in the comic book “Howard the Duck 8.”
Looking back at the “Friends” experience, Thompson remains grateful for the opportunity. She described being on the sitcom as an “honor” and called the show “epic.”
For fans revisiting the classic crossover, the appearance offers another reminder of how deeply connected NBC’s 1990s sitcom universe could be. As “Everybody Loves Raymond” child star Madylin Sweeten reflects on her own sitcom years, it also highlights the lasting impact of beloved ’90s comedies. It gives Thompson a chance to remember Matthew Perry warmly, decades after their memorable scene first aired.
