Matthew Perry Kept His Right Hand Out of View until He Met One Pilot — 5 Times We Saw His Hand

• Most die-hard fans of "Friends" never noticed a peculiarity on Matthew Perry's right-hand finger until it was pointed out later.
• Several fans expressed their astonishment during a Reddit discussion about it.
• The story behind the peculiar finger was also revealed.

Famed television star Matthew Perry died on October 28, 2023, at 54. His body was discovered at his Los Angeles home, and the authorities ruled his death as a result of an apparent drowning.

Perry's family released an exclusive statement in the wake of his passing, which read, "We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother. Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and a friend."

Perry rose to prominence for his role as Chandler Bing on the acclaimed show, "Friends." His impressive acting skills made fans fall in love with his character. But as they watched him for many years, some admitted not noticing that the actor had a short middle finger.

While Perry's character lost his toe in season five of the show, specifically episode eight, titled "The One with All the Thanksgivings," this plot twist might have been inspired by the actor's real-life story of losing the tip of his middle finger.

Several dedicated fans of the show engaged in a Reddit discussion, expressing their astonishment. Many admitted they hadn't noticed the actor's short middle finger before learning about his experience.

"What!? I've never noticed this before. THIS IS BRAND NEW INFORMATION," one fan wrote, referring to Phoebe Buffay's (Lisa Kudrow) iconic line. Another one stated that they had to rewatch the show because they wanted to see the details, as it was visible in some episodes.

Perry lost the tip of his middle finger in an accident when he was in kindergarten. At three years old, he suffered the unfortunate incident of his right middle finger being caught in a car door that was violently slammed by his schoolmate, leading to a painful injury.

He recalled the ordeal in his book, "Friends. Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing," published in 2022. According to Perry, his mother was instantly called following the incident, and the youngster was rushed to the hospital.

Upon arrival, she was sobbing and found him standing on a gurney with a bandage on his hand. Before she uttered a word, he told her not to cry, as he did not shed a tear.

Perry admitted that he was ashamed of his middle finger and had never shown it until he crossed paths with a pilot. The pilot asked to see his hand, and he showed it to him, embarrassed.

The captain also showed the Hollywood star his own right hand, which also had the exact missing bit on his middle finger. Perry was in awe of the man, especially because he knew what he did for a living. The star's mindset about his middle finger changed since that encounter.

While many fans never noticed this peculiarity in the actor's right hand on the show, let's explore five instances when we saw this shorter middle finger through the years.

In the first season of "Friends," Perry posed for a photo sitting by the fountain. In this June 1994 snap, the actor was dressed in a stylish black shirt paired with blue jeans and brown loafers. Both hands were visible in the picture, with his left hand resting on his left leg and his right hand on the fountain's surface, revealing his noticeably shorter middle finger.

In June 2003, Perry watched the match between Jennifer Capriati and Myriam Casanova at Wimbledon, and while seated at an enclosure, he was seen waving with his right hand, making his shorter middle finger quite evident.

A third time we spotted Perry's short middle finger was in March 2002, when he was photographed walking outside The Farm of Beverly Hills in the company of two unidentified women.

In the photo, the actor, wearing a navy blue T-shirt and loose-fitting pants, had his left hand in his pocket and his right hand on his chest, revealing his noticeably shorter middle finger.

The fourth time we spotted Perry's right middle finger was when the actor appeared on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” in August 1995. While seated as a guest during the interview, he rested his left hand on the host's table and his right hand on his leg, making his shorter middle finger clearly visible.

In "Friends," season three, episode 19, titled "The One With the Tiny T-Shirt," there's a scene in which Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) and Chandler (Perry) are engaged in a conversation. Chandler, who was seated on the couch, held a magazine with his right hand, and again, we see his short middle finger.

Perry Had a Crush on Aniston

During an interview with journalist Daine Sawyer, Perry discussed his memoir, "Friends. Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing." The actor opened up about his personal life and career, highlighting his role as Chandler on the hit show.

During the conversation, the actor confessed to having a crush on Aniston and revealed he had asked her out before filming the show, but she turned him down and suggested they be friends.

But the rejection did not stop Perry from admiring Aniston. He reflected on the moments on set and told Sawyer that he would stare at Aniston for three seconds and would wonder if it was too long. But Aniston was not the only woman Perry had a crush on. The actor confessed to having crushed on his other female co-stars.

A Look into the 'Friends' Reunion in 2021

Seventeen years after the show ended, the cast came together for a TV special titled "Friends: The Reunion." In this 1hr 44 minutes unscripted reunion, the "Friends" co-stars got emotional and reminisced about some of the show's moments.

The cast took a trip down memory lane, visiting the original set of the show and recalling some memorable moments with a mix of laughter and tears of joy.

This TV special, nominated for four Primetime Emmys, had several formats, including an interview with James Corden, a collection of behind-the-scenes clips, celebrities paying tributes, and a revisit and recreation of some iconic scenes.

"Friends" aired from 1994 to 2004 and is widely recognized as one of the best sitcoms to grace television. This beloved show earned six Primetime Emmys, and nearly two decades after its conclusion, fans still cherish it.