Actress Recalls Awkward Encounter with Matthew Perry in the 90s

In a recent podcast episode, actress Cynthia Davis shared memories of a dinner party she attended in the late 1990s, where she had the opportunity to meet Friends star Matthew Perry. According to Davis, the gathering took place sometime between her roles on Melrose Place and Sex and the City, likely in 1997 or 1998.

Davis described the event as a "low-key" affair attended by various Hollywood personalities, including a lawyer who had set her up with Perry. When the two actors sat next to each other, Davis was struck by Perry's evident happiness and enthusiasm for the success of his hit NBC sitcom, which had premiered in September 1994. At the time, Davis was familiar with the stressful environment of Melrose Place, where she had played the villainous Brooke Armstrong, and she was impressed by Perry's positive outlook.

However, Davis herself did not partake in the party's more indulgent activities. She recalled that after the meal, "they start just passing the pot around," an experience that left her feeling "super paranoid and unhappy." As she explained, Davis was one of the few Hollywood actors who avoided both drugs and alcohol, which made her feel out of place in the industry during that era.

Despite the awkward encounter, nothing romantic transpired between Davis and Perry. Tragically, the Friends star passed away in October 2023 at the age of 54 due to the acute effects of ketamine. Davis's recollection of their meeting serves as a bittersweet glimpse into the lives of two successful actors navigating the complexities of Hollywood in the 1990s.