Matthew Perry was 100% Responsible for Bruce Willis Appearing on ‘Friends’

Matthew Perry’s death on Oct. 28 has sent fans into mourning. It has also led many to revisit some of Perry’s greatest work, including his breakout role in Friends and the movie roles that came after it. His contribution to Friends was immense. The actor clearly took the character of Chandler Bing and made it his own. His acting helped elevate the ensemble cast. Still, Perry’s contributions to the series were far more varied than you might think. In fact, he is the reason Bruce Willis agreed to appear on Friends. Perry is also the reason Willis opted to donate his entire paycheck from his three-episode story arc on the series.

Why did Bruce Willis appear on ‘Friends’?

Bruce Willis did not want to appear on a TV show in the early 2000s. Willis was a movie star in every way possible. That doesn’t mean he was confident that every movie he appeared in would be a hit. In fact, the actor bet against the success of one of his movies and lost. That is the only reason he appeared on Friends. 

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According to several sources, Matthew Perry bet Bruce Willis that The Whole Nine Yards, the flick they appeared in together in 2000, would be a huge success. Willis didn’t think the movie would open at #1. He was so sure of that that he agreed to appear in Friends if the film succeeded at the box office. The movie was a massive success, and Willis stayed true to his word.  He took on the role of Paul Stevens on Friends.

Where did the ‘The Whole Nine Yards’ star donate his paycheck?

Willis didn’t just appear on the show to make good on his bet with Perry. He also donated his paycheck from his time on the famed series. According to Entertainment Weekly, the star donated his salary from his time as Paul Stevens to five of his preferred charities. According to the publication, those charities included three AIDS foundations, the Rape Treatment Center, and UCLA Unicamp for underprivileged children.

While each charity received a donation from Willis, we don’t know exactly how much each received. Willis never disclosed how much he was paid for playing the father of Ross Geller’s much younger girlfriend, Elizabeth. It was probably not an insignificant amount. 

Bruce Willis might have donated his paycheck, but he certainly didn’t leave the NBC lot empty-handed. Willis earned an Emmy award for his work on the beloved sitcom. His guest appearance is still considered one of the best in the show’s 10-season run.