Lisa Kudrow commented during the reunion that Matthew Perry didn’t share those thoughts back when Friends was filming, and Jennifer Aniston was also unaware of the pressure her co-star felt on a constant basis.
Perry has been open about his struggles with addiction, even previously admitting he couldn’t remember filming some Friends episodes because of it.
That said, he is doing better now in that respect, despite his slurred speech in the reunion that caused some fans to worry.
Being on a highly rated show for 10 seasons in front of a live audience has to create immense stress for the actors, and for some, it’s not as much of a driving inspiration as it is a hindrance.