Jennifer Aniston pays tribute to late director James Burrows

• James Burrows, Friends director, dies at 85 on June 19
• Family confirmed death, did not disclose cause
• Jennifer Aniston shared a tribute on Instagram on June 20

Jennifer Aniston has paid a touching posthumous tribute to longtime friend and Friends director James Burrows. Burrows passed away at the age of 85 on June 19, 2026. His family confirmed the news of his passing but refrained from revealing his cause of death.

Aniston shares emotional Instagram post

Taking to her Instagram on Saturday, Aniston penned a lengthy note in memory of the television director, alongside a carousel of pictures of herself with him over the years.

She began the tribute: "Oh boy… [broken heart emoji] Papa Burrows. The hardest thing about writing this is that you spent a lifetime making people feel loved, and now it feels impossible to put all of that love into a few paragraphs."

Burrows called the cast 'the kids'

The Murder Mystery star went on to share that Burrows used to call the cast of Friends "kids," often saying, "Where are the kids?" and "Let's see if the kids can make the joke work."

Aniston described the bond she shared with the director. "His own incredible children were generous enough to share him with all of us who were lucky enough to experience his unicorn presence. He was a father figure to me. He always checked in on me. He worried about me, celebrated me, taught me, guided me, and held me through the hardest times and the best of times. He spoiled us rotten," she wrote.

A lesson in caring for one another

Aniston said Burrows taught the cast the value of looking out for each other. "Most of all, he taught us — the kids — how important it is to love and respect one another. To take care of each other. To have each other's backs and support each other, no matter what. And we did just that," she wrote.

She closed the tribute with a personal message to her late mentor. "I miss your voice. I miss your laugh. I miss your brilliance. Wherever you are, I hope someone is asking, 'Where are the kids?'" the The Morning Show actress concluded.