Jennifer Aniston has paid a heartfelt tribute to legendary television director James Burrows after his death at the age of 85.
The Friends star shared an emotional message on Instagram, describing Burrows as one of the most important people in her life.
Calling him “Papa Burrows,” Aniston said it was difficult to put into words how much he meant to so many people.
Aniston recalled how Burrows always called the Friends cast as his “kids.”
The actress added that the late icon would often say, “Where are the kids?” or joke, “Let’s see if the kids can make the joke work.”
The Murder Mystery actress also shared a deeply personal reflection on their bond.
“He was a father figure to me,” she wrote. “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.”
Aniston went on to add that Burrows taught the cast the importance of loving and respecting one another, taking care of each other and always having each other’s backs.
She added that those lessons stayed with them long after Friends became a global success.
In the emotional tribute, Aniston further said that she misses his voice, his laugh and his brilliance.
She ended her message with a touching line, saying she hopes that wherever he is, someone is asking, “Where are the kids?”
Burrows is widely known as one of television’s greatest directors.
Besides Friends, he helped shape iconic shows including Cheers, Taxi and Will & Grace, leaving behind a legacy.