Jennifer Aniston reveals heartbreaking Friends detail about Matthew Perry's death
Warning: this article discusses drug addiction which some readers may find distressing.
Jennifer Aniston has revealed a heartbreaking detail opening up about the death of Matthew Perry in a new interview.
Aniston has been the most open of the Friends cast members regarding the shocking death of Matthew Perry at the age of 54 in 2023.
In August of this year, when asked about Perry’s death following a drug relapse, Aniston stated that it felt like the Friends cast had ‘been mourning Matthew for a long time because his battle with that disease was a really hard one for him to fight’.
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She went on to add: “As hard as it was for all of us and for the fans, there’s a part of me that thinks this is better. I’m glad he’s out of that pain.”
Aniston has opened up about Perry’s death again in a new interview whilst promoting her TV show The Morning Show.
Perry died due to the ‘acute effects of Ketamine’, with five people having been charged in relation with his death.
Speaking in a new interview with Elle, Aniston said that perry had ‘always wanted happiness more than anything’, adding: “It makes me sad that he never really achieved that, because he deserved it.”
The Friends cast, who have remained close in the years since the show ended, were reportedly heartbroken by his death but not necessarily shocked.
She said: “It was so alarming and shocking, yet not shocking.”
She went on to state that her and the cast would always say: “I hope I never get that phone call.”
Aniston added: “We miss him. He’s missed. He was a brilliant human being and an extraordinary talent, loved deeply.”
Perry’s castmates released a joint statement at the time of his death, expressing their sadness.
It read: “We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family.
"There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss. In time we will say more, as and when we are able.
"For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world."
Perry was an advocate for drug addiction throughout his life, having struggled with the disorder for much of his life himself.
The actor stated he had first drank at 14 and by 18 he was drinking daily, however, his battle with drugs began in 1997 when he was proscribed Vicodin for a jet-ski accident.
Perry would go on to advocate for drug addicts throughout his life, famously tearing into Peter Hitchens on Newsnight for suggesting that the medical community were wrong for designating addiction as a disease.
Following his death, his longtime publicist of three decades Lisa Kasteler-Calio set up the Matthew Perry Foundation.
The charity was ‘established to honour Matthew Perry’s profound legacy and unwavering commitment to helping others struggling with the disease of addiction.’
Topics: Jennifer Aniston, Matthew Perry, Friends, Mental Health, TV and Film, Celebrity
Michael Slavin