Jennifer Aniston said her co-star Matthew Perry – who played Chandler Bing in “Friends” – was happy and making positive changes before his death at the age of 54.
In an interview with Variety on December 12, Jennifer said the actor was not in trouble before his sudden death on October 28. “He was happy, healthy, had quit smoking and was slowly getting back in shape. He was happy – that’s all I know. I even texted him that morning, Matty was still funny. He was not in pain, not in trouble,” she said.
Jennifer added that Matthew was healthier and working very hard. The star misses him very much, hoping that her co-stars know how much they love her, especially the Friends cast : “We were very close, that friendship was magical, everyone always looked after each other for many years. It was beautiful, it set a standard for the Hollywood industry – the way you respect each other.” She felt lucky to be involved in the series and to meet them, thinking that the way Matthew spoke made everyone happy and made a world of difference.
On Instagram on November 15, Jennifer expressed her gratitude and gave many compliments to the actor. Recently, she both cried and laughed when reading the messages between the two, saying that she will always remember them. The star said that she loves Matthew very much, he has become a part of her, always making her and everyone laugh heartily. She and the actor’s family set up a fund to support addicts – a goal Matthew had intended to achieve.
The couple first met in 1991 – three years before filming Friends – and Matthew immediately fell in love with the star. However, Jennifer rejected his feelings, saying they should be friends. While filming the sitcom, the actor was still in love with his co-star and thought she was wonderful. After a while, his feelings faded when Jennifer was not interested.
The two have been close friends ever since. In a 2004 interview, the star cried at the thought of losing Matthew. Matthew struggled with substance abuse for years. He tried to quit 15 times in his life, spending an estimated $9 million. While filming Friends , he was taking 55 strong painkillers and a liter of vodka a day, dropping to just 120 pounds. Jennifer confronted Matthew about his alcoholism on set.
During his time in rehab, the star frequently checked in on his friend. “She was the one who reached out to me the most. I’m really grateful to Jennifer,” Matthew told Diane Sawyer in 2022.
On October 28, Matthew Perry’s body was found in a hot tub at a home in the Los Angeles area. The cause of death was initially believed to be drowning , but is currently under investigation. On November 4, the actor’s funeral took place at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles, with friends and family in attendance
Matthew Perry grew up in Canada, moving to Los Angeles as a teenager. After a number of guest appearances on television, he appeared in Growing Pains (1985–1992) and Boys Will Be Boys (1987–1988). His breakthrough came in 1994 when he played Chandler Bing on Friends . Chandler was the CEO of a statistical analysis company. He had a sense of humor, often cracking jokes with his friends. The role earned him an Emmy nomination in 2002.
Jennifer Aniston , 54, became a Hollywood A-list star after the success of the series Friends and moved to acting in movies. She was successful with romantic comedies such as The Break-up (2006), Marley & Me (2008), Just Go With It (2011). In 2019, she returned to acting in television after 15 years with the series The Morning Show , winning a SAG award for leading actress in a drama series.
