Actor Matthew Perry, who was known for his work on the popular sitcom F.R.I.E.N.D.S, suddenly passed away on October 28. The actor was found dead in his bathtub at the age of 54, with the cause still to be determined. The news came as a shock to the world, including his co-stars Jennifer Aniston and others.
While Perry had a long battle with drug and alcohol addiction, family and friends close to him revealed that he had recovered from his addictions and health issues and was happy. Jennifer Aniston, who played Rachel in the 90s sitcom, mentioned in an interview recently that he was happy and healthy prior to his death, which made the tragedy more shocking.
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Jennifer Aniston Said That Matthew Perry Was Happy Before His Untimely Death
The death of F.R.I.E.N.D.S star Matthew Perry was a huge shock to the world. The 54-year-old actor, who was known for his role as the sarcastic Chandler Bing in the ‘90s sitcom, was found dead in his bathtub. The actor had a history of drug addiction and substance abuse problems but had recovered in the past few years.
While no foul play was suspected, Perry’s F.R.I.E.N.D.S co-star Jennifer Aniston dispelled rumors about his health by stating that he was not in any pain or struggle before his untimely death. She said in her first interview since the incident with Variety that she had texted Perry on the morning of his death and stated that he was happy.
“I was literally texting with him that morning, funny Matty. He was not in pain. He wasn’t struggling. He was happy…I want people to know he was really healthy, and getting healthy. He was on a pursuit. He worked so hard. He really was dealt a tough one. I miss him dearly. We all do. Boy, he made us laugh really hard.”
The actress also credited him for his pursuit of not only his recovery but that of others who were facing similar issues. She stated that she was moved by the tributes that were given to the Fools Rush In star and that she wished he knew how much the world loved him.
Matthew Perry’s Problems With Drug Addiction
Though Matthew Perry’s sudden death came as a shock to everyone, he has had a huge battle with drug addiction and substance abuse problems. He had reportedly been addicted to alcohol since the age of fourteen and then became addicted to Vicodin after he had a skiing accident in 1997.
The actor reportedly spent $9 million battling his addiction, which included surgeries, therapy sessions, rehab, and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. He had multiple life-threatening incidents in the past few years, where he was almost facing death due to complications from his drug and alcohol addictions.
Perry also revealed that he was addicted to drugs and alcohol while he was filming F.R.I.E.N.D.S and that he does not remember three seasons of the show as he was high most of the time. He revealed in the ‘Q with Tom Power’ podcast that he could not bring himself to watch the show as it would remind him of his dark past. He said,
“I didn’t watch the show, and haven’t watched the show, because I could go drinking … opiates … drinking … cocaine…Like I could tell season by season by how I looked.”
The actor also mentioned that he has helped multiple people with their addictions by converting his former Malibu house into a treatment center. He said that he wanted to be better remembered for his pursuit of recovery and for helping others recover along with him than be just remembered for the popular sitcom.
