After the tragic death of Friends star Matthew Perry, who died in October at the age of 54, his co-star Jennifer Aniston has said that she spoke to him on the day he died and that he was 'happy and healthy.'
In an interview with Variety, Aniston said: 'He was happy. He was healthy. He had quit smoking. He was getting in shape. He was happy —that’s all I know.
'I was literally texting with him that morning, funny Matty. He was not in pain. He wasn’t struggling. He was happy.'
The much-loved star was found dead in a hot tub on Saturday, October 28 at his Los Angeles home.
Two days after Perry's sudden death, his fellow castmates from the hit television series — Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer — spoke out in a joint statement.
'We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family,' their statement reads. '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,' the statement continues. 'For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world.'
Two weeks after Perry's tragic death, his Friends co-star Matt LeBlanc, who played Perry's character Chandler Bing's best friend Joey Tribbiani, wrote on Instagram: 'Matthew. It is with a heavy heart I say goodbye. The times we had together are honestly among the favorite times of my life.
'It was an honour to share the stage with you and to call you my friend. I will always smile when I think of you and I’ll never forget you. Never.
'Spread your wings and fly brother you’re finally free. Much love.'
Pausing her performance during one of her Las Vegas residency shows on the day of Perry's death, Adele paid tribute to 'probably the best comedic character of all time.'
'It is always so shocking, especially someone that made you laugh and who bought so much joy to your life that you don't know. This is what I find so strange, I never met him in my life. There is something, you feel so sad about it especially because you don't necessarily known what was going on,' she told the crowd, before dedicating her performance of ‘When We Were Young’ to Perry.
Actor Gwyneth Paltrow also shared how she and Perry spent a ‘magical summer’ together in 1993, where they swam in creeks, shared beers, and ‘kissed in a field of long grass’.
‘He had shot the pilot of Friends but it had not aired yet. He was nervous, hoping his big break was just around the corner. It was,' she said.
She added: ‘I hope Matthew is at peace at long last. I really do.’
Canada's Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, who attended the same school as Perry wrote on X: ‘Matthew Perry's passing is shocking and saddening. I'll never forget the schoolyard games we used to play, and I know people around the world are never going to forget the joy he brought them.
Maggie Wheeler, who played Perry's character's love interest Janice on the show, noted on Instagram: 'What a loss.The world will miss you Matthew Perry . The joy you brought to so many in your too short lifetime will live on. I feel so very blessed by every creative moment we shared.'
‘Thanks for all the laughs, Matthew. You were loved - and you will be missed.’
Morgan Fairchild, who played Chandler Bing's mother on the show, wrote on X that she was 'heartbroken' about his 'untimely death'. 'The loss of such a brilliant young actor is a shock. I'm sending love & condolences to his friends & family, especially his dad, John Bennett Perry, who I worked with on Flamingo Road & Falcon Crest,' she stated.
Legally Blonde actor Selma Blair called Perry her 'oldest boy friend' on Instagram. 'All of us loved Matthew Perry, and I did especially. Every day. I loved him unconditionally. And he me. And I'm broken. Broken hearted. Sweet dreams Matty. Sweet dreams,' she captioned a photo of her and her friend.
The Friends cast reunited in 2021 for a televised reunion, where Perry once again opened up about his mental health struggles during the peak of the show's success.
He recalled ‘freaking out’ and feeling ‘like I would die’ if the audience didn't laugh at one of his lines, describing his mindset at the time as ‘not healthy’.
Naomi May is a freelance writer and editor with an emphasis on popular culture, lifestyle and politics. After graduating with a First Class Honours from City University's prestigious Journalism course, Naomi joined the Evening Standard as its Fashion and Beauty Writer, working across both the newspaper and website. She is now the Acting News Editor at ELLE UK and has written features for the likes of The Guardian, Vogue, Vice and Refinery29, among many others.
