Jennifer Aniston on Matthew Perry’s Death: “I’m glad he’s out of that pain”

Jennifer Aniston’s comment about her late FRIENDS co-star Matthew Perry is as blunt (and heartbreaking) as they come.

Credit:- NBC

Jennifer Aniston’s latest statement about Matthew Perry hits hard for FRIENDS fans. She shared in an interview with Vanity Fair that the other five stars had been mourning Perry long before his death on October 28, 2023, at the age of 54. The actor who played Chandler Bing on the show was found dead in a jacuzzi at his home, and the death was determined to be caused by the acute effects of ketamine.

Aniston shared that she and her co-stars “did everything we could when we could.” However, they were unable to help Perry, who had struggled with substance abuse issues since his time on the show. Aniston went on to share that Perry fought a hard battle, adding that part of her “thinks this is better.” She shared with the outlet:

But it almost felt like we’d been mourning Matthew for a long time because his battle with that disease was a really hard one for him to fight. 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.

Perry was open about his substance abuse issues. During a 2022 event to promote his memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, he revealed how his dark days of addiction prevented him from watching FRIENDS. He shared with Tom Power at the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema in Toronto:

Well, 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. And I don’t think anybody else can, but I certainly could. And that’s why I don’t want to watch it.

Perry’s issues began after a jet skiing accident in 1997, following which a doctor prescribed some medicines that got him into substance abuse. Perry entered rehab twice to overcome his issues and even founded a facility to help others called Perry House.

The Sydney actor joined the cast of the sitcom when he was just 24, and by the time the show concluded, he was making a handsome $1 million per episode at the age of 35.

Jennifer Aniston Had Texted Matthew Perry On the Day of His Death

Jennifer Aniston as Rachel and Matthew Perry as Chandler in a still from FRIENDS | Credits: NBC

During her interview with Variety a couple of months after Matthew Perry’s death, Jennifer Aniston revealed that she had texted Perry on the morning of October 28. A teary-eyed Aniston revealed that Perry was in a good place at the time of his death. She shared with the outlet:

I was literally texting with him that morning, funny Matty. He was not in pain. He wasn’t struggling. He was happy.

When asked how she wanted the world to remember him, Aniston shared, “As he said, he’d love to be remembered.” She shared that Perry had “quit smoking” and “was getting in shape” before his untimely death. She further shared that he was “on a pursuit” and worked hard in that direction. She shared, “I hope he can know that he was loved in a way he never thought he was.”

During her tribute to Perry, Aniston shared a snap of a text that Perry had sent to her. The text read, “Making you laugh just made my day. It made my day.” She wrote in her statement:

Matty, I love you so much and I know you are now completely at peace and out of any pain. I talk to you every day… sometimes I can almost hear you saying ‘could you BE any crazier?’

On the anniversary of his death, Aniston shared a carousel of images of them on the show on her Instagram. She tagged Matthew Perry Foundation in her post, which was set up to support those living with addiction.

How Did Matthew Perry’s Other FRIENDS Co-Stars Remember Him?

The cast of FRIENDS | Credits: NBC

Matthew Perry’s on-screen pair, Courteney Cox, praised his humor and kindness in her tribute to her co-star. She wrote on Instagram, “I am so grateful for every moment I had with you Matty and I miss you every day.” She shared the BTS footage of their iconic scene in bed in London, sharing that it was one of her favorites.

She shared, “In this scene, before we started rolling, he whispered a funny line for me to say. He often did things like that. He was funny and he was kind.” During his first death anniversary, Cox once again took to Instagram and wrote, “Missing you today and always.”

David Schwimmer‘s tribute on Instagram thanked his co-star for “ten incredible years of laughter and creativity.” He shared one of their photos together from the show’s college year flashback sequences, sharing that it was one of his “favorite moments with you.”

Lisa Kudrow thanked him for “making me laugh so hard at something you said, that my muscles ached, and tears poured down my face EVERY DAY” (via Instagram). She further addressed his substance abuse-related issues in her post, sharing, “Thank you for showing up at work when you weren’t well and then, being completely brilliant.”

Matt LeBlanc, who played Chandler’s best friend Joey on the show, shared 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.” He hoped that Perry could spread his wings and fly as he was finally free.

What do you think of Jennifer Aniston’s latest statement on Matthew Perry’s substance abuse struggles?

FRIENDS is now available for streaming on HBO Max.