Matthew Perry’s death came as a shock to many, especially to those who knew him. The beloved actor struggled for ages with addiction, but in his last years he’d made great strides at turning his life around. He published a memoir, whose success left him touched. He even seemed to be in good spirits right up to the end, according to one of his Friends costars.
For Variety’s Emmy edition, Jennifer Aniston spoke with her Morning Show costar Reese Witherspoon, where she spoke about how she hoped people thought of him “as he said he’d love to be remembered.”
“He was happy. He was healthy. He had quit smoking. He was getting in shape. He was happy — that’s all I know,” she said through tears. “I was literally texting with him that morning, funny Matty. He was not in pain. He wasn’t struggling. He was happy.”
Aniston added, “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.”
In the month-and-a-half since his sudden passing, many have remembered Perry warmly. Last week Julia Roberts, who dated him after making a guest appearance on Friends’ second season, mourned him, saying, “The sudden passing of anybody so young is heartbreaking.”
(Via Variety)