Jennifer Aniston addressed Matthew Perry‘s tragic death for the first time in a candid and emotional interview with Variety. She revealed that her Friends co-star, who was found dead at the age of 54 in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home on October 28th, was “happy” and “healthy” – and also told the pub that she was even texting with him on the same day he had passed away.
Aniston, 54, and her The Morning Show co-star Reese Witherspoon, 47, spoke openly with the magazine ahead of the release of the Apple TV+ show’s third season – and while the women discussed a number of different topics with the interviewer, Aniston’s words about Perry were the most memorable.
Jennifer Aniston Addresses 'Friends' Co-Star Matthew Perry's Passing In 'Variety' Interview
The Friends alum was asked, "How do you want the world to remember Matthew Perry?" to which she replied: "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. I was literally texting with him that morning, funny Matty. He was not in pain. He wasn't struggling. He was happy."
Witherspoon chimed in to say, "It's important people know that," which Aniston agreed with, adding: "It is. 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."
Although Perry had struggled with addiction for a long time, which he spoke openly about in his 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing, the paperwork following his death reportedly stated that his cause of death was "inconclusive" after an initial postmortem showed no signs of meth or fentanyl in his system.
The Murder Mystery 2 actress also spoke to Variety about the incredible outpouring of love Perry received following the tragic news, calling it "so beautiful." "I hope he can know that he was loved in a way he never thought he was," she added.
The Big Little Lies actress then went on to mention the "incredible" friendship of the six Friends stars, and said it was "extraordinary." "You all were so close. It's incredible what was born of those friendships, and how you guys have always taken care of each other for years and years," Witherspoon said. "It's really beautiful and set standards for our business, as well, with the way you respected each other."
"I feel lucky that I got to be on that show and I walked in like Alice in Wonderland, watching the most popular cast do this whole thing," she continued. "I remember going home and going, oh, they're in another league. They're on another planet on comedy levels that I've never seen my entire life, pivoting on a dime and working on each other's energy and it was extraordinary."
Aniston finished off by crediting her late co-star once again, saying: "I also have to say I think Matthew Perry's dialect, his way of speaking, created a whole different world. We went with his lead, in a way. It just added something to our joy."
