Jennifer Aniston says 'Friends' cast ‘mourned’ Matthew Perry long before his death

Highlights:

• Jennifer Aniston reveals the Friends cast felt they had been “mourning” Matthew Perry years before his 2023 death.
• Perry, best known as Chandler Bing, died aged 54 from the “acute effects of ketamine.”
• Aniston says she is “glad he’s out of pain” after his long struggle with addiction.
• Five people have been charged in connection with the actor’s death.

Jennifer Aniston has shared a deeply personal reflection on her late Friends co-star Matthew Perry, saying the cast had been “mourning” him long before his sudden death in October 2023.

Perry, who famously played Chandler Bing for ten seasons, died at 54 from the “acute effects of ketamine.” His passing came after decades of battling addiction, a fight he documented in his 2022 memoir Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing.

Speaking to Vanity Fair, Aniston recalled how she and fellow cast members Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer and Matt LeBlanc supported Perry throughout his life. “We did everything we could when we could,” she said. “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.”

Jennifer Aniston opens up about the emotional toll of Perry’s struggles Getty Images

What Jennifer Aniston said about Matthew Perry’s final days

Aniston revealed that she had been texting Perry on the morning of his death and that he seemed “happy” and “healthy.” She told Variety in 2023: “He had quit smoking, he was getting in shape, and he was happy, that’s all I know. He wasn’t in pain. He wasn’t struggling.”

The Morning Show star previously posted a heartfelt tribute on Instagram, sharing a behind-the-scenes photo from Friends and a text message Perry had once sent her. In her caption, she wrote: “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?’”

Matthew Perry’s battle with addiction

Perry’s openness about his struggles made his death even more poignant for fans. Over his lifetime, he entered rehab 15 times and once estimated he had spent about £5.4 million (₹57.6 crore) trying to get sober.

In his memoir, Perry explained how his appearance on Friends reflected his substance use: “When I’m carrying weight, it’s alcohol; when I’m skinny, it’s pills; when I have a goatee, it’s a lot of pills.”

Aniston was often the castmate who checked in on him the most. Perry told Diane Sawyer in 2022 that she “reached out the most” and that he was “really grateful” for her support.

Jennifer Aniston shares a heartfelt memory of Matthew Perry and their enduring friendshipInstagram/jenniferaniston

Legal developments in Matthew Perry’s death

In August 2024, five people were charged in connection with Perry’s death, including doctors accused of supplying him with ketamine outside medical guidelines. One of them, Dr Salvador Plasencia, pleaded guilty last month to four counts of distribution of ketamine and faces up to 40 years in prison when sentenced on 3 December.

Prosecutors said Perry had become addicted to intravenous ketamine while seeking treatment for depression and anxiety in late 2023. When his clinic refused to increase his dosage, he allegedly turned to outside suppliers.

Doctor charged in Matthew Perry death admits to illegally supplying ketamine Getty Images

The enduring bond of the Friends cast

Following Perry’s death, the Friends cast released a joint statement describing themselves as “a family” and promising to speak more when they were ready. Aniston says the loss still feels raw: “He made all of us laugh, and laugh hard. We loved him deeply. We were always the six of us.”