Jennifer Aniston Makes Emotional Admission About Grieving Matthew Perry

Jennifer Aniston is opening up about the loss of her former Friends co-star Matthew Perry as the second anniversary of his death approaches.

In a wide-ranging new interview with Vanity Fair, Jennifer reflected on the addiction issues her late friend spoke to in his lifetime, and the support that she and the rest of the cast tried to provide him with.

“We did everything we could when we could,” she explained. “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.”

She continued: “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.”

Matthew spoke candidly about his issues with substance abuse and addiction throughout his time in the spotlight, most notably in his 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers And The Big Terrible Thing.

In the book, he also spoke about the support that Jennifer and his Friends co-stars offered to him during their time working together.

He was found dead at his home in Los Angeles in October 2023 at the age of 54, with the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner ruling months later that the actor had died from the “acute effects of ketamine”, among other contributing factors.

Last year, when asked how fans could continue to honour Matthew’s legacy, Jennifer said simply: “Celebrate him.”

Following his death, a 2022 interview resurfaced, in which Matthew said: “The best thing about me, bar none, is that if somebody comes to me and says, ‘I can’t stop drinking, can you help me?’ I can say ‘yes’ and follow up and do it.

“When I die, I don’t want Friends to be the first thing that’s mentioned. I want that to be the first thing that’s mentioned. And I’m gonna live the rest of my life proving that.”

Speaking to Variety two months after Matthew’s death, Jennifer was asked how she hoped her late friend would be remembered, responding simply: “As he said he’d love to be remembered.”

“I hope he can know that he was loved in a way he never thought he was,” she added, referring to the many tributes that were being paid to him at that time.

Help and support:

• If you need help with a drinking problem, call the Alcoholics Anonymous national helpline for free on 0800 9177 650 or email help@aamail.org.

• For advice on how to reduce drinking, visit Drinkaware’s website or Alcohol Change UK.

• Find alcohol addiction services near you using this NHS tool.

• Contact FRANK on 0300 123 6600 or visit the website for alternative contact methods.