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Jennifer Aniston has spoken candidly about the heartbreak of losing her Friends co-star Matthew Perry, revealing that the cast had been “mourning” him long before his untimely death in October 2023.
Speaking to Vanity Fair, Aniston opened up about the deep connection between the six actors who brought the beloved sitcom to life, and the pain of watching Perry battle his well-documented struggles with addiction.
The actor, known to millions as Chandler Bing, was found unresponsive in the hot tub of his Los Angeles home on October 28, 2023. He was just 54 years old. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled his death was caused by the acute effects of ketamine, with drowning and coronary artery disease listed as contributing factors.
Aniston, who starred as Rachel Green in the hit NBC sitcom from 1994 to 2004, said she and fellow castmates Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer did everything they could to support Perry during his decades-long fight against substance abuse.
“We did everything we could when we could,” Aniston told the magazine. “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 himself was open about his addiction in his 2022 memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, detailing how it began in the late 1990s and persisted for years, even during Friends’ peak popularity.
Since Perry’s death, the surviving cast members have shared tributes, underscoring the unique and lifelong friendship they built both on and off screen. Aniston said their bond was forged through “ten years of daily laughter, tears, and life together”, something that could never be replicated.
“He knew we loved him,” she said. “We never stopped telling him that. We never gave up.”
Fans across the world were devastated by Perry’s passing, with vigils, social media tributes, and memorials springing up from Los Angeles to London. Many have expressed gratitude for the joy he brought to their lives through Chandler’s quick wit, awkward humour, and surprising moments of vulnerability.
As Aniston reflects, she hopes the focus will remain on his talent, his kindness, and his courage in speaking openly about his personal battles in the hope of helping others.
“He wanted to make people laugh, and he did, every single day,” she said. “But he also wanted to make a difference. That’s how I’ll remember him.”
