Jennifer Aniston Says Matthew Perry "Wasn't Struggling" Ahead of His Passing

After sharing her official goodbye to Matthew Perry following his shocking death in October, Jennifer Aniston is revealing more about her final memories with her Friends co-star in a new interview for Variety. Speaking to her Morning Show co-star Reese Witherspoon, Aniston said that she had spoken to Perry via text that morning and that she could see that, despite his years-long struggles with drugs and alcohol, he was happy, healthy, and not struggling with any of his demons.

“He was happy. He was healthy. He had quit smoking. He was getting in shape. He was happy — that’s all I know,” Aniston said. “I was literally texting with him that morning, funny Matty. He was not in pain. He wasn’t struggling. He was happy.”

She 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.”

Aniston continued, saying that she wanted Perry to be remembered “as he said he’d love to be remembered” — as someone who was focused on helping others.

“It’s so beautiful,” Aniston said of fans' tributes to her friend in the wake of his death. “I hope he can know that he was loved in a way he never thought he was.”

Witherspoon also spoke of her time with Perry. She appeared as a guest star on Friends in 2000.

“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. It’s really beautiful and set standards for our business, as well, with the way you respected each other,” she told Aniston of her experiences on set. “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. 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.'”

Perry died on Oct. 28 at age 54 in Los Angeles after an apparent drowning.

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