It turns out that Jennifer Aniston was constantly in touch with Matthew Perry just hours before he passed away. And his text messages? Apparently, they had no signs of sadness or hardships. But on the contrary, they were cheerful, witty and full of ‘him’—Matty being Matty.
Matthew Perry, best known for his character Chandler Bing in FRIENDS and also known as the king of sarcasm, tragically passed away at the age of 54 in October. But what before that? Perry was surprisingly getting healthy. He even quit smoking. He was doing everything he could. Jennifer Aniston, Perry’s FRIENDS co-star, shared a last conversation with him, and what she described him as is absolutely different. She said that he did not find him someone who was in pain; she spoke of a man who was full of life.
Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc & David Schwimmer have made a statement on Matthew Perry’s tragic passing:
“We are all utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just castmates. We are a family. There is so much to say, but right now… pic.twitter.com/wE0y8B7fvo
— no context chandler bing (@NoContxtBing) October 30, 2023
Her recent comment shifts the whole perspective of Matthew’s death. When audiences first heard about Perry’s addiction, everyone often expected the worst. But Matthew? He was trying to and was moving forward, not falling behind. This is exactly what Jennifer Aniston, a close friend of Perry, wants people to understand.
In an interview with Variety, Aniston revealed that she had been conversing with Matthew Perry over texts that very morning. Perry’s final messages were not heavy with regret and sorrow. In fact, they were filled with humor, the kind only Perry could pull off so effortlessly. “I was literally texting with him that morning, funny Matty,” she said. “He was not in pain. He wasn’t struggling. He was happy.”
The statement from Aniston punched everyone straight in the heart. Reese Witherspoon, who sat next to her, instantly took Jennifer’s hand as she started crying. Matthew wanted to be remembered, not as a man who was struggling but as someone full of hope. He also wanted people to know the real him, the same guy who made everyone laugh till their stomachs hurt.
Matthew was also very open about his battle with addiction. Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, his 2022 memoir, openly laid out everything about his rehabilitation stints, near-death experience, but ultimately, the will to fight and stay sober.
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“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 also shared on Instagram.
When the news of Matthew Perry’s demise broke, Jennifer, along with Lisa Kudrow, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer, issued a joint statement. “We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family,” their statement reads. “There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss.”
Jennifer Aniston’s message for Matthew Perry. They truly had such a special bond and I’ll forever be grateful to Jen for always checking up on him. ♥️ pic.twitter.com/yPmZaihla8
— no context chandler bing (@NoContxtBing) November 15, 2023
The tributes did not stop there. Each of the actors took to Instagram and shared their personal memories with Perry. Jennifer’s post was especially overwhelming. She shared a screenshot of their old text, where Perry said, “Making you laugh just made my day. It just made my day.”
Her reply? “Awww, the first of THOUSANDS of times.” Matthew Perry has a kind of legacy that lasts. He was more than an actor; Perry was a comedian, a writer, and a person who was battling addiction and wanted to help others. Perry dedicated much of his later years to advocating for addiction. He even opened a sober living facility called the Perry House. Matthew made the entire world laugh; he is still making generations laugh. All thanks to Aniston, now we know that he was laughing too, until the end.
