Jennifer Aniston: Matthew Perry Was ‘Happy’ on Date of Death
Jennifer Aniston and Matthew Perry pose backstage at the 29th Annual People's Choice Awards at the Pasadena Civic Center January 12, 2003 in Pasadena, California.
Jennifer Aniston recalls the last time she spoke to her late Friends co-star Matthew Perry and what his mental state was like. In a conversation with her Morning Show co-star, Reese Witherspoon, for a feature in Variety‘s Emmys edition, Aniston stated how Perry would have loved to be remembered: as somebody who was “happy” and “healthy.” The 54-year-old actress began her conversation crying while speaking about Perry’s death, with Witherspoon grabbing hold of her hand for the rest of their conversation.
Aniston told Witherspoon that he quit smoking cigarettes and was working out. Reiterating that Perry was happy several times during their conversation, the award-winning actress says she was texting “funny Matty” the morning he died. “He was not in pain,” she said. “He wasn’t struggling.” Witherspoon noted that it is important that people know that, with Aniston replying that Perry was “really healthy” and in the pursuit of “getting healthy.” Noting his struggles with addiction, Aniston sympathized that the actor was “dealt a tough one” and that everyone misses him dearly. “Boy, he made us laugh really hard.”
Of the outpouring tributes of Perry from so many people, Aniston found it to be “so beautiful.” Her next statement pulls on your heartstrings as she says, “I hope he can know that he was loved in a way he never thought he was. As we previously reported, Perry passed away on October 28 at the age of 54 from an apparent drowning in his hot tub in his Los Angeles home.
Witherspoon guest starred in season six of Friends as Aniston’s spoiled younger sister, Jill Green. Of her guest role, Witherspoon noted how “lucky” she felt to see how close they all were. As she left the set, the actress recalls being so impressed by their out-of-this-world, extraordinary level of comedy that pivots “on a dime” and works on “each other’s energy.” Aniston expanded on how Perry’s way of speaking allowed all of his co-stars to follow his lead when creating a “whole different world.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5STHzbIglg
Celebrity Deaths 2023: Musicians, Entertainers & Cultural Figures We Lost
We’ve had to say goodbye to some big names this year in the worlds of entertainment, sports, politics and beyond. To be frank, it was an absolutely brutal year.
So many giants in music died in 2023. Guitar god Jeff Beck died suddenly in January at age 78 after contracting bacterial meningitis. In February, legendary songwriter Burt Bacharach died at age 94. Singer, actor and civil rights icon Harry Belafonte died in April at age 96 from congestive heart failure. In May, the world lost Tina Turner – the Queen of Rock ‘n Roll – at age 83. Iconic pop singer Tony Bennett died in July at age 96.
The worlds of television and film were not immune to significant loss in 2023. Sitcom mastermind Norman Lear died in December at age 101. Three’s Company star Suzanne Somers died in October at age 76 from an aggressive form of breast cancer. Matthew Perry also died in October. The Friends star was only 54. Bob Barker, longtime host of The Price is Right, died in August at age 99. Paul Reubens, best known for his character Pee-wee Herman, died in July at age 70 following a private battle with cancer.
The sports world was rocked by the deaths of three major wrestling figures. In June, The Iron Sheik (Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri) died at age 81. Then, in August, there were two back-to-back deaths. First, WWE Hall of Famer Terry Funk died at age 79. Funk’s hardcore style has been influential to generations of wrestlers that followed. Then, Bray Wyatt (Windham Rotunda) suddenly died at age 36. The young wrestler died after contracting COVID, which exacerbated a heart issue and led to a heart attack.
Scroll through the gallery below to see the musicians, celebrities and other cultural figures we’ve lost in 2023.
Laila Abuelhawa is the Top 40 and Hip-Hop pop culture writer for Beasley Media Group. Being with the company for over three years, Laila's fierce and fabulous red-carpet rankings have earned her a feature on 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert!' Her favorite stories are those surrounding the latest in celebrity fashion, television and film rankings, and how the world reacts to major celebrity news. With a background in journalism, Laila's stories ensure accuracy and offer background information on stars that you wouldn't have otherwise known. She prides herself in covering stories that inform the public about what is currently happening and what is to come in the ever-changing, ever-evolving media landscape.
