Friends alum Jennifer Aniston uttered a four-word warning to her co-star Matthew Perry that “saved his life” – years before his tragic death aged 54.
While at the height of their fame in the NBC sitcom, Matthew was battling alcohol addiction. Assuming he was keeping his struggle ‘secret’, he was stunned when Jennifer confronted him about it – and said she was the only co-star to do so.
During an interview with ABC News host Diane Sawyer, Matthew revealed the words the Rachel Green star told him in a “scary moment”. He revealed: “At the time I should have been the toast of the town, I was in a dark room meeting nothing but drug dealers and completely alone.
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“Jennifer was the one that reached out the most. I’m really grateful to her for that,” he confessed. And the words she shared? “We know you’re drinking.”
Matthew said he never worked drunk and asked Jennifer: “How can you tell?” She then replied: “I can smell it.” The star said he only ever worked hungover, never high or drunk, and his co-stars helped to “prop him up”. He wrote in his memoir: “I was the injured penguin, but I was determined to not let these wonderful people, and this show, down.”
He added: “I had long since gotten over [Aniston] – ever since she started dating Brad Pitt, I was fine – and had worked out exactly how long to look at her without it being awkward, but still, to be confronted by Jennifer Aniston was devastating. And I was confused.”
He added that it’s possible to “track the trajectory” of his addictions from his appearance on the show. Matthew penned: “When I’m carrying weight, it’s alcohol; when I’m skinny, it’s pills. When I have a goatee, it’s lots of pills.”
By the end of season three, he was taking 55 Vicodin pills a day, “faking migraines” and “finding crooked nurses” who would help feed his addiction.
Perry sadly died on Saturday, October 28. He was found unresponsive in his hot tub at his home in Los Angeles, with his head underwater – his assistant attempted to pull him to the surface. No narcotics were found at the scene.
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Now the main Friends cast have issued a joint statement expressing their grief over the Chandler Bing star’s death, telling Us Weekly: “We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family.
“There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss. In time we will say more, as and when we are able,” they continued. “For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
