George Clooney opened up about his late pal Matthew Perry and how landing a role on Friends “didn’t bring him joy or happiness or peace.”
The actor, 62, was a longterm friend of Perry, who died from the “acute effects of ketamine” aged 54 in October. In an interview with Deadline, Clooney recalled memories they shared from more than 30 years ago.
“I knew Matt when he was 16 years old,” the Gravity star told the publication. “We used to play paddle tennis together. He’s about 10 years younger than me. And he was a great, funny, funny, funny kid.”
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While spending time with fellow actors Richard Kind and Grant Heslov, Perry often spoke of his dreams to star in a sitcom. Clooney added: “He was a kid and all he would say to us I just want to get on a sitcom, man.
(Image: Getty Images)
“I just want to get on a regular sitcom and I would be the happiest man on earth. And he got on probably one of the best ever.” Clooney and Perry shot to fame around the same time, starring in sitcoms ER and Friends released in 1994 which both aired on Thursday evenings.
The actors were “side-by-side on the soundstage” as Clooney admitted: “And watching that go on on the lot — we were at Warner Brothers, we were there right next to each other — it was hard to watch because we didn’t know what was going through him.”
(Image: Penske Media via Getty Images)
At the time, Clooney was unaware of the extent of Perry’s addiction struggles, which he later detailed in his 2022 memoir Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing.
“We just knew that he wasn’t happy and I had no idea he was doing what, 12 Vicodin a day and all the stuff he talked about, all that heartbreaking stuff,” Clooney said.
(Image: NBCUniversal via Getty Images)
“And it also just tells you that success and money and all those things, it doesn’t just automatically bring you happiness. You have to be happy with yourself and your life.”
Friends ran for 10 seasons until 2004, with Perry starring as Chandler Bing throughout its entire run. Meanwhile ER ran for 15 season, with Clooney departing after season 5 before returning for an episode in season 6 and the series finale in 2009.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
