Throughout his life, the actor had candidly shared his tumultuous relationship with addiction, particularly during his time on 'Friends.'
In his memoir, "Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing," Matthew Perry recounted how his friend and co-star Jennifer Aniston played a pivotal role in his journey to sobriety, confronting him about his struggles with alcohol and substances.
Aniston's revelation took place during their time on the 'Friends' set. Perry recalled her words, "'I know you're drinking,' she said," and the impact of that moment on him. He had already moved on from his affection for her after her relationship with Brad Pitt, managing to maintain a comfortable working relationship. Nevertheless, being confronted by Jennifer Aniston was deeply unsettling. "I was confused," Perry admitted.
Challenged by Aniston's honesty, Perry expressed, "'How can you know?' I said. I never worked drunk. 'I've been trying to hide it...'” Despite his struggle, Perry clarified that he never performed under the influence, although he occasionally worked while nursing hangovers.
The conversation continued in the filming trailer, with Aniston genuinely concerned about her friend's well-being. "'We can smell it,' she said," Perry recounted, highlighting the significance of the plural "we" in her statement. He confided, "I know I'm drinking too much, but I don't know exactly what to do about it."
In the ensuing years, Matthew Perry and Jennifer Aniston developed a strong friendship, and she was a constant pillar of support for him. Perry described their relationship by saying, “We were like penguins. When one got sick, the other supported him. He would walk next to him until the penguin could walk alone.”
For Perry, the 'Friends' cast became a second family that provided invaluable support during his struggle with addiction. Despite his ups and downs, he acknowledged their role in his journey, stating, "I was the hurt penguin, but I was determined not to let these wonderful people and this program down."
Throughout his time on 'Friends,' Perry faced many challenges, with his body weight often reflecting his struggle with addiction. He humorously noted, "You can trace the trajectory of my addiction if you measure my weight from season to season: when I'm carrying weight, it's alcohol; When I'm skinny, it's pills. When I have a goatee, it's a lot of pills."
