Friends actress Jennifer Aniston has said it felt like she had been mourning her co-star Matthew Perry “for a long time” before his death due to his struggles with addiction.
Perry, who was one of the most familiar faces on television, died aged 54 from the “acute effects of ketamine” in October 2023, according to a post-mortem examination.
While Perry’s on-screen character Chandler Bing brought joy to many, he had spoken candidly about his struggle with drug and alcohol addiction when filming the series.
Speaking about his addiction, Aniston told US magazine Vanity Fair: “We did everything we could when we could.
“But it almost felt like we’d been mourning Matthew for a long time because his battle with that disease was a really hard one for him to fight.
“As hard as it was for all of us and for the fans, there’s a part of me that thinks this is better. I’m glad he’s out of that pain.”
The actress played Rachel Green in the hit US sitcom – which also starred Lisa Kudrow, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer and Matt LeBlanc.
Aniston said: “What helped raise me is something I got to put into the world and help other people. If (Friends) was the only thing on my resume, I would be very happy and blessed.”
A post-mortem report summary said Perry was receiving “ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety”, with his last known treatment one-and-a-half weeks prior to his death.