Matthew Perry Was Devastated as 'Friends' Cast Confronted Him in His Battle with 'Hideous Disease'

• Matthew Perry died of apparent drowning on October 28, 2023.
• Perry opened up in his memoir about how devastated he was when the "Friends" co-stars found out about his addiction.
• The cast opened up about Perry's struggle with alcoholism and drug abuse and his sobriety journey.

Matthew Perry died at his Los Angeles home on October 28, 2023. The actor, who died of an apparent drowning, starred in the sitcom "Friends." His character, Chandler Bing, was a favorite in the series for its ten seasons.

Perry's co-stars on "Friends" Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc, and Lisa Kudrow were devastated by his death. Authorities said Perry was found dead in his jacuzzi.

Law enforcement officers ruled out foul play but will release an autopsy and toxicology report once they finish investigations and tests into his death. Perry, who had struggled with alcoholism and drug addiction in his life, was confident in his sobriety before he died.

The actor had opened up in his memoir "Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing" about battling alcoholism and drug abuse. He said that by the time he filmed "Friends: The Reunion," he had been clean of all substances for 18 months.

The actress noted that Perry had a relentless will to continue on his sobriety journey and keep living.

However, Perry was drinking and using drugs when he was on set in "Friends." The only season he was sober all through was season nine. He kept his addiction a secret from everybody, but the cast found out and supported him through his sobriety journey. Perry was surprised to find out his co-stars knew he was drinking and using drugs, as he thought he was hiding it so well.

Perry's Struggle with Alcoholism and Drug Addiction and 'Friends' Cast Support

When Jennifer Aniston, who starred as Rachel Green, confronted him in a weird but loving way about his addiction and said, "I know you're drinking," the actor was shocked and devastated as he didn't think she knew.

Aniston shocked Perry further when she said the whole cast knew because they could smell alcohol on him. The actor wrote in his memoir that finding out they knew about his addiction hit him "like a sledgehammer."

However, Aniston, who described Perry as one of the most sensitive people she'd ever met, said back in 2004 that the cast wasn't equipped to deal with what Perry was going through and that the idea of losing him to the disease was so painful to think of. Still, they tried their best to support Perry in every way possible.

But, even with their support, Perry said he didn't know how to stop using drugs and alcohol. The disease and the addiction grew worse and worse as he got older. Still, the "Friends" cast was understanding and patient and didn't give up on him.

Perry's co-stars were so sad to see him struggling with drugs and alcohol. David Schwimmer, who played Ross Geller, said on an appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show that seeing their friend in trouble was really hard.

Lisa Kudrow, who starred as Phoebe Buffay, also told The New York Times that she knew Perry was in "serious trouble," but he was" in denial" about his addiction on set. When Perry was sick, the cast could only stand hopelessly on the sidelines as they couldn't help him without the actor first making the choice that he needed assistance.

Later in life, after Perry embarked on a sobriety journey, Kudrow said she understood the actor was battling a "hideous disease" and that he had "the toughest version of it." The actress noted that Perry had a relentless will to continue on his sobriety journey and keep living and that she would always be there for him. "I love Matthew. We're part of a family," she added.

Just like Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, who played Joey Tribbiani, said he previously tried to help the troubled star, but he didn't respond. The actor added that Perry's addiction was a personal struggle that he needed to figure out on his own.

Courteney Cox, who played Monica Geller, also said Perry showed vulnerabilities in his struggles, which made him relatable to viewers. The actor continued being vulnerable by sharing his sobriety journey with the public in his memoir and helping others who struggled with alcoholism and drug abuse.

The "Friends" cast described Perry as charming and hilarious. He gave his co-stars most of their hard laughs due to his humorous nature. Kudrow said Perry survived impossible odds and almost didn't make it. In the end, losing the actor, after he had been confident in his sobriety, really hurt the cast.