'F.R.I.E.N.D.S' couldn't bring 'happiness' to Matthew Perry—George Clooney reveals why
George Clooney recently shared insights about his long-time friend Matthew Perry's struggle to find happiness during his time on F.R.I.E.N.D.S. In a recent interview, the 62-year-old actor recalled a young Perry saying, "I just want to get on a sitcom, man. I just want to get on a regular sitcom and I would be the happiest man on earth." Despite achieving his dream, Perry struggled to experience "joy or happiness or peace," per Clooney. Here's why.
Why does this story matter?
Perry was found unresponsive in his hot tub at his Los Angeles residence on October 28. He was 54. An autopsy report revealed that the actor reportedly died of "acute effects of ketamine," with drowning, coronary artery disease, and buprenorphine effects as contributing factors. The report also stated that Perry was "clean for 19 months" before his death but had been practicing ketamine infusion therapy to treat anxiety and depression.
'He was a great, funny, funny, funny, kid'
During the promotion of The Boys in the Boat, Clooney opened up about his connection with Perry. Speaking to Deadline, the actor revealed how he observed Perry's battle with addiction during their time on NBC shows, with Clooney on ER (1994-2009) and Perry on F.R.I.E.N.D.S (1994-2004)—being filmed "side-by-side on the same soundstage." Clooney shared, "I knew Matt when he was 16 years old. We used to play paddle tennis together. And he was a great, funny, funny, funny kid."
Clooney was unaware of the 'extent' of Perry's struggle
Clooney expressed his surprise at not fully grasping the extent of Perry's struggle. He admitted, "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." "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."
15 rehab visits to live-saving surgeries: Perry's battle with addiction
In his 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, Perry candidly addressed a lifelong battle with addiction. Opening up about his journey to sobriety, he recounted the pride he felt in maintaining his recovery. His struggle commenced at age 14 with alcohol and escalated to consuming 55 Vicodin tablets daily, coupled with a quart of vodka. Perry's narrative also detailed 15 rehab visits and many life-saving surgeries.
When Perry recounted how 'F.R.I.E.N.D.S' cast supported him
Despite Perry's struggle with substance abuse while shooting F.R.I.E.N.D.S, he spoke highly about how the role brought him and fellow cast members viral fame. Regarding the cast's support, Perry said, "They were understanding, and they were patient." He added, "It's like penguins. When one is sick or very injured, the other penguins surround it and prop it up and walk around until that penguin can walk on its own. And that's kind of what the cast did for me."
