Friends star Jennifer Aniston said it felt like she had been mourning her co-star Matthew Perry “for a long time” before his death and that it was “better” that he was now out of pain. Matthew, one of television’s most recognisable faces, died aged 54 from the “acute effects of ketamine” in October 2023, according to a postmortem examination.
Despite his character Chandler Bing bringing joy to many on-screen, Matthew had openly discussed his battle with drug and alcohol addiction during the filming of the series.
Jennifer opened up about his addiction to US magazine Vanity Fair and said: “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, who portrayed Rachel Green in the popular US sitcom – which also starred Lisa Kudrow, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer and Matt LeBlanc, 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 summary of the postmortem report revealed that Matthew was undergoing “ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety”, with his last known treatment occurring one-and-a-half weeks prior to his death.
The medical examiner determined that “the ketamine in his system at death could not be from that infusion therapy”, but was unable to identify the “exact method of intake” in Matthew’s situation.
A woman accused of supplying Matthew the fatal ketamine dose is set for a September trial.
Jasveen Sangha, whom prosecutors claim was recognised by her clients as the Ketamine Queen, faces five charges of ketamine distribution, including one count of distribution resulting in death.
The Morning Show actress also discussed with the publication the media circus she endured during the 2000s, when her high-profile romance with Brad Pitt dominated headlines, especially during their 2005 divorce.
Jennifer said: “It was such juicy reading for people. If they didn’t have their soap operas, they had their tabloids.
“It’s a shame that it had to happen, but it happened. And boy did I take it personally.
“I didn’t have a strong enough constitution to not get affected by it. We’re human beings, even though some people don’t want to believe we are.
“They think, You signed up for it, so you take it. But we really didn’t sign up for that.”
A man was recently charged with stalking Jennifer and smashing his vehicle through her property’s front gates, though a judge declared him mentally unfit for trial.
Referring to this incident, Jennifer said: “People are out of their minds. Who wants to put that energy out there?”
She further stated that her security team is “not glamorous in any way. It’s a necessity”.
The full story can be found in Vanity Fair’s September issue and on VanityFair.com.