Lauren Graham Spills The Truth On Matthew Perry's Final Year
By Kelly Coffey-Behrens on November 16, 2023 at 8:53 PM EST
Updated on November 16, 2023 at 8:53 PM EST
"Gilmore Girls" star Lauren Graham is speaking out on howMatthew Perry was feeling in his final year before passing away at age 54.
Graham guest starred on several of Perry's shows, growing close to the "Friends" actor over the years. She even admitted that "no one made me laugh as hard" as he did. "I mean, just tears streaming," she said while appearing on CBS Mornings. "There was just such joy in being around him and being his friend."
Matthew Perry's Final Year Revealed
The actress went on to give insight into how Perry felt the year leading up to his death, claiming he was extremely happy and proud of his 2022 memoir.
"And I'll say too, that this last year, he was so proud of the book he wrote and of how many people it touched," she said. Perry included a photo of him and Graham in his memoir. "And it was a success that gave him a level of happiness that I hadn't seen in him for a really long time. So that's a nice memory," she added.
The 54-year-old actor had struggled with addiction for a long time, though it wasn’t until he released his memoir that he opened up and let down his walls about that time in his life. Last year, he stated he had been clean for 18 months at the time, even, spending “$9 million or something trying to get sober.” After coming forward with his addiction, he vowed to help others who were struggling.
As previously reported, Perry was found in his hot tub, unresponsive. Police initially responded to a 911 call to assist with, what they described as, a possible ‘water rescue’ at the late actor's Pacific Palisades home.
He is believed to have drowned, but an autopsy and toxicology reports will be able to answer more questions about his true cause of death. Prescription anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medications were reportedly found in Matthew Perry‘s home following his tragic death, although sources say that no illegal narcotics were discovered at the scene.
Matthew Perry's Friend Speaks On His Drug Abuse
After Perry was found unresponsive at his home last month, many began to speculate that the “Friends” actor relapsed or had some sort of illegal drug in his system. A close friend of Perry’s has said otherwise.
“He was 100 percent sober when he passed,” Matthew Perry’s close friend, Athenna Crosby, told Fox News Digital, per our previous report.
“I mean, I can’t know what exactly he was thinking or feeling. I can only share my experience,” Crosby added. “And, of course, he was his own person that maybe he had said, done, or thought of things the day that he passed that I might never come to know.”
'Friends' Cast Breaks Silence On Matthew Perry's Death
Matt LeBlanc, who portrayed Joe Tribbani on the hit sitcom, "Friends," alongside Perry, who played Chandler Bing, was the first of the main cast to release an individual statement on the passing of the "Friends" star just a few days ago.
“Matthew, It is with a heavy heart I say goodbye,” LeBlanc began to say in his post. “The times we had together are honestly among the favorite times of my life.”
He added, “It was an honor to share the stage with you and to call you my friend. I will always smile when I think of you and I’ll never forget you. Never.”
Courteney Cox, who portrayed Monica on the show, was the next to take to social media, sharing a video of her character and Perry’s character in bed after sleeping together secretly. She stated this was one of her favorite scenes with the late actor.
“I am so grateful for every moment I had with you Matty and I miss you every day,” Cox stated on social media. “When you work with someone as closely as I did with Matthew, there are thousands of moments I wish I could share. For now, here’s one of my favorites.”
Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, and Lisa Kudrow have all released individual statements as well.