Matthew Perry: Friends co-creators reveal conversations before star's death
Los Angeles, California - Matthew Perry finally seemed to be in a good place just weeks ago, according to the creators of Friends – which, for them, just adds to the tragedy of the star's death.
Marta Kauffman and David Crane gave an emotional interview on Today, in which they discussed the impact Perry had on the world and the last conversation they had with the actor. Host Hoda Kotb led the candid conversation about Perry's struggle with addiction and the ways in which he seemed to be doing better than ever at the time of his death.
Kauffman revealed she'd talked with Perry just two weeks before his death Saturday.
"It was great," she told Kotb. "He was happy and chipper. He didn't seem weighed down by anything. He was in a really good place. Which is why this seems so unfair."
Kauffman said she was in "utter shock" when she first heard the devastating news.
"My first impulse was to text him, honestly," she said. "And then deep sadness, so much sadness. It's hard to grasp. You know, one minute he's here and happy, and then poof."
The Friends co-creator added that Perry was "really doing good in the world," while adding that she was "very, very aware" of his struggles with addiction.
Perry was "emotionally in a good place"
After the Friends reunion, which aired in May 2021 on HBO Max, Perry went into treatment again, and he was open about that too, Kauffman said
After the special, there was speculation that Perry might have suffered a relapse, due to his slurring speech, something he'd attributed to being in a two-week coma after his colon burst.
"I was concerned about him," Kauffman said. "Knowing that he'd been through everything he'd been through – and every time he had surgery, they're giving him opioids for pain, and this cycle starts over again. So yes, I was concerned about what point in the cycle he was in that moment."
But in recent weeks, Perry had appeared more carefree than ever.
"He seemed better than I had seen in a while. I was so thrilled to see that. He was emotionally in a good place. He looked good. He quit smoking," Kauffman said.
"He was sober. ... He learned things throughout this, and what he learned more than anything is that he wants to help other addicts. And it gave him purpose," she added, referencing Perry's appearance on the Q With Tom Power podcast in which he said he wanted to be remembered for his efforts to help people overcome alcoholism.
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