Summary
- Courteney Cox was understanding and compassionate towards Matthew Perry's struggles with addiction, recognizing the pressure he put on himself for validation.
- The cast of Friends had a strong real-life bond and supported each other, with Cox praising Perry's ability to make his character relatable through vulnerability.
- Matthew Perry was open about his struggles with addiction, spending a significant amount of money on recovery and crediting his co-stars for being understanding and patient during difficult times.
Matthew Perry, who tragically passed away recently, was well-known for his role as the hilarious and often sarcastic Chandler Bing on the hit series Friends. How did his co-star and on-screen wife, Courteney Cox (who played Monica Geller on Friends) really feel about his struggles with addiction? The main cast members were friends in real-life, and remained good friends after the show's final episode.
Every member of the cast has spoken about their time on the iconic show. The main cast, including Matthew Perry, often discussed their unique bond. Perry also discussed his struggles with addiction, including in his memoir, Friends, Lovers and The Big Terrible Thing. Although he almost passed on the role, he didn't, and Friends didn't settle with its second choice for Chandler. How did Matthew Perry's on-screen wife, Courteney Cox, really feel about Matthew Perry's struggles?
How Courteney Cox Really Felt About Matthew Perry's Struggles
The main cast of the iconic sitcom Friends wasn't just friends for appearances, the six main actors developed a real-life bond that has continued in the years after the show.
Several members of the Friends cast have spoken about Matthew Perry's (Chandler Bing) addiction struggles while filming the show, and Perry himself also discussed his journey to overcome addiction.
When the cast reunited in 2021 for HBO Max's Friends: The Reunion, Matthew Perry also commented that his need to get a reaction from the audience affected him mentally. "For me, I felt like I was going to die if they didn't laugh."
Courteney Cox was compassionate toward Matthew Perry's struggles. When she was asked about his comment, she told The Sunday Times, "That was a lot of pressure he put on himself. That's a lot to think how much he relied on that for his own self-worth."
Cox also had supportive words for her former on-screen husband in 2022. "He's just struggled for a while. I think he's doing great," the Scream actor told The Times of London, per US Magazine.
Although it took years for the entire cast of Friends to reunite, their real-life friendships with each other were still strong in the years after the show finished.
Courteney Cox Said Matthew Perry Made "Characters Relatable"
The entire cast of Friends started forming a close friendship while filming the first season, and one episode of Friends was even based on a real experience that took place with the cast backstage. The cast was close, and Courteney Cox and Matthew Perry formed a special bond, as the two were married on the show.
The two continued to work together after Friends. In 2013, Cox appeared on Perry's NBC show, Go On. She raved about how he "made his character relatable" using his real-life experiences. "I loved that Matthew found a way to make his character relatable by showing vulnerability in the personal struggles he was facing."
Per Buzzfeed, Courteney Cox also said viewers loved him because they could feel the truth of his performances. The Mothers and Daughters actor said Perry's "ability to show very raw emotion and make close connections with his audience" was the reason why "everyone loves him so much."
Perry also shared his excitement about Cox's appearance on his show, writing in a social media post, "She is fantastic, obviously. And my desire to show off in front of her is back in full swing."
In 2014 the two worked together again when Perry appeared on Cox's show Cougar Town. On CONAN in the same year, the Shining Vale actor gushed about working with her former on-screen husband in Friends. "It was so great to work with him. He's so sweet."
She also added working closely with Perry had changed her. "When I worked with him on Friends, he literally gave me my personality for 10 years."
According to People, Perry's co-stars on Friends released a statement responding to the passing of their friend. "We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family. There is so much to say, but right now, we're going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss."
"In time we will say more, as, and when we are able. For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty's family, his friends and everyone who loved him around the world." The statement was signed by Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc and Lisa Kudrow.
Matthew Perry tragically passed away Saturday, October 28, 2023, at age 54. Before he passed, Matthew Perry spoke about wanting to be remembered for helping others, more than any of his iconic roles, including Friends.
Matthew Perry Struggled With Addiction On And Off The Show
Throughout his life, Matthew Perry spoke openly about struggling with addiction. In a 2015 interview with Buzzfeed, Perry discussed the trouble he had, including with alcoholism. "If you are an alcoholic, or you know or love an alcoholic, you know that it's a real struggle. I've had so many times in my life where if I could just stop, I would stop. But I couldn't stop," Perry said.
The actor even refused to watch Friends reruns years later, stating he could tell how his struggles with addiction had physically affected him each season. "I didn't watch the show and I haven't watched the show, because I can go, 'drinking, opiates, drinking, cocaine' - like I could tell season by season by how I looked," he revealed during an interview on the Q with Tom Power podcast.
Perry also spoke with The New York Times about how much he has spent towards his recovery in October 2022. "I've probably spent $9 million or something trying to get sober, " the actor said, per NBC.
Perry also revealed ahead of the release of his book, Friends, Lovers and The Big Terrible Thing that his co-stars were there for him during his struggles. Per Today, the Numb actor told People Magazine about the cast, "They were understanding, and they were patient. It could be said that [doing the show] saved me."
