Lauren Graham Reflects on Matthew Perry's Last Year: A Year of Joy and Happiness
Lauren Graham fondly remembers her cherished friendship with Matthew Perry, highlighting his infectious joy and recounting their special bond Following his untimely passing at 54, her heartfelt reflection pays tribute to their incredible connection
Matthew Perry and Lauren Graham Denise Truscello/WireImage
During a recent CBS Mornings appearance on Thursday, November 16, Lauren Graham, 56, spoke about her late friend Matthew Perry's final year, which she described as a "happy year." She expressed how proud Perry was of his 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, and the positive impact it had on many people's lives. Graham noted that Perry's book's success brought him a newfound happiness that she hadn't witnessed in him for quite some time, leaving her with a comforting and cherished memory.
The actress expressed her ongoing shock over Perry's unexpected death. She also acknowledged the tragic loss and recognized the legacy of his beautiful work. Graham emphasized the significance of the book to Perry and how it brought him happiness throughout the year. Reflecting on their bond, she found solace in the memories they shared and the immense joy he brought her through laughter.
The Los Angeles coroner's office officially announced last month that Perry passed away at the age of 54 due to an apparent drowning. Upon receiving a cardiac arrest report at a residence in Los Angeles, the police discovered Perry unresponsive in a hot tub. While an initial autopsy was conducted, the exact cause of Perry's death is awaiting confirmation from a toxicology report.
Prior to his passing, Perry developed a close bond with Graham during their collaboration on the film Birds of America in 2008. Highlighting their connection, Perry included a photograph of himself alongside Graham in his memoir, accompanied by the caption, "Me and the stunning Lauren Graham."
Lauren Graham and Matthew Perry J.Sciulli/WireImage
In her memoir, Talking as Fast as I Can, Graham also recognized Perry with a shout-out.
"In terms of guys, the only positive experience was meeting Matthew Perry at an event," she wrote in her 2016 book, reminiscing about a time when she was single. "He became a close friend, someone I almost dated but it never progressed beyond that. I fondly refer to him as FWIABNED, which stands for Friend Who I Almost But Never Exactly Dated."
Prior to his passing, Perry openly discussed the challenges he encountered after achieving fame. During his portrayal of Chandler Bing on the television show Friends, which aired from 1994 to 2004, Perry developed a dependency on Vicodin due to a Jet Ski accident. This unfortunate incident eventually spiraled into alcohol abuse.
In the year 2000, Perry was admitted to the hospital due to pancreatitis and embarked on the detoxification process while continuing to work on Friends. Perry made numerous efforts to overcome his addiction throughout the years and subsequently documented his personal journey in his memoir.
"So much has been written about me in the past, but I believe it's time for people to hear directly from me. My journey has seen incredible highs and devastating lows, yet I have persevered against all odds to share my story. Everything is captured within these pages, although I regret to inform you that it is not presented as a pop-up book," he tweeted, anticipating the release of his memoir in November 2022.
An exclusive source revealed to us during that time period that Perry felt a mixture of excitement and nervousness about unveiling his memoir.
"Although he maintains a positive outlook, there is an underlying nervousness as he has dedicated himself completely to this project," disclosed the source. "Revealing intricate details about his most challenging moments and relinquishing those long-held secrets has not been an effortless journey. Nonetheless, he is extremely content with the way everything is unfolding."
