Matthew Perry 'made other people feel good' even when his 'pain was great'

22 December 2023 , 09:55

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Matthew Perry 'made other people feel good' even when his 'pain was great'

Matthew Perry's friend Minnie Driver has said that the late Friends star made other people "feel good" even when his "pain was great".

The Chandler Bing actor, 54, sadly died back in October. Last week it was revealed in the medical examiner's report that he had "high levels of ketamine" in his system before dying in his hot tub.

"Contributing factors in Mr. Perry’s death include drowning, coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine (used to treat opioid use disorder)," it said. The report revealed Matthew was sober for 19 months after battling addiction for many years. He was on ketamine infusion therapy to help with his addiction.

And now British actress Minnie Driver, 53, who was a close friend of Matthew and a former co-star, is remembering the late star. Minnie starred alongside Matthew in the London production of Sexual Perversity in Chicago back in 2003, and now she has written a moving essay about the late actor, who died almost two months ago.

READ MORE: Courteney Cox seen for the first time since Matthew Perry's cause of death was revealed

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Matthew Perry sadly died in October (AFP via Getty Images)

Minnie Driver has paid tribute to the late star (Getty Images)

Writing for The Guardian, Minnie penned: "He had been in a good place when we were doing the play, but the thing about him was he was like a light. He was one of those people who just made other people feel good.

"Somehow, they don’t suck you down into their sadness, or their pain, and I know now that his pain was great." She continued: "Matthew was one of the quickest people you would ever come across, ruthlessly funny in the ways he’d react to people. He wouldn’t let you get away with anything.

"Invariably, I would tell really long stories and he’d always do this brilliantly timed bit where he’d nod off in the middle — so funny — but he wasn’t mean in any way. He was the most self-deprecating person and really kind. Anyone who asked him for help, he would help."

Matthew had been open about how he struggled with drug and alcohol addiction throughout his life. He was once addicted to Vicodin and in 1997 he completed a 28-day detox programme.

Ahead of his tell-all memoir coming out one year before his death, Matthew spoke to Diane Sawyer, where he was candid about his "55 Vicodin a day" habit. Speaking to Diane, he said: "I should have been the toast of the town, but I was in a dark room meeting with nothing but drug dealers and completely alone."

Mollie Quirk