Renowned actor George Clooney has offered insights into Matthew Perry’s experience during the filming of the iconic sitcom ‘Friends.’ In a recent interview, Clooney candidly shared that Perry “wasn’t happy” on the set. This revelation provides a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes dynamics of one of the most beloved TV shows. As fans remain curious about the untold stories from the ‘Friends’ era, Clooney’s revelation adds a new layer to understanding the challenges faced by the cast during the show’s remarkable run.
George Clooney Reflects on Matthew Perry’s Struggles
George Clooney has asserted that Matthew Perry experienced unhappiness during the filming of Friends, attributing it to struggles with drugs and alcohol. In an interview with Deadline, Clooney shared that Perry had long aspired to be part of a sitcom, and the fulfillment of that dream occurred with his inclusion in the Friends cast, where he portrayed the beloved character Chandler Bing.
Nevertheless, Perry faced challenges finding happiness amid his struggles with addiction. Clooney, along with Richard Kind and Grant Heslov, recalled that Perry, then a young actor, consistently expressed his desire to join a sitcom, emphasizing that it would bring him immense joy. Clooney stated,
“He was a kid and all he would say to us, I mean me, Richard Kind and Grant Heslov, was, ‘I just want to get on a sitcom, man. I just want to get on a regular sitcom and I would be the happiest man on earth,'”
He added, “And he got on probably one of the best ever. He wasn’t happy. It didn’t bring him joy or happiness or peace.”
Clooney made a huge revelation
George Clooney revealed that despite working together daily, he remained unaware of “what was going through him [Perry].” At that time, Clooney was occupied with filming ER, while Perry was engaged with Friends.
Clooney expressed that they could sense Perry’s unhappiness, but he had no knowledge of the extent of Perry’s struggles, such as his consumption of 12 Vicodin pills a day, as detailed in Perry’s memoir, “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.” He specifically stated, “We just knew that he wasn’t happy and I had no idea he was doing what, 12 Vicodin a day and all the stuff he talked about, all that heartbreaking stuff.”
He emphasized, “And it also just tells you that success and money and all those things, it doesn’t just automatically bring you happiness. You have to be happy with yourself and your life.”
George Clooney Recalls Friendship with Matthew Perry
Reflecting on their history, Clooney reminisced about meeting Perry when the latter was just 16, and they played paddle tennis together. Clooney described Perry as a fantastic and humorous individual during his younger years. He said, “I knew Matt when he was 16 years old. We used to play paddle tennis together. He’s about 10 years younger than me. He was a great, funny, funny, funny kid.”
Perry, aged 54, was discovered on October 28, and the autopsy report disclosed that his demise resulted from an excessive intake of ketamine and buprenorphine. Ketamine is administered to aid with opioid addiction and pain reduction. The medical examiner’s findings revealed that Perry was regularly receiving ketamine infusions, with his final approved dosage occurring a week prior to his passing.
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