Friends creators recall last conversation with Matthew Perry
"He was in a really good place, which is why this seems so unfair," said co-creator Marta Kauffman
Friends star Matthew Perry died at the age of 54 this past weekend, leaving costars, friends, and admirers shocked and in mourning. While his cause of death is still under investigation—Perry was found unresponsive in the hot tub in his home—Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman said the actor was “happy and chipper” during what would become their last conversation, two weeks before his death.
“It was great,” Kauffman said of the chat in a joint Today interview with co-creator David Crane. “He didn’t seem weighed down by anything. He was in a really good place, which is why this seems so unfair.”
“I was just in utter shock” upon hearing the news of his passing, she added. “My first instinct was to text him, honestly. And then deep sadness. So much sadness. It’s hard to grasp. One minute he’s here and happy and then poof.”
He was also “really doing good in the world,” she said. “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. Yes, 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.”