04 November 2023 , 22:22
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Jennifer Aniston sobbed as she thought about losing her close friend Matthew Perry almost 20 years before his death.
Matthew, who starred alongside Jennifer in Friends, sadly died at his home in Los Angeles last weekend at the age of 54. The beloved actor reportedly drowned in his hot tub although his official cause of death is still unknown. On Friday afternoon, Matthew's friends and family gathered to say their final goodbyes at his funeral in Los Angeles.
Over the years, Matthew was very open about his struggles with drug and alcohol addiction and he wrote about his experiences in his memoir Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing. He admitted his fear of "being alone" drove him to drinking and taking drugs.
READ MORE: Matthew Perry's funeral full of 'tears and laughter' as Friends stars pay final respects
Jennifer Aniston broke down in tears over Matthew Perry (abc)His addiction affected his time filming Friends and was noticed by his co-stars; Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Matt Le Blanc and Lisa Kudrow. Matthew admitted they had tried to help him through his struggles.
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Following his untimely death, an interview featuring Jennifer has resurfaced, as she spoke about her concerns for her friend. In 2004, Diane Sawyer interviewed Jennifer and she asked the actress what each Friends cast member "didn't know" about themselves.
When Matthew's name was mentioned, Jennifer broke down in tears. She explained that he doesn't know "he's alright". In a voiceover, the host explained how Matthew had problems with addiction.
The two had a very close bond (Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
His Friends co-stars gathered at his funeral (SPLASH)She said his co-stars had tried to intervene, but didn't know how they could help. Jennifer explained: "He struggled. We didn't know. We weren't equipped to deal with it. Nobody had ever dealt with that. And the idea of even losing him … he's having a road. But he's alright."
Jennifer, Courteney, David, Matt and Lisa were seen consoling each other at Matthew's funeral at Forest Lawn Memorial Park. They were pictured gathering around Matthew's coffin as they said their final goodbyes.
The funeral comes after Matthew's co-stars came together to share an emotional tribute following his death. "We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family," they said in a statement.
They continued: "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."
*Frank offers confidential advice about drugs and addiction (email frank@talktofrank.com, message 82111 or call 0300 123 6600) or the NHS has information about getting help. If you are struggling with alcohol abuse or addiction, advice and support can be found at alcoholchange.org.uk