Actor George Clooney has discussed his friendship with the late Matthew Perry, who died earlier this year from the acute effects of ketamine, according to information released by the Los Angeles County medical examiner last week. Clooney stated that Perry “was not happy” despite appearing on one of the most successful television programs of all time.
During a Deadline interview, Clooney, 62, reflected on a time when he was filming “ER,” a lengthy medical drama on which he appeared for a single season, on a soundstage adjacent to “Friends,” the ten-year-running successful sitcom on which Perry and his five co-stars had worked. “And ‘Friends,’ man, that was a fun time to watch those guys,” Clooney commented. “We were all really close.”
Clooney noted that the majority of the cast members on each program were not yet famous, but he claimed he and Perry had been together for even longer.
“I first met Matt when he was sixteen years old,” stated Clooney. “We were former paddle tennis partners.” I am roughly ten years older than he is. Furthermore, he was an exceptionally amusing, amusing, amusing youngster.”
Perry was quoted by Clooney as saying, “Man, all I want is to be cast in a sitcom.” Merely securing a role in a routine sitcom would make me the happiest man on the planet.
“And he probably had one of the best days ever,” Clooney said in reference to the film “Friends.”
“He was not pleased.” “He was not brought happiness, peace, or joy by it,” he continued. “And it was difficult to witness that unfold on the set—we were situated adjacent to one another at Warner Brothers—because we had no idea what he was experiencing at the time. We simply knew he wasn’t happy, but I had no notion he was abusing Vicodin to the tune of 12 per day, let alone all the heartbreaking material he discussed.”