In a recent development, the entertainment world is abuzz with concern for Jennifer Aniston as she grapples with the loss of her former co-star, Matthew Perry. The ‘Friends’ actor passed away at the age of 54, leaving his colleagues and friends in shock, as reported by Page Six. According to an industry insider, Jennifer Aniston, one of Perry’s closest friends, has taken his untimely death particularly hard.
“Out of the remaining five, Jen and Courteney are reeling the most, and Jen is probably the one who is struggling most acutely,” revealed the source to Page Six. The insider explained that this tragedy marks the second significant loss for Jennifer Aniston in less than a year, with the one-year anniversary of her father’s passing just around the corner. John Aniston, her father, was known for his role on ‘Days of Our Lives,’ and his passing at the age of 89 in November 2022 deeply affected Aniston, who referred to him as “one of the most beautiful humans I ever knew.”
The source continued, “She is trying to regroup and recover, but it’s been a completely devastating blow for her.”
Jennifer Aniston, along with the other four remaining cast members of ‘Friends’—Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, and Matt LeBlanc—paid their final respects at Matthew Perry’s burial on Friday. The somber event took place in Los Angeles, just minutes away from the Warner Bros. studios where the iconic NBC comedy was filmed for a decade.
Jennifer Aniston’s strong bond with Matthew Perry was evident in the past. In a 2004 interview, she was seen visibly emotional at the mere thought of losing her dear friend. Perry had been candid about his struggles with addiction, and he expressed gratitude to Aniston for her support. Aniston had reached out to him frequently, as per Page Six, during his challenging times.
“She was the one that reached out the most. You know, I’m really grateful to her for that,” Perry had stated in an October 2022 interview with Diane Sawyer. Perry also revealed that Aniston had confronted him about his addiction during their time on the ‘Friends’ set, which ultimately led him to seek help.
In his memoir, Perry confessed his feelings for Jennifer Aniston, whom he had met through mutual friends three years before they embarked on their ‘Friends’ journey. However, his romantic pursuit was met with a polite decline. He recalled Aniston telling him that she’d love to be friends, to which he famously responded, “We can’t be friends!” Despite his initial infatuation, Perry admitted that his feelings waned over time due to Aniston’s “deafening lack of interest.”
The loss of Matthew Perry is a poignant moment for Jennifer Aniston and the ‘Friends’ cast, and they are all coming to terms with the impact of this tragedy on their lives and shared history.