George Clooney Said Matthew Perry Didn't Find ‘Joy or Happiness or Peace’ Despite the Success of ‘Friends’

George Clooney reflected on his experience co-starring with his longtime friend Matthew Perry in Friends, revealing that despite the huge fame, the role didn't bring Perry the joy and happiness that he sought. During a recent interview with Deadline, Clooney delved into their enduring friendship, tracing it back to Perry's adolescent years at 16. He recounted Perry's aspirations, recalling how the late actor always yearned for a chance to secure a sitcom role. Furthermore, Clooney shed light on Perry's true self behind the scenes when the cameras weren't capturing his moments, unveiling a more authentic portrayal of the late actor.

"We used to play paddle tennis together... And he was a great, funny, funny, funny kid," said the Ocean's Eleven actor. He added that during his time spent with fellow actors Richard Kind and Grant Heslov, Perry would frequently tell them, “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." Yet, despite Perry's successful portrayal of Chandler Bing on Friends, embodying the humorous 'friend' from 1994 to 2004, he continued to grapple with a sense of unfulfillment. "It didn't bring him joy or happiness or peace," Clooney added.

Furthermore, Clooney stated, "Watching that go on the lot—we were at Warner Brothers, we were there right next to each other—it was hard to watch because we didn't know what was going through him. We just knew that he wasn't happy." During that period, ER and Friends were concurrently filmed on the identical NBC soundstage, creating good opportunities for the duo to cross paths regularly. The medical drama ER was broadcast from 1994 to 2009, running parallel to the popular sitcom Friends, which aired from 1994 to 2004. Additionally, Clooney made a guest appearance in an episode of the iconic sitcom.

Clooney expressed that Perry encountered significant difficulty in keeping to go due to his battle with addiction. Clooney said, "I had no idea he was doing what, 12 Vicodin a day and all the stuff he talked about, all that heartbreaking stuff." He further added, "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." Furthermore, investigations revealed that the cause of death for the Friends actor was attributed to 'acute effects' related to ketamine.

Throughout his lifetime, Perry openly discussed his ongoing battle with addiction. In his memoir, published in 2022, titled Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, he courageously delved into the complexities of his journey toward sobriety. Despite Perry's struggles with substance abuse during his time on Friends, he praised the role for its ability to elevate both his career and that of his fellow cast members, leading them to widespread fame. Meanwhile, Clooney is presently engaged in promoting his forthcoming directorial project, The Boys in the Boat.