Matthew Perry Spoke to ‘Friends’ Creators Two Weeks Before His Death: ‘He Was Happy’

Friends creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane are opening up about Matthew Perry following the actor’s shocking death on Saturday.

The pair spoke with the Today show’s Hoda Kotb in an interview airing on Wednesday. In a preview of the full conversation, released Tuesday, Kauffman reveals that they’d recently communicated with Perry just two weeks before he died.

“It was great,” Kauffman says of their chat. “He was happy and chipper.”

“He didn’t seem weighed down by anything. He was in a really good place,” she shares, “which is why this seems so unfair.”

Perry was found dead in a hot tub at his home in Los Angeles on Saturday. He was 54.

On Sunday, Kauffman and Crane, as well as executive producer Kevin Bright, shared a statement with ET in regard to Perry’s death.

“We are shocked and deeply, deeply saddened by our beloved friend Matthew’s passing. It still seems impossible. All we can say is that we feel blessed to have had him as part of our lives,” they said. “He was a brilliant talent. It’s a cliché to say that an actor makes a role their own, but in Matthew’s case, there are no truer words. From the day we first heard him embody the role of Chandler Bing, there was no one else for us. We will always cherish the joy, the light, the blinding intelligence he brought to every moment – not just to his work, but in life as well. He was always the funniest person in the room. More than that, he was the sweetest, with a giving and selfless heart.” 

Paying homage to the iconic sitcom, the co-creators concluded, “We send all of our love to his family and friends. This truly is The One Where Our Hearts Are Broken.”

On Monday, Perry’s five main Friends co-stars — Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer — also paid tribute to their friend and colleague.

In a joint statement, the actors joined the world in mourning Perry’s death and thanked him for his years of hard work and friendship. 

“We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family,” their statement read. “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,” the statement continued. “For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world.”

The message was signed by Aniston, Cox, Kudrow, LeBlanc and Schwimmer.

Perry is survived by his mother, Suzanne Marie Morrison, and his father, John Bennett Perry.

All episodes of Friends and the reunion special are currently streaming on Max and include a tribute to Perry.

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