Jennifer Aniston was ready to say goodbye to her longtime boyfriend Matthew Perry on Wednesday morning, just over two weeks after his untimely death at age 54.
The 54-year-old “Morning Show” star shared an emotional post on Instagram paying tribute to her late “Friends” co-star, who was tragically found dead in his home on October 28.
Aniston included a cute text message Perry had sent her sometime in the past in which he gushed about being able to make her laugh, which she said was very important to him.
Her tribute came a day after her co-stars Matt LeBlanc and Courteney Cox shared their own tribute to their fallen friend.
In addition to her behind-the-scenes communication with Perry, Aniston included a sweet clip from Friends in which his character, Chandler, confessed his platonic love for her character, Rachel, before their tearful goodbye.
One final goodbye: Jennifer Aniston, 54, paid tribute to her late Friends co-star Matthew Perry on Wednesday morning with a post that included a text message he sent her before his death
“Oh man, that hit deep…” Aniston began her difficult farewell.
“Saying goodbye to our Matty was an insane wave of emotions that I have never experienced before,” she continued. “We all experience loss at some point in our lives. Loss of life or loss of love.
“When you can really SIT in that grief, you can feel moments of joy and gratitude that you loved someone so much. And we loved him very much,” the actress explained, adding that Perry was a part of the ” DNA” of the Friends cast.
“There were always six of us. “This was a chosen family that changed our careers and our path forever,” she remembers.
Aniston also recalled Perry’s need to make everyone around him laugh.
“Matty knew he loved making people laugh.” As he himself said, he thought he would die if he didn’t hear the “laughter.” His life literally depended on it,” she wrote. “And boy, did he do just that?” He made us all laugh. And laugh a lot.’
Her post included a short personal message that Perry had texted her some time ago, although she did not reveal when the exchange took place.
“For the last few weeks I have been pouring over our text messages to each other. “Laugh and cry, then laugh again,” Aniston admitted. “I will keep her forever and ever.”
Affectionate moment: Aniston included a sweet clip of Perry from late-night Friends where his character, Chandler, confesses his platonic love for her character Rachel before her big move
Sweet and sour: “You know what? Let’s not say otherwise. “I love you,” Aniston’s character says with tears in her eyes as she leans in to hug Perry before he makes a fake fart noise to lighten the mood
Happier times: Aniston included a text message Perry sent her “out of nowhere one day” in which he sent her a black-and-white photo of the two of them laughing on set. “Making you laugh just made my day,” he wrote
“I found a text message he sent me out of nowhere one day. It says it all. (See the second slide…).’
In the text message, Perry appeared to have sent her a black-and-white photo of the two of them from back on set – presumably while filming “Friends” – when he said something that seemed to make her grin from ear to ear.
“Making you laugh just made my day,” he captioned the photo. ‘This made my day :).’
In her text, Aniston replied: “Aww, the first of THOUSANDS of times…”
In her caption, she added a loving farewell to Perry and hoped he was now “at peace.”
“Matty, I love you so much and I know that you are now completely at peace and no longer in pain,” she wrote.
“I talk to you every day…sometimes I can almost hear you saying, ‘Could you be any crazier?'” she added lightly, referencing one of Chandler’s catchphrases.
“Rest, little brother,” she concluded. “You always made my day…”
The Long Haul: Perry and Aniston starred throughout Friends’ run from 1994 to 2004; Seen together in 1998
Gone too soon: Perry appeared to have died by accidental drowning in his home’s hot tub on October 28, but the determination of the cause of death is delayed pending the submission of a toxicology report; seen in November 2022 in NYC
Perry’s tragic death occurred on October 28 when he was discovered underwater in his home’s hot tub by his assistant, who had briefly left his home to pick up some items for him.
Perry’s death certificate was released earlier this month. Although the actor is believed to have died from accidental drowning, his cause of death has been withheld pending the results of a toxicology report.
According to police, only drugs for which Perry had a prescription were found in his home, but the actor had previously spoken openly about his years-long battle with addiction and substance abuse.
Another dark statement was also released Wednesday morning from Perry’s “Friends” co-star David Schwimmer, who played Ross.
The 57-year-old swimmer posted a still of one of his “favorite moments” with Perry on Friends, praising his gift for laughter and his enduring friendship.
In the humorous photo, both wore designer beards and colorful suits with rolled-up sleeves and contrasting casual shirts inspired by Miami Vice.
“Matty, thank you for ten incredible years of laughter and creativity,” Schwimmer began in the Instagram post. “I will never forget your impeccable comedic timing and delivery.” You could take a straightforward piece of dialogue and bend it to your will, resulting in something so completely original and unexpectedly funny that it still amazes.
“And you had heart. You were generous and shared it with us so we could create a family out of six strangers. This photo is from one of my favorite moments with you. Now it makes me smile and sad at the same time.
“I imagine you up there somewhere, in the same white suit, hands in your pockets, looking around – ‘Could there be any more clouds?'”
“You Had Heart”: David Schwimmer paid a touching tribute to Perry around the same time as Aniston with a still from Friends of His and Perry dressed like Miami Vice characters
Last month, the remaining five “Friends” leads released a joint statement reacting to Perry’s shocking death.
“We are all deeply devastated by the loss of Matthew.” We were more than just cast mates. “We are a family,” Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and Schwimmer told People. “There is so much to say, but for now we will take a moment to grieve and process this incredible loss.”
The stars continued: “Over time we will say more as we are able,” the statement continued. “Right now our thoughts and love are with Matty’s family, his friends and everyone who loved him around the world.”
Perry was buried on November 3rd in a simple, hour-long memorial service at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Los Angeles in the presence of his Friends colleagues.
One onlooker told : “Mrs Aniston was one of the first to arrive.” She kept to herself. “This is a high-profile event.”
His tearful mother Suzanne Morrison, 84, and his Dateline journalist stepfather Keith Morrison, 76, were both present at the private event, as was his father John Perry, 82. Morrison also served as one of the pallbearers.
Located across from Warner Bros Studios, where Friends was filmed for 10 seasons, the cemetery is the final resting place of a galaxy of Hollywood stars, including Carrie Fisher, Bette Davis, Stan Laurel, Buster Keaton, INXS frontman Michael Hutchence and Paul Walker , Brittany Murphy and Anne Heche.