Lauren Graham reflected on Matthew Perry’s death in a moving interview on CBS Mornings on Thursday, November 16. The Gilmore Girls actress, 56, admitted that she was “still in shock” from Matthew’s “really tragic loss” at 54. Following his death, Lauren spoke about how proud he was to have released his memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.
When the host asked about Matthew, she recalled what a fantastic sense of humor that the late Friends actor had. “No one made me laugh as hard. Just tears streaming. There was just such joy in being around him, and being his friend,” she said.
Lauren continued and revealed that Matthew had had a wonderful year with the release of his memoir, which she said “really meant” a lot to him. She also said that with the book’s release, it was a “really happy year” for the actor. “This last year he was so proud of the book he wrote and of how many people it touched. It was a success that gave him a level of happiness that I hadn’t seen in him for a really long time. So that’s a nice memory,” she said. “He leaves his beautiful work behind, and that’s something to be thankful for.”
Following Matthew’s death many of those close to him and former co-stars have released statements mourning his passing. Some people close to him also established the Matthew Perry Foundation to help others struggling with substance abuse. In a Los Angeles Times interview that resurfaced following his death, the actor admitted that he wanted to be remembered for helping others in need. “As a guy who lived life, loved well, lived well, and helped people,” he said, when asked how he wanted to be remembered.
Matthew’s co-stars from Friends have all released individual tributes to him. Shortly following his death, the group released a joint statement mourning his passing to People. “We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family,” they said in part.