Matthew Perry was “sweet,” “silly” and “giggling between takes” while filming the “Friends” reunion, according to a source who worked on the TV special.
Speaking with The Post ahead of the one-year anniversary of Perry’s death, the insider recalled how funny and kind Perry was behind the scenes of the 2021 reunion.
“He was very sweet and silly,” the source said.
“Matthew was giggling in between takes. He was so grateful to be a part of the special and that it was even happening.”
Perry was “being his usual silly self the entire time, and made everyone working on the show feel as normal as possible given who he and his cast members are,” the insider added.
The love and affection Perry and his “Friends” co-stars shared was evident for the entire crew and production staff to see. “He gave a lot of praise to his cast members — saying all the same sweet things they said about him, so you know their love and bond was true,” the insider said.
And Perry’s friends were there for him even when the cameras weren’t rolling. According to the source, at one point during the taping, Perry was “dozing off on the couch in between takes,” exhausted from emergency dental surgery he had just days before. Seemingly noticing this and wanting to help a friend in need, David Schwimmer got up, sat next to Perry on the couch and wrapped his arm around him.
“It was a testament to how sweet and locked in they all were with each other,” the source said.
Perry spoke about the dental surgery in a 2022 “Nightline” interview with Diane Sawyer.
“They did all sorts of things,” the actor told Sawyer. “The dental surgery just made my mouth feel like fire and it sounded like my voice was off,” he added, addressing fans who were concerned by his slurred speech after watching the special.
“And I couldn’t not show up. So what I chose to do was go and just do the best that I could.”
“Friends” celebrated its 30th anniversary this year, and the 20th anniversary of its finale.
Perry passed away on Oct. 28, 2023 at his home in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles. He was 54.
An autopsy performed by the Los Angeles County revealed he died from a ketamine overdose. The report listed the manner of death as accidental drowning.
In August, US attorneys indicted five individuals they allege were involved in procuring and distributing ketamine to Perry.
Three individuals — Perry’s assistant, a doctor who helped the actor acquire ketamine and a person who acted as a “go-between” for obtaining the drug — have pleaded guilty and are cooperating with the feds. Two others, the so-called “Ketamine Queen” of LA and Dr. Salvador Plasencia, are fighting the charges.
