Bradley Whitford hails the late 'Friends' actor for his courageous battle with alcohol and substance addictions as he pays tribute to the recently-deceased actor on social media.
- Nov 2, 2023
AceShowbiz - Bradley Whitford says Matthew Perry was "profoundly blessed and terribly cursed." The 64-year-old actor shared screen with the late "Friends" star in both "The West Wing" and "Studio 60 in the Sunset Strip" and he's paid a heartfelt tribute to his friend - who was found dead at his Los Angeles home on Saturday, October 28 aged 54 - in which he praised his pal's comedy skills and reflected on his well-documented battle with addiction.
"Matthew Perry made me laugh. Hard. You have not lived until you have witnessed one of his in-between-the-takes confidential riffs on the absurdity of show business and the idiocy of male confidence, wrapped up perfectly with the sudden realization that we were both grown men who wear makeup for a living," he wrote on Instagram while sharing a video of himself and Matthew joking around during a press interview.
"Without substances, Matt had a huge, open heart and a pyrotechnical, joyous brain. I think the most beautiful parts of Matt made him the most vulnerable to the monster that he would have to fight for the rest of his life."
"His battle was heroic. They don't have award shows for that. They should. Matt was full of contradictions. He was hilariously self deprecating and insecure and wildly self confident. He was a fountain of light with a huge capacity for darkness. He was profoundly blessed and terribly cursed (sic)."
"The Handmaid's Tale" star went on to celebrate his friend's "kind" nature and urged fans to "honour" the "Whole Nine Yards" star by helping others struggling with addiction. He added, "I want his parents to know that Matt was kind. Not just to his costar. To everyone."
"To honor Matt, I hope we can continue the work that mattered most to him: to open our hearts to so many who share his vulnerabilities, to encourage them to get the help they need, and to give them the love and the support they deserve (sic)."
Bradley ended with gratitude for having had Matthew in his life. He concluded, "I'm so grateful that I had the opportunity to work with Matt, to spend some precious time with him, and most of all, to be his friend."
