Jennifer Aniston's Pain: Actress Is Taking Matthew Perry's Death Harder Than Her 'Friends' Costars, Source Reveals
Jennifer Aniston is having a difficult time as she grieves the loss of Matthew Perry.
According to an insider, out of the five remaining Friends cast members, Aniston and Courteney Cox "are reeling the most, and Jen is probably the one who is struggling most acutely."
"It’s a second massive loss in less than a year, with the one-year anniversary of her dad’s death just around the corner," the source pointed out to a news outlet. "She still hasn’t fully regained her footing from that, and now this has just completely knocked her off her feet."
Added the insider, "She is trying to regroup and recover but it’s been a completely devastating blow."
Aniston, 54, was joined by the rest of her costars — which includes Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer — at the Friday, November 3, funeral for the actor, who suddenly died at age 54 on October 28. The TV icon was found unresponsive in his hot tub, but his cause of death has been deferred pending the results of toxicology tests.
Though Perry openly struggled with drug and alcohol addiction over the decades, his friend Athenna Crosby declared he was "100 percent sober" when he passed away.
Two days after his death was revealed, the cast of Friends put out a joint statement
"We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just castmates. We are a family," their message 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. For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty's family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world."
Jim Burrows, who directed a handful of episodes of the comedy series, revealed he got in touch with some of the stars after the news made headlines.
“I had texted the girls the day we found out. They were destroyed," he revealed on Today. "It’s a brother dying."
- 'Friends' Cast Mulling Over Another Reunion After Matthew Perry's Untimely Death: 'Would Give Them a Lot of Comfort'
- Jennifer Aniston to Host Special Get-Together for 'Friends' Cast After Matthew Perry's Tragic Death
- Courteney Cox Is 'Grateful for Every Moment' She Spent With 'Friends' Costar Matthew Perry: 'I Miss You Every Day'
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"He was part of a family and he was the first one to not be part of that family anymore. He was really funny. He was a little awkward, too. Chandler was awkward. And Matthew was awkward. So it was a perfect, perfect meld," Burrows shared. "We were so proud of him these last couple of years that he was making a remarkable recovery."
Friends creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane were just as shocked and devastated about Perry's passing.
"He was happy and chipper. He didn’t seem weighed down by anything. He was in a really good place, which is why this seems so unfair," Kauffman stated in a recent interview of the last time she saw him. "He was emotionally in a good place, he looked good, he quit smoking … he was sober."
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Page Six reported on Aniston's struggle.