Matthew Perry explains why he felt ‘dead inside’ during filming for the Friends finale

Actor Matthew Perry’s long-awaited memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, is now available on bookstands and on digital. Before the book’s release, there were several revelations and new things we learned about the actor. Now that it’s out, more information about the actor and his time on the set of Friends is revealed.

Even before his memoir, the star has previously shared that he suffered from alcohol and drug abuse while filming the series. It’s just so sad to think that while he was making us laugh, the actor was experiencing the complete opposite and going through so many personal struggles.

One of the tougher scenes for him was during the filming of the Friends finale. We all remember it, it’s seared into our minds! The touching scene where the group of friends say goodbye to Monica’s infamous apartment, just as we’re saying goodbye to the beloved series.

It was an emotional scene to shoot for the cast too as they’d been together for 10 seasons. But Perry felt different.

Matthew Perry on feeling ‘dead inside’ during Friends finale filming

In his memoir, the actor reveals that he “felt nothing” after the first AD called out “that’s a wrap,” when that final scene was shot and the camera panned to the front door of Monica’s apartment, according to the Huffington Post.

“Tears sprang from almost everyone’s eyes like so many geysers,” said Perry in the memoir. He recalls Jennifer Aniston, who played Rachel, “sobbing” and points out that even Matt LeBlanc, who played Joey, was crying. Though those feelings never sprang up for Perry.

"I couldn’t tell if that was because of the opioid buprenorphine I was taking, or if I was just generally dead inside."

Also in the memoir, Perry reveals that he almost died a few years ago due to opioid use. He spent two weeks in a coma, five months in the hospital, and had a colostomy bag for nine months. Over the years, he’s relapsed 15 times. But his near-death experience was a wake-up call for the actor, now adamant about staying sober.

Matthew Perry’s memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, is now available for purchase.