Morgan Fairchild Offered to Help Matthew Perry, Praises Him for Being There for Others ‘In the Midst of His Own Pain’

Mar. 15, 2025

Morgan Fairchild in 2023 (left) and Matthew Perry in 2022.Photo:Paul Archuleta/Getty; Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic

Paul Archuleta/Getty; Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic

Morgan Fairchildis reflecting on the special connection she had withMatthew Perry.

In Peacock’s new documentaryMatthew Perry: A Hollywood Tragedy,Fairchild opens up about her relationship with the late actor after playing his mother on the NBC sitcomFriends. She says she learned about his addiction after his first stint in rehab in 1997.

“I remember when Matthew was first starting to go public about some of the issues. I was terribly proud of him,” Fairchild, 75, says. “It’s hard, especially in this town, to admit you’ve got any problem, that there’s anything wrong. And I thought it was very brave of him, and I was very, very proud of him. He did seem to really want to help other people that were also struggling.”

From left: Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer, Morgan Fairchild and Matthew Perry on ‘Friends’ in 1994.NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images

NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images

Soon after, however, Perry relapsed and his substance abuse worsened. At the peak of his addiction, Fairchild said she wanted to help in any way she could.

“I tried to reach out a little bit and let him know I was there for him,” she says in the documentary. “Because I have had other people in my life who’ve had trouble with alcohol or drugs, and [I said], ‘I’m here to talk if you want to.’ ”

Over the next two decades, Perry battled with addiction, which ultimately led to hisdeath in October 2023at age 54 from a ketamine overdose. Now, when Fairchild thinks about her former costar, she says she has nothing but fond memories.

“He was trying to help people even when he was struggling,” she recalls. “Even in the midst of his own pain, he tried to reach out to other people.”

“Matthew’s legacy is always going to be the friendship that he and the cast represented to people all over the world,” Fairchild continues. “His legacy will be one of hope and joy and friendship and love.”

The ‘Friends’ cast in 1994.Reisig & Taylor/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty

Reisig & Taylor/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty

One year before he died, Perryspoke with PEOPLE for an October 2022 cover story. During the interview, he explained that he wanted to use his struggles to give hope to those seeking sobriety. That was why he wrote his 2022 memoir,Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, which offered a glimpse at the depths of his addiction to alcohol and pills.

“I wanted to share when I was safe from going into the dark side again,” he added. “I had to wait until I was pretty safely sober — and away from the active disease of alcoholism and addiction — to write it all down. I was pretty certain that it would help people if I did.”

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If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.

source: people.com