Matthew Perry funeral: Jennifer Aniston was 'first to arrive', 'kept to herself' during emotional adieu
Matthew Perry's 'Friends' co-stars Lisa Kudrow, Jennifer Aniston, and Courteney Cox also attended the ceremony
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Jennifer Aniston, who had been "dreading" the day for 20 years, is said to have been "one of the first to arrive" at Matthew Perry's funeral.
Matthew Perry, 54, was discovered dead at his Los Angeles home last weekend. Although his official cause of death is still unknown, the cherished actor—best known for his role as Chandler Bing in 'Friends'—reportedly drowned in his hot tub.
Matthew Perry's funeral held at Forest Lawn Memorial
On Friday afternoon, Perry's friends and family came to Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles to pay their respects. The graveyard is located across from Warner Bros Studios, the location of 'Friends' ten-year filming.
Among those in attendance were Matthew's stepfather, Keith Morrison, father John Bennett Perry, and mother Suzanne Perry.
The actor's 'Friends' co-stars Lisa Kudrow, Jennifer Aniston, and Courteney Cox were also spotted at the event. It was reported that David Schwimmer and Matt Le Blanc joined the group later.
Jennifer Aniston was among the first to arrive
Aniston was among the first people to arrive at the funeral and "kept to herself" through the proceedings. It was a "high profile gathering," an observer told the publication.
Prior to the publication of his memoir 'Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing' last year, the late actor paid tribute to Aniston in an interview, acknowledging her support during his well-publicized battle with addiction. Matthew mentioned the support he received from his 'Friends' co-stars in an interview with Diane Sawyer.
Diane said, "Jennifer, she says, 'We know you're drinking." Perry responded, "Yeah, imagine how scary a moment that was." He added, "She was the one that reached out the most. You know, I'm really grateful to her for that," as reported by Mirror.
A source close to Jennifer Aniston previously told the Daily Mail, "It doesn't matter whether he died as a result of a freak accident or whether it was directly connected to his drug issues, this was a day that Jennifer has dreaded coming for 20 years. She always wanted to help Matthew any way she could – that was a constant for her."
Matthew Perry's addiction battle and rehab stints
Matthew's battle with alcohol and drug addiction had a big effect on his 'Friends' tenure. The actor underwent a 28-day detox program in 1997 after developing a Vicodin addiction. In February 2001, he checked himself into rehab once more to treat his addiction to alcohol, methadone, amphetamines, and Vicodin.
Nevertheless, it was stated at the time of his that no drugs were found at the scene and that there was no sign of foul play. The cause of Matthew's death is still unknown, but it was later revealed that preliminary toxicology tests did not identify the presence of meth or fentanyl in his system at the time of death.
'Friends' cast's statement
Matthew Perry's fellow actors made an emotional statement about his death before his funeral. "We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family," they said.
The statement continued, "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."
OK described Matthew's funeral service! magazine as being filled with "tears and laughter" and not having a single "dry eye in there." 'Don't Give Up' by Peter Gabriel is said to have been performed as the service came to a close. Following the one-hour service, a private family-only burial took place for Matthew in a dark wooden casket.
