Friends director on Matthew Perry's death: ‘We were so proud of him that he was making this remarkable recovery’

Friends director James Burrows, who helmed 15 episodes of the show, including the pilot, said Matthew Perry's demise feels like “a brother dying.”

Fans of Matthew Perry still can't get over the actor's death. These include James Burrows, the director of Friends who helmed 15 episodes, including the pilot, ‘The One Where Monica Finds A Roommate.’ In a new interview on Today show, James revealed how proud the team of Friends was to witness Matthew's recovery from addiction in the past couple of years. (Also Read: Chandler from Friends wasn't a character, but a way of life – and we have Matthew Perry to thank for it)

Matthew Perry played Chandler Bing on Friends

What James said

“We were so proud of him these last couple of years that he was making this remarkable recovery," said James, adding, "He was part of a family, and he was the first one to not be part of that family anymore. I texted the girls (Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, and Lisa Kudrow) the day we found out and they were destroyed. It’s a brother dying.”

He referred to Matthew's casting as Chandler Bing a “perfect meld.” James added that Matthew was always present in the moment and was aware that he was on camera “even though he wasn't speaking.”

What Friends creators said

In an earlier interview, also on Today show, Friends creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane also revealed that Matthew seemed to be “in a good place” when they talked to the actor two weeks before his death. “He didn’t seem weighed down by anything. He was in a really good place, which is why this seems so unfair,” said Marta.

She added that they were concerned of where Matthew was physically and mentally while filming Friends: The Reunion a couple of years ago. “Knowing he had been through everything he’d been through and every time he had surgery, they’re giving him opioids for pain, and the cycle starts over again. So yes, I was concerned about what point he was in the cycle at that moment,” she said.

Matthew Perry was found dead on Saturday at his Los Angeles home. The cause of his death is still pending.

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