'Friends' role didn't bring Matthew Perry joy, happiness or peace, says George Clooney

Georgle Clooney has been a longtime heartthrob But did you know He shared a close relationship with Matthew Perry as well Recently George Clooney said Matthew Perry had a hard time staying happy even after bagging one of the central characters on the longrunning sitcom FriendsPerry who played Chandler Bing on the comedy series died at the age of 54 on October 30 after being found unresponsive at his Pacific Palisades home hereAn autopsy report released last week said that Perry died from the acute effects of ketamine The actor struggled with addiction for many years and detailed it all in his 2022 memoir Friends Lovers and the Big Terrible ThingFriends role didnt bring Matthew Perry joy happiness or peace says George ClooneyClooney 62 said he had known Perry since he was a teenager I knew Matt when he was 16 years old We used to play paddle tennis together Hes about 10 years younger than me And he was a great funny funny funny kid the actor told Deadline in an interview Perry always wished to be on a sitcom added Clooney who had appeared as a guest star with his ER colleague Noah Wyle in the 17th episode of Friends season oneHe would say to us I mean me Richard Kind and Grant Heslov I just want to get on a sitcom man I just want to get on a regular sitcom and I would be the happiest man on earth And he got on probably one of the best ever He wasnt happy It didnt bring him joy or happiness or peace the actor saidPerry and Clooney tasted stardom around the same time in the early 1990s At the time Clooney was filming ER while Perry was shooting for Friends at the same set of Warner Bros Studios in Burbank California The two shows went on to become the most popular shows in American television historyDue to his struggle with addiction Perry found it hard to go on Clooney saidWatching that go on on the lot we were at Warner Brothers we were there right next to each other it was hard to watch because we didnt know what was going through him We just knew that he wasnt happy and I had no idea he was doing what 12 Vicodin a day and all the stuff he talked about all that heartbreaking stuff And it also just tells you that success and money and all those things it doesnt just automatically bring you happiness You have to be happy with yourself and your life he addedAbout Matthew Perrys demiseOver a month after the demise of Friends star Matthew Perrythe cause behind the same has been revealed The 54yearold was found dead in a hot tub at his home on October 28 According to the toxicology report from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiners Office he died from the acute effects of ketamine Contributing factors in Perrys death included drowning coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine used to treat opioid use disorder Variety reportedPerry had been undergoing ketamine infusion therapy prior to his death reportedly for depression and anxiety The toxicology report stated At the high levels of ketamine found in his postmortem blood specimens the main lethal effects would be from both cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression Ketamine is illegally used as a recreational drug for its numbing and hallucinogenic effectsThere were trace amounts of ketamine detected in the stomach contents He was reported to be receiving ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety Per the Medical Examiner Investigators report his last known treatment was 15 weeks prior to death and the ketamine in his system at death could not be from that infusion therapy since ketamines halflife is 3 to 4 hours or less the report addedWith inputs from PTI