Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon cover this week’s issue of Variety, part of a post-SAG-strike awards-season push for The Morning Show. I’ve never watched TMS – sometimes I’ll hear something interesting or see a good Nicole Beharie clip and I’m like “huh, maybe I should get into it,” but then I remember who the two leads are and I consistently pass on it. It also doesn’t help that this most recent season apparently featured a completely unhinged January 6th insurrection storyline in which a white woman protects her insurrectionist treason-bird brother. Way to frame an important story!

Anyway, if you want to read Aniston & Witherspoon talk about TMS, go here. The section which is getting the most attention is Jen Aniston speaking on the record for the first time about her friend Matthew Perry, following his October death. Aniston weeps openly as she talks about Perry, and Reese held her hand as Jen talked through it:

Jennifer Aniston wants the world to know that Matthew Perry was in a good place before his untimely death. In her first interview following the loss of her “Friends” co-star, Aniston told Variety she hopes Perry is remembered “as he said he’d love to be remembered” — a man who lived well and helped others.

“He was happy. He was healthy. He had quit smoking. He was getting in shape. He was happy — that’s all I know,” she said, through tears. Next to her, Aniston’s “The Morning Show” co-star Reese Witherspoon held her hand as she wiped her tears. “I was literally texting with him that morning, funny Matty. He was not in pain. He wasn’t struggling. He was happy.”

She continued, “I want people to know he was really healthy, and getting healthy. He was on a pursuit. He worked so hard. He really was dealt a tough one. I miss him dearly. We all do. Boy, he made us laugh really hard.”

Following his death, the cast, along with other actors and numerous reporters — myself included! — wrote about their experiences with Perry and how much his character, Chandler Bing, meant. Additionally, a foundation was founded in his name to help others struggling with addiction.

“It’s so beautiful,” Aniston said of the outpouring of love. “I hope he can know that he was loved in a way he never thought he was.”

Additionally, Aniston tried to find the words to describe Perry’s dialect, which became synonymous with Chandler Bing. “His way of speaking created a whole different world,” she said. “We went with his lead, in a way. It just added something to our joy.”

[From Variety]

I really appreciate that she says this about how happy he was, how he was on the other side of his journey and he was finding peace and joy and health. There were so many theories, so many people suggesting that he relapsed or that he was still keeping secrets. I’m not sure which version is sadder though, although I’m sure his friends and fans want to remember him as he was in his final years – clean, happy, living an honest life, finding his peace.

IG courtesy of Variety, additional photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgird and Cover Images.

THE CAST OF FRIENDS ARRIVING TO THE HISTORIC LIVE TELECAST OF NBC’S 75TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION. STUDIO 8H AT ROCKEFELLER PLAZA IN NEW YORK. 05 MAY 2002,Image: 548463638, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Photoshot – London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Florida: +1 239 689 1883 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: Dennis Van Tine / Avalon

Jennifer Aniston attends the Los Angeles Premiere Of Netflix’s “Murder Mystery 2” at Regency Village Theatre on March 28, 2023 in Los Angeles, California,Image: 765843306, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Jennifer Aniston, Credit line: – / JPI Studios / Avalon

New York, NY – Matthew Perry signs autographs as he leaves his hotel this afternoon in Tribeca. Pictured: Matthew Perry BACKGRID USA 1 NOVEMBER 2022 BYLINE MUST READ: BlayzenPhotos / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / UK: +44 208 344 2007 / *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*

Pasadena, California – 01/12/03 – The 29th. Annual People’s Choice Awards at Pasadena Civic Auditorium. Pictured: Matthew Perry, Jennifer Aniston and Lisa Kudrow Photo by startraksphoto.com Featuring: Matthew Perry, Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow Where: New York, United States When: 31 Dec 2003 Credit: STARTRAKS PHOTOstartraksphoto.c

Celebrities At ‘The Late Show With Stephen Colbert’ Featuring: Matthew Perry Where: New York, New York, United States When: 01 Nov 2022 Credit: ROGER WONG/ Images