“We drifted apart.” Gwyneth Paltrow reflects on the brief relationship she had with now deceased Matthew Perry.
In an Instagram post dated Sunday, October 29th, Gwyneth Paltrow shared a heartfelt tribute to Matthew Perry after hearing about his unexpected death.
“I met Matthew Perry in 1993 at the Williamstown Theater Festival in Massachusetts. We were both there for most of the summer doing plays. He was so funny and so sweet and so much fun to be with,” Paltrow, 51, wrote in the caption of a throwback pic of the Friends alum.
“We drove out to swim in creeks, had beers in the local college bar, kissed in a field of long grass. It was a magical summer.”
The Iron Man actress later clarified that their summer together occurred shortly after Perry filmed the pilot of Friends ahead of its 1994 premiere.
“He was nervous, hoping his big break was just around the corner. It was,” Paltrow noted.
According to Paltrow, she “stayed friends” with Perry but ultimately lost touch over the years. Despite going their separate ways, Paltrow shared that she was always excited to hear about his success.
“We drifted apart,” Paltrow said. “I was always happy to see him when I did. I am super sad today, as so many of us are,” she concluded on Sunday. “I hope Matthew is at peace at long last. I really do.”
The entire Friends community is struggling to process the death of Perry at the age of 54. Gone too soon, the Friends actor dedicated himself to his community, engaging in pickleball and offering support to those in their battle against addiction through this sport.
On a Saturday, Perry’s assistant discovered him unresponsive in his hot tub after returning to his home from completing errands according to the Los Angeles Times. A cause of death is still being determined by the coroner.
“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother,” the actor’s family said in a statement on Sunday. “Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and a friend. You all meant so much to him and we appreciate the tremendous outpouring of love.”
According to US Weekly After Perry’s short lived romance with Paltrow, he went on to date Julia Roberts less than one year after the first episode of Friends. Perry later dated Yasmine Bleeth, Maeve Quinlan, Lauren Graham, Rachel Dunn, and Lizzy Caplan. In 2020, Perry proposed to Molly Hurwitz after they dated for four years. The two split six months later.
Paltrow went on to date Brad Pitt before having two children with Chris Martin. She and the Coldplay singer separated in 2016 before she married Brad Falchuk two years later.
Fans seem thankful to learn more about Matthew Perry’s legacy following his passing. We hope that his family can find comfort during this time.