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Oscar winner Sean Penn opened up about his thoughts on the untimely death of Matthew Perry, best known for his role as Chandler Bing on "Friends."
Perry passed away at the age of 54 on October 28, and while the official cause of death is still pending, Penn expressed that he wasn't "terribly surprised."
In a recent interview on "Piers Morgan Uncensored," the "Milk" actor praised Perry for his bravery in sharing his struggles with addiction and health issues with the public.
Penn admitted that he couldn't claim to have known Perry well but appreciated him for being a talented and intelligent individual.
Sean recalled a recent encounter with Perry at Los Angeles airport, where he complimented the actor on his book, "Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing," which detailed Perry's battle with drug and alcohol addiction.
Tragic but not a surprise for Penn
"It's tragic, I can't say that I was terribly surprised," Penn stated. "I don't know what the whole coroner's report things and everything, but I know he had done a lot of damage to his organs over the years."
Despite the circumstances, Penn acknowledged the joy Perry brought to many people with his talent and expressed his well wishes to the late actor's family.
"You know, tough situation, and he got to do that, he got to leave that tale behind and he got to give a lot of joy to a lot of people with his talent. So, I wish his family well," he said.
Penn had briefly worked with Perry in 2001 when he made guest appearances on "Friends" in two episodes as Eric, a school teacher engaged to Phoebe Buffay's twin sister Ursula, played by Lisa Kudrow.
Perry's unending fight with addictions
Matthew's struggles with addiction were candidly shared in his 2022 memoir, where he revealed he had reached a low point, weighing only 128 pounds and consuming nearly 55 Vicodin pills a day at one stage during the show. Perry's cast mates on "Friends" were understanding and patient, supporting him through his journey to recovery.
Matthew Perry's death remains a poignant moment in Hollywood, and as the entertainment industry reflects on his life, friends and colleagues continue to remember him for his talent and the challenges he faced with resilience.