Jennifer Aniston had mourned Friends co-star Matthew Perry “for a long time” before his death. Perry died from acute affects of ketamine in 2023 and Aniston said part of her is grateful he is no longer in “pain” due to the long battle he fought against addiction.
The 56-year-old actress told the new issue of Vanity Fair magazine: “We did everything we could when we could. But it almost felt like we’d been mourning Matthew for a long time because his battle with that disease was a really hard one for him to fight.
“As hard as it was for all of us and for the fans, there’s a part of me that thinks this is better. I’m glad he’s out of that pain.”
Aniston is very proud of how much Friends has meant to people around the world. She said: “What helped raise me is something I got to put into the world and help other people. If [Friends] was the only thing on my resume, I would be very happy and blessed.”
The Morning Show actress isn’t afraid to speak up for herself in her career because she knows her “value”.
She said: “As a young actor, you can forget that you are the one who’s earning income for the people around you. [My manager Aleen Keshishian] would say, ‘You’re the boss. You pay us. Don’t lose sight of your power in that. Don’t become an a****** or b****, but don’t lose your voice.’
“If there’s an area in my life where I have no fear, it’s in my career – of speaking up for what I want. I don’t do it in a scary or mean way. I just know my value.”
Although Aniston has enjoyed success on both the big and small screen, she still has a number of career ambitions she wants to fill, including treading the boards on Broadway.
She said: “Growing up in New York City and seeing Annie, you just get swept into a fantasy world. I want to do that.”
And the Cake star has never been interested in fame.
She said: “I’ve always been more into metaphysical things and ‘What if there’s something bigger out there than all of us?’”
