Originally appeared on E! Online
Lauren Graham remembers Matthew Perry being happy in the last year of his life.
The "Gilmore Girls" star reflected on her friendship with the late actor, who died Oct. 28 at age 54. And while he was best known for his onscreen wit as Chandler Bing on "Friends", she recalled him being just as funny offscreen.
"No one made me laugh as hard," Graham said on "CBS Mornings" Nov. 16. "I mean, just tears streaming. There was just such joy in being around him and being his friend."
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The "Parenthood" alum, who guest starred on several of Perry's other shows over the years—"Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," "The Odd Couple" and "Go On"—spoke of the joy he felt after releasing his 2022 memoir "Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing."
"And I'll say too, that this last year, he was so proud of the book he wrote and of how many people it touched," said the actress, who Perry honored with a photo of the two in his memoir, "and it was a success that gave him a level of happiness that I hadn't seen in him for a really long time. So that's a nice memory."
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And Graham is still coming to terms with Perry's sudden death. Still, she acknowledged how important this final chapter was for the "Fools Rush In" star, who had spoken about how he hoped his book, which recounts his struggle with addiction and quest to get sober, would help others on a similar journey.
"It's just a really tragic loss and he leaves his beautiful work behind and that's something to be thankful for," the "Because I Said So" actress expressed. "And again, the book really meant something to him. So it was a really happy year for him."
In the weeks since his passing, several of Perry's friends and former cast mates, including the five surviving "Friends" cast members, Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow and Matt LeBlanc, have shared heartfelt tributes and sweet memories.
"It is with a heavy heart I say goodbye," LeBlanc, who played Chandler's friend and roommate Joey Tribbiani, wrote on Instagram Nov. 14 alongside photos of him and Perry from the beloved sitcom. "The times we had together are honestly among the favorite times of my life. It was an honor to share the stage with you and to call you my friend."
He continued, "I will always smile when I think of you and I'll never forget you. Never. Spread your wings and fly brother you're finally free."
