George Clooney has said that despite achieving the dream of appearing in a sitcom, Matthew Perry was never truly "happy" on the set of Friends.
The 54-year-old Friends actor died at the age of 54 after being found unresponsive by first responders at his Los Angeles residence on October 28.
Perry was found in the hot tub of his home, and his family told People: "We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother. 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."
The actor shot to stardom on Friends which ran from 1994 to 2004, and although the sitcom was an instant hit that is still widely loved today, Clooney, 62, has revealed that Perry "wasn't happy".
Speaking to Deadline, Clooney said: "He (Perry) was a kid and all he would say to us, I mean me, Richard Kind and Grant Heslov, was, 'I just want to get on a sitcom, man. I just want to get on a regular sitcom and I would be the happiest man on earth.'
"And he got on probably one of the best ever. He wasn’t happy. It didn’t bring him joy or happiness or peace."
Clooney worked at the same studios as he was filming ER, and he explained that it was often difficult to watch Perry in action.
"We just knew that he wasn’t happy and I had no idea he was doing what, 12 Vicodin a day and all the stuff he talked about, all that heartbreaking stuff," Clooney said.
He continued: "And it also just tells you that success and money and all those things, it doesn’t just automatically bring you happiness. You have to be happy with yourself and your life."
Perry's official cause of death has now been confirmed, as reported by TMZ.
Per the toxicology report from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office, Perry died from "the acute effects of ketamine." The exact method of intake has not been determined.
Drowning, coronary artery disease, and the effects of buprenorphine (used to treat opioid use disorder) have been listed as contributing factors in his death. The manner of death was ruled an accident.
Upon learning of the devastating incident, Perry's former co-stars, Lisa Kudrow, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Matt Le Blanc, and Jennifer Aniston, issued a joint statement to People, expressing their sorrow.
"We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family. There is so much to say, but right now we're going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss," the statement read.
"In time we will say more, as and when we are able. For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty's family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world."