Marta Kauffman shows how to honor Matthew Perry's legacy after his tragic death

In an interview with the Times of London, Kauffman expressed her desire to see efforts focused on fighting addiction, and she believes supporting treatment centers is a critical way to honor Perry's life and legacy.

The second way to honor Perry, Kauffman said, is to watch his beloved hit “Friends” and celebrate the joy he brought to audiences. She stressed that people should remember Perry not for the circumstances of his death, but for the humor and joy he exuded in his role as the eternally sarcastic Chandler Bing.

Perry, known for his sharp wit and charm in “Friends,” died in October 2023 at the age of 54. He was found in a hot tub at his Pacific Palisades home. The Los Angeles Medical Examiner's Office later confirmed that his death was due to “acute effects of ketamine” and subsequent drowning.

The U.S. Attorney's Office recently filed charges against five people in connection with Perry's death. The defendants include two doctors, Perry's personal assistant and a person known as the “Ketamine Queen.” All of them are alleged to have been involved in distributing the drugs that caused Perry's relapse.

Kauffman also reflected on her last interaction with Perry, recalling a FaceTime conversation they had about two weeks before his death in which he appeared to be doing well.

It is not clear whether Kauffman's comments, which were part of a commemorative post marking the 30th anniversary of “Friends,” were made before or after the indictment was released.

In November, Jennifer Aniston, one of Perry's co-stars, shared her own tribute on Instagram.

She, like Kauffman, recalled Perry's ability to make people laugh, pointing out that Perry once said he had to hear the audience's laughter to survive – and he certainly succeeded in making people laugh throughout his life.