Yahoo News Friends Actor Maggie Wheeler Shares Why Matthew Perry's Book Was Such A 'Difficult' Read For Her
Maggie Wheeler on a recreation of the Friends set
Friends star Maggie Wheeler has admitted she found Matthew Perry’s memoir to be a “difficult” read.
The two actors shared the screen in all 10 seasons of the Emmy-winning sitcom as one-time couple Janice and Chandler, who continued to cross paths long after their break-up.
Last year, Matthew published his deeply personal and revelatory memoir Friends, Lovers And The Big Terrible Thing, in which he wrote candidly about his past struggles with substance abuse and his mental health.
Speaking to Page Six about the book, Maggie said she’d found reading her former co-stars “startling revelations” both “sad” and “difficult” at times.
“I think he’s done a tremendous job and he’s really survived the unthinkable,” she told the outlet.
“And I’m so proud of him and I’m so happy he’s here and I think it’s very brave that he’s written a book and he’s out talking about it, he’s really helping a lot of people.”
Matthew Perry at the GQ Men Of The Year awards last yea
Maggie added: “He showed up for work even when he was in his darkest place, he showed up for work with all his humor and brilliance and talent.
“There was never a day working on set with him where I felt insecure about how he was going to participate in the process, he was 100 percent, even when he was struggling.”
Maggie Wheeler and Matthew Perry on the set of Friends' first season
In a recent interview to promote his book, Matthew admitted he finds himself unable to watch Friends nowadays, as it reminds him too much of his past issues.
He shared: “I was taking 55 Vicodin a day, I weighed 128 lbs, I was on Friends getting watched by 30 million people – and that’s why I can’t watch the show, because I was brutally thin.
“I didn’t watch the show, and haven’t watched the show, because I could go, ‘Drinking, opiates, drinking, cocaine’. I could tell season by season by how I looked.
“That’s why I don’t wanna watch it, because that’s what I see.”
Help and support:
If you need help with a drinking problem, call the Alcoholics Anonymous national helpline for free on 0800 9177 650 or email help@aamail.org.
For advice on how to reduce drinking, visit Drinkaware’s website or Alcohol Change UK.
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Contact FRANK on 0300 123 6600 or visit the website for alternative contact methods.
