Simpsons star Hank Azaria praises Matthew Perry for helping him get sober
Topics: Matthew Perry
Stewart Perrie
Featured Image Credit: J. Vespa/WireImage. David Klein/Getty Images
Topics: Matthew Perry
Matthew Perry's dying wish was for people to know that he helped people get through their addictions.
While there will be loads of people talking about Friends, the late actor says he wanted his legacy to be the hours he spent trying to get people clean.
Hank Azaria is upholding that desire and has spoken about his efforts to kick his habit and how Perry was involved.
The Simpsons voice actor praised the 54-year-old for sticking with him during his darkest days.
He shared a video to Instagram, where he said: "Matthew was the first friend I made in Los Angeles when I moved there.
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"I was 21, he was 16.
"Matthew and I became really good friends and we were really more like brothers for a long time.
"We drank a lot together, we laughed a lot together, we were there for each other in the early days of our career."
However, it's no secret that Perry's drinking would become a serious problem for him later in life.
He developed an addiction to booze and prescription painkillers and it saw him spend millions on his rehabilitation.
Jennifer Aniston, who played Rachel on Friends, was the first to confront her co-star about the drinking.
Azaria appeared in several episodes of the hit sitcom and played David, who was one of Phoebe Buffay's (Lisa Kudrow) love interests.
But Hank says once Matthew got his life in order, he was able to help others and stuck by him when he needed it the most.
"I'm a sober guy for 17 years, and I wanna say that, the night I went into AA [Alcoholics Anonymous], Matthew brought me in," Azaria said.
"The whole first year I was sober, we went to meetings together.
"He was so caring and giving. He totally helped me get sober. And I really wish he could've found it in himself to stay with the silver life more consistently."
He added: "Most nights you spent with Matthew you were crying laughing by the end.
"As an actor, he was so brilliant. I just wish we could have gotten what the rest of his career would've been."
Perry died over the weekend and authorities are investigating how the tragic passing happened.
The official cause of death has been 'deferred' until a toxicology report can be conducted, and that could take weeks.
There has been a huge outpouring of sadness in the wake of his untimely death and many have been sharing their favourite moments from Friends to remember one of the best characters on TV.