Yvette Nicole Brown has opened up about the death of her Odd Couple co-star Matthew Perry.
‘It was important for me to speak about Matthew because I know there are so many others who loved him so dearly who cannot right now. The heartbreak I feel is nowhere near what they are surely feeling in this devastating moment. Until they can speak,’ Brown said on Twitter while linking to an interview where she spoke about Perry.
‘There’s been so much talk about his comedy, and his ability to lighten loads with his gift. But his greatest gift was his heart… He did not take himself seriously. He realized that he was extraordinarily blessed,’ she told Entertainment Tonight.
The actress recalled the last text she sent Perry, who was beloved in the recovery community for his willingness to help others through addiction.
‘I sent him a text to congratulate him because one of his greatest joys later in life was that he was able to help people who had been where he was. I was so proud of him for his sobriety. I was so proud of him for being as vulnerable as he was in his book.’
She added: ‘To admit that you’re sad, or to admit that you’re struggling, or to admit that you’re an addict, and you’ve fallen off the wagon, is very difficult… On The Odd Couple, when we were working with Matthew, we had a front row seat to his struggles, and we loved him, and we wanted to protect him, and we did the best we could while we were working with him.’
An emotional Brown said Perry was ‘really lovely,’
‘[I hope] that people can see the man behind the comedic legend. And that we can celebrate that his hope and joy was helping others to survive what he fought for most of his life… I hope he’s remembered as a fighter. I hope he’s remembered as someone that never gave up hope. I hope that he is remembered as… a friend,’ Brown said.
‘Because he really was… He was a pal. He was a buddy. He was a good time. He was a vibe. You know? So I hope that when people think of him, they’ll smile.’