Matthew Perry's Friend Hank Azaria Shares How Loved Ones Were 'Laughing and Crying' at His Funeral

Matthew Perry's loved ones couldn't contain their emotions during his intimate funeral held on November 3, 2023, at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles. The Friends alum's dear friend Hank Azaria revealed details from his farewell, saying it was full of mourners who were "crying" and "laughing" at the same time. 

The 54-year-old made millions of people laugh in his lifetime, and even while leaving to rest in peace, Perry's friends and family bid him a final goodbye with tears and laughter. Azaria shared, "I was at the funeral last weekend," reported The Messenger. "You know, sad. He was a hilarious man, so we would sort of [be] alternately laughing and crying remembering him." 

Perry, although in good spirits before his death, was found unresponsive in a hot tub in his Los Angeles home and was later declared dead by apparent drowning on October 28, 2023. He was best known for his character Chandler Bing in America's hit sitcom Friends and has been immortalized in the hearts of his fans. 

Azaria continued, "We've all had people we've lost. The world really lost him," adding, "In a way, it's nice to have the world sort of sharing with you." His funeral was an intimate affair, with only a handful of people bidding him a final goodbye. His co-stars and the remaining "friends" like Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow, and Courteney Cox were in attendance. 

The Simpsons actor had a special bond with Perry, and the two frequently reunited while the NBC's hit sitcom was still running. The show ran for ten seasons from 1994 to 2004, and Azaria joined the iconic cast as Kudrow's character Phoebe Buffay's scientist boyfriend David in Friends. His last appearance was in season seven. 

Aside from being co-actors, they also shared similar interests, like sports. The duo often hung out at games together, and they were inseparable. The late actor wrote about his friendship with Azaria in his memoir- Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing. Following his death, the comedian shared a video on his Instagram account sharing his grief and memories. 

Perry openly discussed his longstanding battle with addiction and alcohol abuse. However, Azaria credited his friend for helping him get sober. In his lengthy tribute, he said, "Matthew was the first friend I made in Los Angeles when I moved there. I was 21, he was 16." He revealed they first met on the sets of a TV pilot for a show called Morning Maggie.

The 59-year-old continued, "Matthew and I became really good friends, and we were really more like brothers for a long time." He added, "We drank a lot together, we laughed a lot together, [and] we were there for each other in the early days of our career." While recalling his struggle with alcohol, Azaria wrote a piece for the late actor and expressed his gratitude to him. 

"We met almost 40 years ago, and he was, by far, the funniest friend I ever had. He also was the person who helped me get sober," as per The New York Times. "He took me to my first A.A. meeting in 2005. Matthew quit booze a few years before, so I called Matthew and asked him to take me to a meeting."