Michael J. Fox is reflecting on his friendship with the late Matthew Perry with a great sense of gratitude.
The ‘Back to the Future’ actor founded his self-titled organization in 2000 to fund Parkinson’s disease research, and he was blown away by his late pal’s generosity, which came in the aftermath of the ‘Friends’ cast negotiating hefty $1 million-per-episode contracts.
Michael told ‘Entertainment Tonight‘ this saturday: “Matthew and I had spent some time together over the years. He was a hockey player, a good hockey player, and we played hockey together.”
“I hope this isn’t indiscreet… but when they first made their big sale [on their ‘Friends’ contracts] and were made millionaires for the rest of their lives, He wrote a big fat cheque to the foundation.”
Fox stated that the two eventually got to know one another and that he thought back to Perry’s support in helping him set up his foundation for charity.
“We were really early on and trying to find our feet. And it was such a vote of confidence.”
“And it wasn’t accompanied by any self-aggrandising or anything, he was just like, ‘Take it and do your best.’ I loved that.”
Bye Matthew Perry @MatthewPerry
Here with Michael J. Fox @realmikefox at GC’fifth annual #michaeljfox #matthewperry #backtothefuture pic.twitter.com/C4zeBURBZN— ➠ Back to the future Memorabilia (@bttfmemorabilia) October 29, 2023
As for serving as an inspiration or influence on Perry, Fox simply said, “He was just a funny guy, and if I was ever as funny as him — I mean, he was the funniest — I’m happy I had an impact on him. He was a funny guy.”
During an interview with Tom Power in Toronto on November 2022, Perry discussed how Fox had an impact on him as a teenager, while he was promoting the publication of his memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.
“I was young, I had done a couple of plays in school, and Michael J. Fox was it, man. When I was in 9th grade, Michael J. Fox had just done Back to the Future, and there was smoke coming out of my ears, I was so jealous of this guy,” Perry explained during their discussion. “And he had, at the time, the no. 1 TV show and the no.1 movie at the same time! So he was huge. And I don’t know anybody else who’s done that — except me.”
On October 28, Perry’s body was found in the hot tub at his Los Angeles, California, home. He was 54.
In Los Angeles, at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, the actor was laid to rest not far from Warner Bros. Studios, the location of his Friends filming. The former cast members of Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer were among the friends and family who attended his funeral on Friday, Nov. 3.
