Gwyneth Paltrow Remembers ‘Magical Summer’ With Matthew Perry Before He Got His Big Break

Following the Friends actor’s untimely death, Gwyneth Paltrow is remembering a “magical summer” that she once spent with Matthew Perry. Taking to Instagram, Paltrow paid tribute to her late friend and recalled their short-lived romance before he got his big break. Sadly, it was reported over the weekend that Perry was found dead in a hot tub after suffering what is believed to have been a fatal cardiac event.

“I met Matthew Perry in 1993 at the Williamstown Theater Festival in Massachusetts,” Paltrow wrote in the caption on an old photo of Perry. “We were both there for most of the summer doing plays. He was so funny and so sweet and so much fun to be with. We drove out to swim in creeks, had beers in the local college bar, kissed in a field of long grass. It was a magical summer.”

She continued, “He had shot the pilot of Friends but it had not aired yet. He was nervous, hoping his big break was just around the corner. It was. We stayed friends for a while until we drifted apart, but I was always happy to see him when I did. I am super sad today, as so many of us are. I hope Matthew is at peace at long last. I really do.”

Notably, Perry opened up about his and Paltrow’s fling in his 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing. In the book, Perry recalled the pair sharing a brief “make-out session in a closet,” prior to Friends debuting on NBC. Later, during an interview with GQ, Perry was asked about the story, to which he replied that he hoped Paltrow would “find it to be a cute story” if she happened to read or hear about it. “It’d be bad if Gwyneth Paltrow hated me,” he then quipped. “I wouldn’t like that.”

On Saturday, first responders discovered Perry’s body after receiving a call to his residence, though they did not initially reveal his identity. While Perry had been open in the past about his struggles with substance abuse, PEOPLE reports that no drugs were found at the scene, and police do not suspect foul play. In a statement to the outlet, Perry’s family said. “We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother. Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and a friend.” They added, “You all meant so much to him and we appreciate the tremendous outpouring of love.”