Matthew Perry talks addiction in Diane Sawyer interview trailer

Matthew Perry says his Associates co-star Jennifer Aniston actually was there for him when he was scuffling with habit.

In a trailer launched Friday of Perry’s Oct. 28 sit-down with ABC Information journalist Diane Sawyer, Sawyer asks the actor concerning the time Aniston — whom he calls Jenny — confronted him. She mentioned, as Sawyer places it, “We all know you are ingesting.”

Perry says sure.

“Think about how scary a second that was,” he provides. “She was the one who reached out probably the most, you understand. I am actually grateful to her for that.”

The actor, who’s struggled with habit all through his profession, has mentioned that he had an issue with substances even on the peak of his profession. He writes about his experiences in his new ebook, Associates, Lovers, and the Huge Horrible Factor: A Memoir, which comes out Nov. 1.

Perry advised Folks this week that his alcoholism was simply starting when he was solid as Chandler Bing on the phenomenally widespread sitcom. As he defined to the journal, issues escalated and, 4 years in the past, he almost died. Whereas he advised the general public that he was being handled for a gastrointestinal perforation, the reality was that his colon had burst from utilizing opioids. Perry was within the hospital for 5 months — two weeks of which he was in a coma — and wore a colostomy bag for 9 months.

Within the new clip, he tells Sawyer that he additionally was as soon as taking “55 Vicodin a day,” in addition to a number of substances that she lists: Methadone, Xanax and a full quart of vodka.

“On the time I ought to have been the toast of the city,” Perry says. “I used to be in a darkish room assembly nothing however drug sellers and utterly alone.”

Perry famous to Folks, nevertheless, that his co-stars within the Associates solid — Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow and David Schwimmer — have been all supportive, “understanding” and “affected person.”

“It is like penguins,” Perry mentioned. “Penguins, in nature, when one is sick, or when one may be very injured, the opposite penguins encompass it and prop it up. They stroll round it till that penguin can stroll by itself. That is sort of what the solid did for me.”

Story continues

He is mentioned that he is sober now, and declined to say how lengthy that had been the case. However he does depend the times.

“It is vital, however should you lose your sobriety, it does not imply you lose all that point and training. Your sober date adjustments, however that is all that adjustments,” he mentioned. ” every little thing you knew earlier than, so long as you have been capable of combat your method again with out dying, you study lots.”

Matthew Perry – The Diane Sawyer Interview airs Friday, Oct. 28 at 9 p.m. on ABC.