Hank Azaria Gets Emotional Sharing How Matthew Perry Helped Him Get Sober

Hank Azaria is paying tribute to Matthew Perry, in an emotional Instagram video. On Sunday, “The Simpsons” actor reflected on the sudden passing of his pal and credited the “Friends” star with helping him get sober. “I’m a sober guy for 17 years, and I wanna say that, the night I went into AA, Matthew brought me in. The whole first year I was sober, we went to meetings together. He was so caring and giving and wise. And he totally helped me get sober. And I really wish he could’ve, you know, found the – found it in himself to stay with the silver life more consistently,” Hank said. Matthew died on Oct. 28 by an apparent drowning at his home in Los Angeles. Officials tell Access Hollywood they got a 911 call at around 4 p.m. and responded to his home for a water rescue. No apparent foul play is suspected per law enforcement. The “17 Again” actor chronicled his struggle with alcoholism and addiction in his memoir, “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing” and in November 2022 he got candid about how he wanted to be remembered during an interview on the “Q with Tom Power” podcast. “The best thing about me, bar none, is if somebody comes up to me and says, ‘I can’t stop drinking. Can you help me?’ I can say yes and follow up and do it,” Matthew said. “And I’ve said this for a long time: when I die, I don’t want ‘Friends’ to be the first thing that’s mentioned — I want that to be the first thing that’s mentioned. And I’m going to live the rest of my life proving that.”