Minnie Driver explains why she found Matthew Perry's memoir 'unbearable' and 'incredibly hard to read'

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Minnie Driver, known for her role in 'Good Will Hunting' and her collaboration with Matthew Perry in the play 'Sexual Perversity in Chicago', revealed that she found it difficult to read Perry's best-selling memoir.

The actress explained that she found 'Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing' "incredibly hard to read," particularly due to its candid exploration of Perry's struggles with substance abuse and depression.

Minnie Driver opens up about her experience reading Matthew Perry's memoir

Driver shared her candid thoughts about Perry's memoir, expressing how difficult it was for her to finish the book. In an essay for The Guardian, she confessed she had to put the book down and pick it up again later, describing the experience as "unbearable" due to the depth of Perry's suffering.

Despite the challenges, Driver acknowledged the relief Perry experienced by putting his difficult experiences out into the world. She expressed gratitude that Perry could witness the positive reception of the book and the love people had for him beyond his iconic role in 'Friends'.

"I found it incredibly hard to read and had to put it down and pick it up again," she explained. "It felt unbearable, how much he suffered."

Recalling the last time she met him — on his book tour in 2022 — she wrote in another excerpt, "It was such a relief hearing him say that by putting all that tough stuff out there, he’d exorcised it in a way."

She added, "I’m incredibly grateful that he got to have the experience of how much people loved that book, and loved him, outside of 'Friends'. Ultimately, it seemed like a positive thing."

Minnie Driver fondly recalls early days of her friendship with Matthew Perry

Minnie Driver, reflecting on her friendship with the late Matthew Perry, shared poignant memories of the actor during the early days of their camaraderie. Recalling the time she collaborated with Perry in the play 'Sexual Perversity in Chicago' in 2003, she revealed Perry's positive and light-hearted nature.

"He'd been in a good place when we were doing the play, but the thing about him was he was like a light," she penned. "He was one of those people who just made other people feel good."

"Somehow, they don’t suck you down into their sadness or their pain," she added. "And I know now that his pain was great."

Driver elaborated on the multifaceted nature of Perry, stating that everything audiences loved about his iconic character, Chandler Bing, was just the tip of the iceberg when it came to what the actor was really like. Beyond the humor and charm, Perry possessed a profound wealth of soul, according to the 53-year-old actress.

"Everything that we loved about Chandler was in there in Matthew, but it was just the tip of the iceberg. He was that funny, charming and self-deprecating, but also much more. He had such a wealth of soul," she concluded.