Matthew Perry’s death sparks inaccurate rumour regarding Lisa Kudrow

Perry died from an apparent drowning at his home in Los Angeles on 28 October

Lisa Kudrow is not adopting Matthew Perry’s dog following the Friends actor’s death, despite multiple reports.

Earlier this week, it was rumoured that Kudrow would be taking in the late actor’s dog after his sudden passing on Saturday 28 October at the age of 54. However, a source has confirmed to People that Perry didn’t own a dog at the time of his death.

The 17 Again star did share a doodle mix named Alfred with his ex-fiancée, Molly Hurwitz. The pair began dating in 2018 and got engaged in November 2020, before calling it quits in June 2021.

Hurwitz, 32, has continued to post sweet pictures of their pet dog. Most recently, she celebrated Alfred’s third birthday with an Instagram tribute. “Alfred is three. He is very annoying a lot of the time, but he is truly the most loving potato,” she captioned the post, which featured several smiling photos of the golden doodle mix. “He entered my life during some dark depression, and he helped get me far away from that. He is also cute as all f***. Cheers to you, Alfredo.”

Perry’s ex-fiancée was one of many friends and fellow celebrities to pay tribute to the late actor after his death. On Instagram, Hurwitz posted a picture of the author, where just his back was seen as he stared out a window. In her statement, she expressed “tremendous gratitude” for their time together and “everything I learned from our relationship”.

She also acknowledged the outpouring of love from Perry’s fans following his death, writing: “He would love that the world is talking about how talented he was. And he really was very talented.”

Hurwitz recalled rewatching Friends with Perry, whose comedic portrayal of Chandler Bing on the sitcom earned him global fame, writing that it was “magical” to watch him “rediscover his brilliance”.

“But, I obviously knew that man in a very different way, too,” she continued. “While I loved him deeper than I could comprehend, he was complicated, and he caused pain like I’d never known. No one in my adult life has had a more profound impact on me than Matthew Langford Perry. I have tremendous gratitude for that, for everything I learned from our relationship.”

Hurwitz also credited Al-Anon as an “invaluable resource for those who love someone struggling with this destructive disease”, referring to Perry’s battles with drug and alcohol addiction.

“Matty, I feel relief that you are at peace,” she concluded her statement, along with the sign-off: “Sincerely, Moll-o-Rama(…fication).”

On Saturday, Perry died from an apparent drowning at his Los Angeles home. However, police continue to investigate his cause of death pending toxicology tests. In the wake of his death, Perry’s Friends co-stars - Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, and Matt LeBlanc - issued a joint statement on 30 October.

“We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew,” the stars wrote in a statement to People. “We were more than just cast mates. We are a family. There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss.

“In time we will say more, as and when we are able. For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world.”

Perry opened up about his struggles with addiction and substance abuse in his 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing. In the book, he recalled drinking heavily through the first two seasons of Friends, and becoming addicted to opiate pain medication Vicodin after a jet ski accident while filming Fools Rush In with Salma Hayek in 1996.

He recalled an incident five years ago when he “nearly died” at age 49 after his colon burst due to opioid overuse. Following 15 stints in rehab and therapy sessions, Perry described himself as “pretty healthy” by June 2022 and said he was motivated to help others struggling with addiction.

If you or someone you know is suffering from drug addiction, you can seek confidential help and support 24-7 from Frank, by calling 0300 123 6600, texting 82111, sending an email or visiting their website here.

In the US, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration can be reached at 1-800-662-HELP.