Matthew Perry’s ex-fiancee Molly Hurwitz says Friends star had a ‘profound impact’ on her

Matthew Perry’s former fiancee Molly Hurwitz has paid tribute to the late Friends star, writing that their shared “respect and appreciation of humour” brought them together.

Perry and Hurwitz, who works as a literary manager, began dating in 2018 and got engaged in November 2020. However, they called their engagement off in June 2021.

“Sometimes things just don’t work out and this is one of them,” the 17 Again actor said in a statement at the time. “I wish Molly the best.”

Following his sudden death on Saturday, Hurwitz, 32, said: “No one in my adult life has had a more profound impact on me.” In her statement on Instagram, she expressed “tremendous gratitude” for their time together and “everything I learned from our relationship”.

She captioned her post: “He would love that the world is talking about how talented he was,”, noting the outpouring of love from Perry’s fans and friends alike. “And he really was very talented.”

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

She continued: “But, I obviously knew that man in a very different way, too. While I loved him deeper than I could comprehend, he was complicated, and he caused pain like I’d never known.”

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,” Hurwitz wrote, signing off her post as “Moll-o-Rama(…fication)”.

Perry died from an apparent drowning at his Los Angeles home on Saturday, though police continue to investigate his cause of death pending toxicology tests.

In the wake of his death, his Friends co-stars – Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer and Matt LeBlanc – issued a joint statement on Monday.

It read: “We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just castmates. 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.”

While Perry and Hurwitz largely kept their relationship private, she shared a sweet Valentine’s Day message for the Emmy-winning actor in February 2020, calling Perry “my favourite”.

“Second year being my valentine, but his first as an Instagram influencer. [Happy Valentine’s Day] to my favourite,” she wrote, referring to Perry’s follower count after he joined the social media platform.

Her post was accompanied by a picture of Perry, seemingly sound asleep, while holding a bright yellow balloon with a smiley face on it.

Meanwhile, Perry described Hurwitz as the “greatest woman on the face of the planet” while confirming the news of his engagement in a statement to People at the time.

“I decided to get engaged,” he said. “Luckily, I happened to be dating the greatest woman on the face of the planet at this time.”

Seven months later, it was reported the pair had broken up.

Before Hurwitz, Perry dated Mean Girls star Lizzy Caplan, from 2006 until 2012. In his memoir, which was released almost a year ago, Perry revealed their six-year romance began as a “friends with benefits” arrangement and how he’d almost asked Caplan to marry him.

In his memoir, entitled Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, Perry expressed his regret over their relationship ending.

“All my fears reared up like a snake,” he confessed. “I often think if I’d asked [Caplan to marry me], now we’d have two kids and a house. Instead, I’m some schmuck who’s alone in his house at 53.”

He also wrote about his other relationships and affairs over the last two decades, including his “make-out session in a closet” with Goop founder Gwyneth Paltrow in 1993.

Perry also famously dated Julia Roberts, after the Notting Hill star agreed to guest star in one episode of the hit sitcom as long as her character would be part of Chandler Bing’s storyline.

“Let me say that again – she would only do the show if she could be in my storyline. (Was I having a good year or what?),” Perry wrote in his book, before explaining why Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman asked him to send flowers to “the biggest star in the universe Julia Roberts. But first, I had to woo her“.

After Perry sent her two dozen red roses and a card that was professional and yet “a tad flirty”, Roberts replied that she’d be on the show if “I adequately explained quantum physics to her”, he revealed.

They were in a relationship before Perry appeared on the post-Super Bowl episode of Friends, with Roberts playing the role of Chandler’s childhood friend Susie Moss.

Their short-lived, high-profile romance ended after Perry broke up with Roberts because “I had been constantly certain that she was going to break up with me”, he wrote.

Perry continued: “Why would she not? I was not enough; I could never be enough; I was broken, bent, unlovable. So instead of facing the inevitable agony of losing her, I broke up with the beautiful and brilliant Julia Roberts.”

Perry also dated Veep producer Gabrielle Allan, Tricia Fisher (the half-sister of Carrie Fisher), and former fashion student Rachel Dunn.