Brian Austin Green reflects on the death of his friend and colleague Luke Perry.
The Beverly Hills, 90210 alum discussed Perry’s death during the latest episode of Kelly Rizzo’s podcast, Comfort Food with Kelly Rizzo.
“There was absolutely a part of me that was really upset and disappointed, of course, that it was so serious,” Green, 50, said of his 90210 costar, who died of a stroke in March 2019 at the age of 52. “Because people have strokes all the time. People don’t die from strokes all the time. And he was 52 at the time. He was young. Well, normally people go through strokes and then recover. Sometimes it takes years to , you know, but they recover from them.”
“And I knew there was a part of me with him, with his loss, where I felt like maybe it was the best thing that could have happened to him because … Luke was proud of who he was,” Green continued. “He was very smart. He was very kind. He was very generous. And if he didn’t have to have any of those things, if any of those things were missing at all, it would hit him hard.”
Green, who had lunch with Perry two days before his death, added: “I think it would be very, very difficult for him to recover, which could take years in the vicinity, and Luke, frankly, was the same for me. . . . had to be 100% or not. There was no middle ground.”
Luke Perry in Los Angeles, California in March 2018.
JB Lacroix/WireImage
Remembering Luke Perry’s life in photos
Perry died on March 4, 2019, after suffering a stroke at his home in Sherman Oaks, California on February 27. A source told PEOPLE at the time that the actor never regained consciousness. He was pronounced dead after a five-day stay in the hospital.
At the time of his death, Perry was portraying Fred Andrews on the CW series Riverdale. He was also known for his role as Dylan McKay in the hit TV series Beverly Hills, 90210.
After his death, several of Perry’s 90210 costars paid tribute to him and the legacy he left behind. Since then, they have continued to honor him on his birthday and every anniversary of his death.
For his part, Green has paid tribute to Perry multiple times — including once on his podcast where he remembered his late colleague as a “special guy” as well as a “sticky type of person” who has remained “so consistent” throughout the years.
“I know he’s looking down and I know he’s smiling. … Knowing Luke, he’s not one to feel sorry for him. He wants us to celebrate him,” he said.
‘Beverly Hills, 90210’ cast in Los Angeles, California in September 1991: Ian Ziering, Tori Spelling, Shannen Doherty, Brian Austin Green, Jason Priestley, Jennie Garth, Gabrielle Carteris and Luke Perry. Brian Austin Green says ‘90210’ cast came together after Luke Perry’s death: ‘He was the rock’
“Luke was a really freaking cool guy,” he continued. “Luke was one of those people about whom no one had a bad story to tell. He was just a great guy. And he was Luke, no matter where you saw him, no matter when you saw him, no matter what he was going through. He was a rock.”
“I am extremely happy to have had him in my life. He’s a really great guy and he’s going to be missed,” he continued. “He was the guy you’d go to if you wanted someone consistent. You knew how he would react. You knew he was going to say something funny. He was really sharp. He was really honest.”
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Comfort Food with Kelly Rizzo it can be streamed on all major podcast platforms.
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Source: HIS Education