Rosanna Arquette Says Her ‘The Whole Nine Yards’ Costar Matthew Perry Was a ‘Kind Man’ Who ‘Loved Grape Soda’ (Exclusive)

Rosanna Arquette is recalling a party she spent with Matthew Perry, who died on Saturday at the age of 54.

Perry and Arquette starred together in the 2000 comedy The whole nine yardsstarring Nicholas “Oz” Oseransky and Sophie Oseransky, a married couple living in Montreal whose new neighbor happens to be a hitman from Chicago (Bruce Willis).

“He was kind, he was wonderful, he was funny, he was nice. He was a dream to work with. There was no bad vibe. It was just fun,” Arquette, 64, tells PEOPLE.

“He loved grape juice,” the Emmy-nominated actress continues. “He always had a can of grape juice and he loved his grape juice. It was very funny. Then he gave me a can and it was delicious.”

Michael Clarke Duncan, Natasha Henstridge, Bruce Willis, Matthew Perry and Amanda Peet in ‘The Whole Nine Yards’.

Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection

When she finished filming her scenes for the movie, “I sent him a big suitcase — several big suitcases to last him,” she says.

Hank Azaria Tributes ‘Funniest Man Ever’ Matthew Perry: ‘We Were Really More Like Brothers’

After that, “I didn’t really see him,” she says. “I’ve met him a few times at some events over the years and he’s always been kind and loving, but I haven’t seen him. I didn’t hang out with him.”

“I have many, many wonderful sober friends who are really troubled and loved him very much and he was in a good place,” Arquette says of Perry, who opened up about his struggles with addiction over the years in his 2022 memoir. Friends, lovers and the big scary thing.

“He helped so many people,” Arquette continues. “People who have really struggled with addiction and are really hard to kick. He helped so many people get sober.”

“He gave back and that’s a legacy we have to remember,” he says of Perry. “Those are the things to remember – that he came to a place where he understood and wrote this beautiful book and opened a sober living home to give back. How nice to work with his money. I think that’s remarkable.”

Friends Fans around the world mourn Matthew Perry in New York: ‘Loss of a dear friend’ (Exclusive)

Arquette, whose brother David Arquette was married to Friends star Courteney Cox from 1999 to 2013, says the news of his death is “especially” devastating for the stars of the NBC sitcom. “That’s their brother,” she says.

Indeed, in a joint statement released exclusively to PEOPLE on Monday, Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow and David Schwimmer expressed their shock and sadness.

“We are all completely devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than acting colleagues. We are a family,” reads their statement. “There is so much to say, but right now we will take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss.”

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

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the SAMHSA Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education