Zac Efron is admitting he wished he was there for Matthew Perry before his unexpected passing earlier this year, as Efron admits the acting world “definitely can be isolating.”
Although the cause of death is still under investigation, it is believed that Matthew Perry drowned as he was found unresponsive in his hot tub on October 28. Perry did have a known struggle with drugs and alcohol, but he claims to have been clean in the years leading up to his sudden death.
Now, weeks after the world learned of Perry’s passing, Zac Efron, who starred in “17 Again” alongside the late “Friends” actor, is opening up about how lonely the acting world can be, and how Perry’s passing has affected him.
Zac Efron Admits The Acting World Is Lonely
“It can be incredibly lonely, being an actor and being in the spotlight. It definitely can be isolating,” Efron told Variety in a new interview, adding, “It’s very important to reach out to friends and foster relationships where you can talk and share stories.”
“I wish in the past couple of years that I had an opportunity to do that with Matthew [Perry],” he admitted, before continuing, “I hold the time we shared together really dear. I’ve been thinking about him a lot, every day.”
This latest confession comes just days after Efron received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. While accepting his star, he thanked Perry for helping to “propel” him into the “next chapter” of his career.
“I want to mention someone that’s not here today, and that’s Matthew Perry, who was so kind and generous with me while we worked on ’17 Again’,” Efron stated when standing at the podium earlier this week.
Perry and Efron played adult and teen versions of each other in the 2009 comedy “17 Again.”
The event, which occurred on Monday in Hollywood, honored Zac Efron and his acting career, which began after his iconic role as Troy Bolton in Disney Channel’s “High School Musical.”
“Collaborating with [Perry], it was so much fun, and it really did propel me and motivate me in so many ways. It really pushed me into the next chapter of my career,” Efron stated while at the podium, remembering their movie, “17 Again.”
“Thank you so much, Matthew,” Efron said, concluding with, “Thinking about you a lot today.”
Zac Efron Could Play Matthew Perry In A Biopic
Zac Efron also spoke out on Matthew Perry’s passing when news started circulating that Perry wanted Efron to portray him in a biopic.
“I heard that, and it’s a huge honor,” Efron said at the time. “Matthew [was] just the best guy in the world. I had the best time of my life working with him, and to think that he was thinking of me for that role,” Zac said. “I mean, I would be honored to do it, to be honest.”
The late 54-year-old actor had struggled with addiction for a long time, though it wasn’t until he released his memoir that he opened up and let down his walls about that time in his life.