Matthew Perry appeared in good spirits in what’s believed to be his final public sighting before his sudden death.
The “Friends” alum was seen having lunch with a mystery brunette at the Hotel Bel-Air last Friday in two photos obtained by TMZ Tuesday.
The images show the late actor engaged in conversation while sitting at a circular, white-clothed table with the female companion.
Dressed in a black shirt, Perry kept his arms by his sides and leaned in as he and his pal chatted it up.
According to the outlet, he was so wrapped up in their discussion that he barely touched his meal or beverage.
The pictures were taken around 2:30 p.m. local time — a little over 24 hours before he passed away.
On Saturday afternoon, Perry had come back to his Pacific Palisades, Calif., home after playing a two-hour game of pickleball when he asked his assistant to run an errand.
Two hours later, the assistant discovered him submerged in his hot tub and called 911.
A short audio clip of the dispatch included a man saying “rescue 23” and “drowning,” but much of the recording was bleeped out before it was made public.
A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Fire Department told Pvnew on Monday that firefighters responded to the Emmy nominee’s residence at 4:07 p.m. local time to find “an adult male unconscious in a stand-alone jacuzzi.”
“A bystander had brought the man’s head above the water and gotten him to the edge, then firefighters removed him from the water upon their arrival,” the LAFD rep said.
“A rapid medical assessment, sadly, revealed the man was deceased prior to first responder arrival.”
The LAFD correspondent added that the firefighters on the scene “didn’t perform CPR” on Perry, 54, “because he was already beyond medical help.”
We’re told that Los Angeles Police Department officers showed up at 4:10 p.m.
Law enforcement sources told the Los Angeles Times no illicit substances were discovered at the scene but that authorities did recover prescription medications, which follows TMZ’s report that “anti-depressants, anti-anxiety drugs and a COPD [Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease] drug” were found on the premises.
Read more about Matthew Perry’s life and struggles:
- 55 Vicodin & a quart of vodka: The most shocking tales from Matthew Perry’s tell-all memoir
- Matthew Perry: How to tell which drugs I used during ‘Friends’
- Matthew Perry reveals why he broke up with Julia Roberts in the ’90s
- Matthew Perry claims Cameron Diaz once punched him in the face on secret date
- Matthew Perry, Valerie Bertinelli made out while Eddie Van Halen was passed out
COPD causes airflow blockage and breathing-related problems; Perry — a recovering drug addict and alcoholic — previously admitted to being a smoker throughout his life.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed to us on Sunday that Perry’s autopsy was complete; however, the coroner has ordered more testing, including toxicology.
As these results remain pending, the TV star’s cause of death has been “deferred.”
Though an LAPD spokesperson told the Times that his “cause of death may not be known for some time,” they noted that “foul play is not suspected.”
Perry’s “heartbroken” family issued a statement following “the tragic loss” of their “beloved son and brother.”
“Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and a friend,” they said. “You all meant so much to him, and we appreciate the tremendous outpouring of love.”
His “reeling” and devastated” “Friends” co-stars also released a joint statement in which they explained they were “going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss.”
