In Matthew Perry’s new memoir, the beloved yet troubled “Friends” star shares an anecdote about nearly everyone in Hollywood – from his dislike for Keanu Reeves to his short-lived romance with Julia Roberts.
In new excerpts obtained by Page Six, Perry discloses in “Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing” that he desperately pined for his “Sydney” co-star Valerie Bertinelli, who played his sister on the show and was married to Eddie Van Halen in real life.
Perry writes, “I fell madly in love with Valerie Bertinelli, who was clearly in a troubled marriage… My crush was crushing; not only was she way out of my league, but she was also married to one of the most famous rock stars on the planet, Eddie Van Halen.”
Bertinelli was married to the rocker from 1981 to 2007, ultimately citing irreconcilable differences when they split.
In his new book, Matthew Perry writes how he pined for his co-star Valerie Bertnelli, although she was married to Eddie Van Halen.
(Ron Galella, Ltd./Kevin Winter)
Perry writes that he was so infatuated with his co-star that there came a point when he “harbored elaborate fantasies about her leaving Eddie Van Halen” in order to spend the rest of her life with him.
His fantasies would soon become some version of his own desired reality. “One night,” he recalls, “I was over at Valerie and Eddie’s house, just hanging out and gazing at Valerie, trying to make her laugh. When you made her laugh, you felt ten feet tall.
Eddie Van Halen and Valerie Bertinelli were married for 26 years.
(Paul Natkin)
‘FRIENDS’ STAR MATTHEW PERRY ‘REALLY GRATEFUL’ FOR JENNIFER ANISTON’S SUPPORT AMID ADDICTION JOURNEY
Perry, who has been candid with his own struggle with alcohol abuse, remembers, “It was clear that Eddie had enjoyed the fruits of the vine a little too hard, one more time, and eventually he just passed out, not ten feet away from us.”
Perry saw this particular moment as perfect for addressing his feelings for Bertinelli, writing, “This was my chance! If you think I didn’t actually have a chance in hell you’d be wrong, dear reader – Valerie and I had a long, elaborate make-out session. It was happening – maybe she felt the same way I did.”
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Matthew Perry starred on the sitcom "Sydney," which was canceled after one season.
(David M. Benett)
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Perry says, in that moment, he told Bertinelli he “had thought about doing that for a long time, and she had said it right back.”
However, the next day at work, things were business as usual, and Bertinelli crushed Perry by acting as if nothing had happened. The short-lived show was quickly canceled, which provided relief for Perry, who didn’t have to see Bertinelli anymore.
