Matthew Perry has reflected on his friendship with his late co-star, River Phoenix, and the tragic circumstances surrounding Phoenix's untimely death in Perry's memoir. Perry, best known for his role in the hit show Friends, passed away suddenly at the age of 54 on Saturday. In his recently published book, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, Perry described Phoenix as "beautiful" and recounted how they quickly became friends while working together on the movie A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon in 1988.

This Tuesday marks the 30th anniversary of Phoenix's death on October 31, 1993, at the age of 23 due to a drug overdose.

Perry emphasized that Phoenix "embodied beauty in every sense" and that he made others feel so at ease that they were not even envious of him. Perry revealed that working on the project was his first job at the age of 17, which was filmed in Chicago. To his delight, he formed a close friendship with Phoenix during that "deeply magical time."

Perry expressed his admiration for Phoenix by stating, "River was an amazing person, both inside and out – too extraordinary for this world, as it turned out.

It always seems to be the truly talented individuals who face such tragic ends." Perry also recalled how he learned about Phoenix's passing, which occurred outside the Viper Room nightclub in West Hollywood. Perry mentioned hearing screaming from his apartment and then returning to bed, only to wake up to the devastating news.

In the memoir, Perry described finding solace in alcohol after Phoenix's death while acknowledging his own struggles with addiction and alcoholism. Perry's candid account of his personal battles aims to help others who may be facing similar challenges. In an interview with PEOPLE in 2022, Perry explained why he felt compelled to share his story, stating that he wanted to wait until he was in a stable state of sobriety.

Perry believed that sharing his experiences would make a positive impact on others.

On the anniversary of Phoenix's death, his mother, Arlyn “Heart” Phoenix, posted a photograph of her late son on Instagram. In her heartfelt tribute, she praised Phoenix for using his celebrity status to advocate for various causes, such as human rights, animal rights, women's rights, racial justice, and environmentalism. Phoenix's legacy as a voice for the marginalized and his bravery in using his platform to effect meaningful change are still remembered three decades after his passing.

Matthew Perry's memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, is now available for purchase. For more insights into Perry's life and experiences, readers can access his interview in the latest issue of PEOPLE, available on newsstands this Friday.