Matthew Perry's Ex-Girlfriend Recalls 'Amazing' Relationship, Mile-High Club Encounter

René Ashton, an ex-girlfriend of the late actor Matthew Perry, has revealed intimate details about their relationship, including an encounter in the "mile-high club" on Bruce Willis' private jet. The revelations are featured in the new three-part Netflix docuseries, "The One About Matthew Perry."

Ashton, 56, recalled that Perry, who died in October 2023 at age 54, was enthusiastic about traveling on Willis' private plane for a trip to Turks and Caicos. "He’s like, ‘Bruce wants us to go on his private plane. Bruce wants me to share a plane with him,’" Ashton remembered, describing the experience as "pretty amazing."

Ashton and Perry dated for about a year in 1999. She stated that she fell in love with him because he was "at the core, good people." However, their relationship ended in December 1999, as Ashton grew concerned about his struggles with substance abuse.

Perry was found unresponsive in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home in October 2023. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office later determined that his cause of death was a fatal ketamine overdose.

The docuseries "The One About Matthew Perry" includes interviews with loved ones and colleagues of the actor. However, his five main Friends co-stars—Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer—chose not to participate in the series. A source told Page Six that the cast was approached but opted out, allowing "other friends and colleagues in his life who have memory and love from Matthew" to share their stories.

Another insider suggested that Jennifer Aniston, in particular, would not want to relive such an experience publicly. The Friends cast reunited for a one-off special on HBO Max in 2021, reportedly earning $2.5 million each for their appearance.

Lisa Kudrow, reflecting on Perry's death earlier this year, told The Times that she rewatched Friends and gained a new appreciation for the show's quality and Perry's talent. "Because there was a genius at work. And whatever any of us do in the future, we will never experience something like that again," she said.