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Who Was Matthew Perry’s Assistant Briana Brancato? Meet His Longtime Coworker and ‘Best Friend’
For the last seven years of his life, Matthew Perry‘s closest friend and confidante was his longtime personal assistant, Briana Brancato. He paid tribute to her in his memoir, and she shared a heartfelt message following his death at the age of 54 on October 28, 2023, after an apparent drowning in his home’s hot tub. Fans want to know more about Briana after the Friends alum’s tragic passing.
Who Is Briana Brancato?
Briana’s LinkedIn profile states she’s a “
What Did Briana Brancato Do for Matthew Perry as His Assistant?
“As a Personal Assistant who has gained experience in detail-focused management and organizational skills, I continue to support individuals in caring for their homes, properties and lifestyle,” her profile reads.
She goes on to reveal, “I have extensive experience in Estate Management and Personal Assistance to (UHNW) individuals and have been accustomed to fast-paced environments where I excel in resourcefulness and problem solving. With each role, I uphold the highest levels of professionalism, confidentiality, and clear communications with principals, staff, and service suppliers. I successfully prioritize and multitask in many management roles, including household staff, administration, property maintenance, staff training, media relations, public exposure, safety and privacy.”
“I strive to create positive productive environments where emotional intelligence, teamwork, loyalty and self-responsibility are encouraged and rewarded,” Briana added.
How Did Matthew Perry and Briana Brancato Meet?
The 17 Again star described in his 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing, how he hired her after a rehab stint and that she never left his side in the hardest of times, although things never became romantic. Matthew referred to Briana as “Erin” in the book.
“I’d met her two years earlier, at another rehab where she had been working at the time. I didn’t get sober back then, but I saw how wonderful she was in every way and promptly stole her from that sober living rehab and made her my assistant, and she became my best friend,” he wrote.
Matthew Perry Credited Briana With Saving His Life
In his memoir, the actor revealed how she took him out of a rehab center in 2019 against the staff’s wishes after his colon ruptured. “‘I have to go fast,’ Erin said, her brown, compassionate eyes looking over at me with concern and fear. ‘We have to get you there now.’ It was right about here that I drifted out of consciousness,” Matthew wrote about how she took him out of rehab and drove him to UCLA Medical Center. He added, “She saved my life at the rehab when my insides exploded, and she saves it every day still.”
After his surgery, Briana stayed with him overnight for the months of hospitalization he needed to recuperate. “Erin pulled the night shift for five months in that hospital,” he revealed.
At the end of the memoir, Matthew wrote, “Who knows what I’d do without her; I intend to never find out.”
What Did Briana Brancato Say About Matthew Perry’s Death?
In an October 30 Instagram post sharing photos with her boss, Briana wrote, “I’ve expressed my deepest gratitude to him on numerous occasions, not only for guiding me into a career I cherish but also for allowing me to take care of him for seven years. Along with the countless other experiences I’m thankful for. From witnessing him in his genius to sharing in his worldly adventures living around the world, he took me on a remarkable journey.”
“My heart is heavy, but celebrating my memories is the most profound way to honor his legacy,” she continued, adding, “I hope that up there, in the great beyond, Mattman is sending us signs. We truly need them. You’ll forever be in my heart. I love you Matty.”
Did Matthew Perry Have Another Assistant?
In addition to Briana, Matthew also employed Kenneth Iwamasa as a live-in personal assistant. Kenneth was among one of the five people arrested in August 2024 for their alleged involvement with Matthew’s death after it was ruled that he died from the acute effects of the drug ketamine.
After he allegedly purchased ketamine from Jasveen Sangha, Kenneth is believed to have injected Matthew with the drug on the day he died.
