When Jennifer Aniston worked the red carpet ahead of Sunday night’s Golden Globes, it might’ve looked as though there was nothing particularly remarkable about the moment.

Aniston looked lovely, of course, but that’s nothing new, as she’s been stunning fans at award shows for decades now.

What made this occasion unique was the fact that it was the first time that Aniston had appeared at a red carpet event since the death of Matthew Perry in October of last year.

As you’ll likely recall, Perry drowned in a hot tub at his home while under the influence of ketamine.

Friends Both On Set and Off

Matthew and Jen enjoyed a very close friendship, and insiders say Aniston has been “struggling” in the months since Perry’s passing.

“Out of the remaining five, Jen and Courteney [Cox] are reeling the most,” one source told Page Six in November.

“And Jen is probably the one who is struggling most acutely.”

So there were doubts about whether or not Aniston would attend this years Globes ceremony at all, much less pose for photographers on the red carpet.

Needless to say, the star’s unexpected appearance and bubbly demeanor as she interacted with friends and fans came as a pleasant surprise.

A Pair of Losses

As one insider noted, Jen’s grief over Perry’s death was compounded by the fact that she lost her father, actor John Aniston, in November of 2022.

“It’s a second massive loss in less than a year,” the source noted.

The insider explained that Aniston was reeling at the time “with the one-year anniversary of her dad’s death just around the corner.”

“She still hasn’t fully regained her footing from that,” the source said.

“And now this has just completely knocked her off her feet. She is trying to regroup and recover but it’s been a completely devastating blow.”

In one of his final interviews, Perry noted that of all his famous castmates, it was Aniston who seemed most devoted to helping him through the darkest days of his addiction.

“She was the one that reached out the most. You know, I’m really grateful to her for that,” he told Diane Saywer just one year before he passed away.

We’re sure Aniston will never fully recover from the loss of her close friend.

But we’re equally certain that Perry would love to see that she’s putting on a brave face and getting back out into the world.

Jennifer Aniston Puts on Brave Face on 1st Red Carpet Since Matthew Perry’s Death was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.