Who is Kayti Edwards? Matthew Perry's ex-girlfriend claims actor didn't drown, had relapsed into his addictions

Kayti Edwards, Matthew Perry’s alleged ex-girlfriend, recently speculated that the actor might not have died due to drowning but as an aftereffect of relapsing into his drug and alcohol addiction. In an interview with the U.K. Sun published on Saturday, November 11, Kayti, the step-granddaughter of Julie Andrews, said:

“I know Matthew and I know that he wouldn’t have just drowned. I think he might have taken pills in the week leading up to this.”

The 40-year-old claimed to have briefly dated the late F.R.I.E.N.D.S. alum in 2006 after they met at an AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) meeting. Kayti further alleged that they remained close even after ending their fling and that she even served as Matthew Perry’s assistant in 2011.

The actor was found unresponsive in a hot tub at his Los Angeles residence on October 28 and was later pronounced dead. Though Perry’s initial toxicology reports did not find any traces of meth or fentanyl in his system, the cause of his death was listed as ‘deferred’ in the official death certificate, implying that further investigation surrounding the circumstances of his passing was still pending.

Police did not find any bottles of alcohol, any illicit drugs, or prescription painkillers in the actor’s residence. But they came across prescribed medication for depression and anxiety. Kayti Edwards said that things were not adding up, claiming that Perry was paranoid and used to take all the pills together, so traces of any evidence would be difficult to find lying around his house.

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Kayti Edwards says Matthew Perry's last Instagram post hinted at a relapse

Matthew Perry's last post on Instagram, dated October 23, featured the actor seemingly relaxing inside the jacuzzi at his home. Perry captioned the picture:

“Oh, so warm water swirling around makes you feel good? I'm Mattman”

According to Kayti Edwards, the term "Mattman" used by the actor was an alleged implication of resorting to drugs again. She claimed:

“That Mattman thing was not something he did when he was sober. Mattman would come out when he was not sober and he felt kind of invincible. I was around when he was getting high, although I was not getting high with him, and when I would say maybe he should cool it a little bit with the drugs, he would say, ‘No, I’m Mattman.'”

Kayti further narrated an alleged instance where Matthew Perry’s neighbor in Hollywood Hills found the actor high and naked in his swimming pool and that she had to go and take him out of there. The 40-year-old stated that Perry had a "thing" for water when he was intoxicated by drugs.

It is unclear as to how much of Kayti's claims about Matthew Perry are true as the actor was believed to have attained sobriety for a while. Perry also spoke about his struggles with addiction in his 2022 memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir.

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Kayti Edwards previously claimed to have an affair with Dax Shepard

Kayti, the daughter of Jennifer Edwards, is known to have quite a few questionable affairs, some of which had been denied. Back in December of last year, Kayti Edwards claimed that she had a short affair with actor and comedian Dax Shepard during his relationship with Kristen Bell.

Dax and Kristen started dating in 2007, engaged in 2010, and tied the knot in 2013. The couple also share two daughters, Lincoln and Delta. Kayti Edwards said that she and Dax briefly dated in 2005 and reconnected again in 2009. She alleged that the two met at a party in Hollywood in December 2009 while Dax was dating Kristen Bell. She told Daily Mail:

"I saw him and we hadn’t seen each other in a few years. So it was like, a very friendly, ‘Oh, my gosh, I haven’t seen you in forever. Nice to see you.”

Kayti continued that the pair slept together that night, followed by some flirtation from both ends. She claimed that she was unaware of Dax having a girlfriend at the time and that the comedian did not look bothered by it. A photo of them together was also shared by Daily Mail.

However, Dax Shepard strongly denied the claims and addressed the article published by the British outlet:

“Hey Daily Mail, that photo is 13 years old, not 9. Also, Kayti has sold stories to tabloids about Matthew Perry, Jack Osbourne, Kid Rock, and now me. I look forward to her next one. Fingers crossed it’s about my #1, Brad Pitt :).”

In her interview with Daily Mail, Kayti Edwards also claimed that she did not want anything to do with the actor and wished him as well as his family happiness.