On October 28, 2023, famous actor Matthew Perry (well-known for his role as Chandler Bing on Friends) passed away at the age of 54.
Perry was found unresponsive at his Los Angeles home, in his hot tub. The Los Angeles Fire Department and Los Angeles Police Department had arrived at the scene at around 4:10 p.m..
At the moment, no cause of death has been determined; however, there is an ongoing investigation. An autopsy was performed, and medical examiners are awaiting results. Currently, there is no suspected foul play; though the investigation continues, it is believed that he drowned, but his death was not the result of drug abuse. Perry’s parents and step-father were seen arriving at the home while the police were still present.
Matthew Perry was born on August 19, 1969, in Williamstown, Massachusetts. However, he lived in Ontario with his mother, Kieth Morrison, for most of his childhood. He showed great interest in tennis, and soon became a top player.
By the age of ten, Perry began stealing, smoking, and at one point he even beat up his fellow classmate, Justin Trudeau, who coincidentally became the Prime Minister of Canada later on. He started drinking around age 14, which would lead to serious substance abuse issues later on in life.
At age 15, he moved to live with his father in Los Angeles. Shortly after, he began looking for and auditioning for roles. He made guest appearances on a few shows and starred in some movies (many of which didn’t receive much attention); his first big role was in the show Second Chance, later called Boys Will Be Boys.
Prior to Friends, Perry starred in sitcoms like Sydney and Home Free. When the casting for Friends (then called Friends Like Us) began, Perry instantly saw himself in Chandler Bing–the funny and sarcastic roommate to Joey Tribbiani. In his memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, he wrote, “When I read the script for [Friends], it was as if someone had followed me around for a year, stealing my jokes, copying my mannerisms, photocopying my world-weary yet witty view of life. One character in particular stood out to me: it wasn’t that I thought I could play Chandler. I was Chandler.”
Despite playing such a quick-witted and amusing character on TV, Perry struggled immensely with substance abuse and a desire to please the audience off screen. In his memoir, he recounted how he felt as if he would die when the live audience didn’t laugh at a joke he made, or a line didn’t land correctly. He would freak out and think about it well into the night.
In addition, the actor also had a long series of medical issues because of his addiction to alcohol and drugs. In 1997, Perry got into a jet ski accident that led to a Vicodin (an opioid) addiction. When he was 49, he almost died due to a colon rupture from opioid overdose. He spent two weeks near death in a coma.
Despite his health struggles, Perry continued to play what would become one of the most beloved characters on television. He stayed on Friends throughout the entire show, until it ended in 2004.
Perry is survived by his mother, father, stepdad, and five siblings. Fans all over the world have mourned the loss of an actor who felt more like a friend than anyone else.
