BY: MIA SANCHEZ / STAFF WRITER
On Saturday, Oct. 28th, Matthew Perry, the co-star of “Friends,” passed away in his hot tub at 54. Perry was known for the role of Chandler Bing in the TV show “Friend” for 10 years (1994-2004).
Perry began acting in 1987, receiving his first role as Chazz Russel in the TV show Second Chance. While Perry also appeared in several other hit shows, including "Boys Will Be Boys," "Growing Pains," Beverly Hills, 90210," "The West Wing" and "Scrubs," his role in "Friends" was the most notable, and he received an Emmy nomination.
“Friends' was a sitcom with love, drama, friendship, and comedy, and it was the perfect show on a day off. His role as Chandler played a loving, sarcastic, quick-witted man living in New York City. Chandler provides comic relief, and he is the best friend anyone could wish for. He was also always there to support his friends, providing an unwavering presence in times of need. Chandler was a beloved character that will continue to inspire people for years to come.
"He brought so much joy to hundreds of millions of people worldwide with his pitch-perfect comedic timing and wry wit," NBC said in a statement. "His legacy will live on through countless generations.”
However, behind the scenes, he struggles publicly with drugs and alcohol, causing him to go in and out of rehab 15 times.
His addiction started with alcohol when he was 14 years old, and by 18, Perry was drinking consistently. By 24, he landed the role of Chandler, bringing major fame into his life.
In Nov. 2022, Perry published his memoir, "Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing,” where he gets candid about some of the moments that have shaped his career and personal life, including his battle with addiction and living under the spotlight.
At the same time, he was filming the movie “When Fools Rush In” in 1996, he had a jet ski accident that led him to be prescribed Vicodin, which was the start of his addiction to pills. At one point, Perry was taking up to 55 Vicodin a day. “ I would fake back injuries. I would fake migraine headaches. I had eight doctors going at the same time,” Perry said.
Perry explained that “he thought he was keeping his addiction a secret from his cast mates until Jennifer Ariston came to his dressing room one day and told him everyone could smell alcohol on him.”
During Season 7 of “Friends,” he lived in a sober home, driven by the center to and from set each day.
Throughout the series, his weight fluctuates, and he stated, “I didn't watch the show and haven't watched the show, because I can go, 'drinking, opiates, drinking cocaine' — like I could tell season by season by how I looked,” he said, referring to the stage of addiction he had during filming, “When I’m carrying weight, it’s alcohol; when I’m skinny, it’s pills. When I have a goatee, it’s lots of pills.”
In the book, Perry said that season 9 of the show was the only season of "Friends" he filmed fully sober, and fortunately, this was the season he was nominated for an Emmy award.
According to the memoir, Perry spent 7 million dollars in rehab trying to get sober. “I’ve been in a mental institution, gone to therapy twice a week for thirty years, been to death’s door,” Perry writes.
In 2019, his colon burst, putting him in a coma for two weeks, and he was hospitalized for five months with a colostomy bag. In his recovery, he realized he wanted to be remembered for more than his role in “Friends,” so by sharing his experience, he could show others what he had done for them.
Local officials are investigating his death further as no drugs or alcohol were not found on the scene, leaving the cause of death as an apparent drowning.
In the wake of his sudden death, many colleagues and family were left speechless and in pain.
Two days after Perry’s death, his fellow castmates from the television series “Friends” - Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt Leblanc, and David Schwimmer spoke out in a joint statement.
"We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family," their statement reads. "There is so much to say, but right now, we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss."