Matthew Perry is also remembered as the famous character Chandler Bing in the wildly famous sitcom F.R.I.E.N.D.S. His character is known for its quick wit and awkward and at times anxious charm. Perry rose to fame after starring in the pilot of the series as did his other 5 cast mates, the series quickly became a household name and so did the actors starring in it. The sitcom revolved around the lives of 6 friends in the Big Apple- New York City and how they navigate their adult life. Chandler Bing, a character so near and dear to people’s hearts, stole their affection with his quick wit and authenticity when it came to owning his problems and learning from them, Chandler is often portrayed as an awkward man who is uncomfortable with affection and uses his humour as a cloak to avoid vulnerability. The character and Perry shared their wildly loving sense of humour. After the series which ran from September 1994 to May 2004, Perry also worked on several other acting projects such as The West Wing, Ally McBeal, Studio 60, Sunset Strip etc. He also co-created and co-produced projects like Mr. Sunshine. Perry had a wildly successful acting career after his debut hit sitcom and continued to act so till his death. His last appearance was on the Friends- Reunion in 2021.
As beloved the character that rose Perry to fame as he was, things were happening behind the stage and in his personal life that not many people were privy to, Matthew Perry suffered from drug and alcohol addiction for a major part of his adult life. Perry started drinking alcohol at the young age of 14 and was drinking daily by the age of 18. In his memoir, he wrote that he became addicted to alcohol by the age of 14 and Vicodin after a jet ski accident in 1997 for which he completed a 28-day rehab program. In the year 2000, he was admitted to the hospital for alcohol-induced pancreatitis. In the year 2001, the actor paused the shooting for his sitcom Friends and another movie he was filming to attend rehab for his addiction to Vicodin, methadone, amphetamines and alcohol. In 2018 he nearly died due to his colon bursting from all the years of opioid use, where he recovered in a two-week-long coma and nine months with a colostomy bag. In 2020 Perry faked pain to have drugs like oxytocin and ketamine infusions given to him daily whilst in rehab. In 2022 he estimated spending 9 million on his addiction including 14 surgeries, 15 stays in rehab, therapy for 30 years and 6,000 alcohol anonymous meetings.
In 2011, Perry lobbied the US Congress as the celebrity spokesperson for the National Association of Drug Court Professionals, in support of funding a drug court. He was given a champion recovery award. Perry was just as passionate if not more about helping people with their addictions and giving them a voice and representation for them to know that help is always available and things do get better.
In October of 2023, news broke out that Perry was found dead in his home, the actor was allegedly found unresponsive in his hot tub. His funeral was a private affair where the other five of his closest friends and former cast mates were also in attendance. Following his death Matthew Perry Foundation was established to help people suffering from addiction. On the 15th of December, the news of his autopsy report broke where the cause of death was mentioned as “acute effects of ketamine”. Other circumstances leading to his death include drowning, effects of buprenorphine and coronary artery disease.
