Friends actor Matthew Perry, aged 54, passed away at his residence in Los Angeles over the weekend due to a suspected drowning. Perry, best known for his role as Chandler Bing in the iconic sitcom from 1994 to 2004, received an outpouring of tributes from fans and colleagues alike. Despite his success on the show, Perry battled with alcohol and drug addiction for the duration of its ten-year run. His Friends co-stars expressed their devastation at his untimely death, and he was remembered by others for his kindness, humor, and talent.
Matthew Perry’s life can be traced through a series of pictures, such as his childhood photo from 1985. Born in Massachusetts but raised in Canada, he attended the same school as Justin Trudeau and excelled as a junior tennis player. Following various television appearances, Perry made his film debut in A Night In The Life Of Jimmy Reardon alongside River Phoenix in 1988. In 1990, he landed a role in the CBS sitcom Sydney, and in 1993 he was cast as the lead in the ABC sitcom Home Free. However, it was in 1994, at the age of 24, that Perry gained international fame as Chandler Bing in Friends.
The show’s success brought Perry and his fellow cast members close together, but he faced personal struggles with addiction throughout filming. Friends became so popular that numerous high-profile celebrities made guest appearances, including Julia Roberts, whom Perry had a relationship with. In a special episode filmed in London, Sarah, the Duchess of York, also made a guest appearance. As Chandler Bing, Perry became a beloved character on the show, ultimately marrying Monica in the seventh season. The cast members reached global celebrity status, earning a reported $1 million per episode by 2002. The Friends finale in 2004 attracted a record-breaking 52 million viewers, making it one of the most-watched episodes of television ever.
While working on Friends, Perry also took on other projects, such as the 1997 film Fools Rush In with Salma Hayek. He received two Emmy nominations for his guest role as Joe Quincy in The West Wing in 2003 and 2004. After the conclusion of Friends, Perry continued his acting career but struggled with his addiction. He appeared in various television series and films, including The Good Wife, 17 Again, and The Odd Couple. His last acting appearance was in the 2017 TV series The Kennedys: After Camelot with Katie Holmes.
In November of the previous year, Perry published his autobiography titled Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing. In it, he candidly opened up about his battle with alcoholism, revealing that he had been an alcoholic from the age of 14 and struggled with the disease throughout his career. Perry was seen attending the GQ Men of the Year party in 2022, just months before his tragic passing.