Matthew Perry was adored the world over, and achieved incredible fame thanks to his portrayal of Chandler Bing in Friends.
Yet though he enjoyed roaring success in his professional life, his personal life and struggles make for altogether more tragic reading.
The 54-year-old was found unresponsive in the jacuzzi of his LA home at the weekend. His passing has since been confirmed, with the entertainment industry at large now in mourning.
Perry’s battles with addiction and alcoholism were well known – the actor had discussed them candidly over the past few years – and perhaps the saddest irony about his troubled saga is the fact that he brought joy to so many people, not least via his most iconic TV role, and yet was forced to live with such pain.
Last year, Perry released his memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, where he spoke openly about his fight with addiction. Within the pages of the book, he also revealed a certain truth about Friends co-star Jennifer Anniston…
Truth about Jennifer Anniston
In the years that followed Friends – arguably the years in which Perry was most at risk of struggling in silence – he revealed that co-star Jennifer Anniston stayed in close contact with him through the ups-and-downs of his condition.
“She was the one that reached out the most,” he said in an October 2022 interview with Diane Sawyer. “You know, I’m really grateful to her for that.”
It was in fact Anniston who was the first of Perry’s co-stars to confront him when his heavy drinking became evident during the filming of Friends.
“Jennifer, she says, ‘We know you’re drinking,’” Sawyer said, referring to a revelation made in Perry’s book.
“Yeah, imagine how scary a moment that was,” Perry responded.
Sadly, the much-loved actor lost his long fight at the weekend, passing away at the age of 54.
TMZ reported that first responders rushed to Perry’s address after a call reporting a cardiac arrest. Perry had been playing pickleball earlier that day, before sending his assistant out on an errand when he returned home.
A source close to Perry’s pickleball parter stated (via The Mirror): “I spoke to the woman he played with this morning and every morning. She is in shock, adored Matt…she said he had been fatigued today and over the past week. A little more than usual. He played for one hour, then went home.”
Sources said no drugs were found at the scene and no foul play is suspected.
