Matthew Perry was an American-Canadian actor who started his career as a child after moving to Los Angeles. Perry was born on August 19th, 1969, and just recently passed on October 28th, 2023, to an apparent drowning in his hot tub at his Los Angeles home. Investigations continue on the cause of Perry’s death as police believe Perry could have gone into cardiac arrest.
Well-known for his appearance in the hit sitcom Friends as Chandler Bing, Perry was more than just a friend on television. Perry’s character, Chandler Bing, is known for his sarcastic humor and quick wit, bringing laughs to screens all over the world. Junior Natalia Ross added, “I’m so upset that he passed, he made so many people laugh.”
Friends aired in 1994, and concluded the 236 episode series in 2004. Perry was nominated for five Primetime Emmy Awards for not only his work on Friends, but also The West Wing, The Ron Clark Story, and Friends: The Reunion.
Throughout Perry’s career, he struggled with addiction to drugs and alcohol. In 2013, he opened “Perry House”, in his former Malibu home, a rehabilitation center for people struggling with substance abuse. In November of 2022, Perry released his memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing. The book encapsulates his life through battling addiction, as well as his recovery.
After hearing about Perry’s passing on the 28th, fans were devastated to hear the actors passing at just 54 years old. In New York City outside of the Grove Street building that was used in Friends, fans gathered with flowers and broken hearts.
“Friends has always been my favorite show and he was my favorite character. It was so upsetting when I found out he passed,” voiced Sophomore Aine Corridon-Crum.
Maggie Wheeler, who made appearances on the show as Janice, expressed her condolences with a photo of the two on Instagram. The caption read, “The joy you brought to so many in your too short lifetime will live on. I feel so very blessed by every creative moment we shared.”
On October 30th, Perry’s Friends co-stars released a joint statement expressing their devastation, “We were more than just castmates. We are a family. There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss.” During the 10 seasons of Friends, Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc, and Courtney Cox shared the screen with Perry. The cast was reunited on Friends: The Reunion in 2021.
During an interview with the “New York Times” promoting his memoir in 2022, Perry revealed that he had been sober for 18 months. Perry took advantage of the fame he gained from Friends and made it his mission to be remembered for helping others, not just for being Chandler Bing.
