You don’t need to be a fan of the '90s sitcom Friends to know that the show is an iconic series that defined an era. One of the characters that truly made a mark was Chandler Bing, played by actor Matthew Perry. Chandler’s signature sarcastic humor and zany personality resonated with viewers and the cast won’t be complete with out Matthew’s interesting take on the character.
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That’s why it saddened and shocked many to hear about the Friends star’s passing. Police reports and sources like TMZ and the New York Post say that he was unresponsive in his jacuzzi after a 911 phone call came in. He was only 54.
Here, we run down 10 things you know about the star and why his death will definitely leave a dent in Hollywood.
10 Things You Need to Know About Matthew Perry
1. He was born on August 19, 1969.
His mother, Suzanne Marie Morrison, is a Canadian journalist, while his father, John Bennett Perry, is an American actor and former model. His parents divorced before his first birthday.
2. He moved out of his parent’s home when he was 15.
He flew from Ottawa, Canada to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career and attended The Buckley School in Sherman Oaks, Sun Fernando Valley, LA. He graduated in 1987.
3. He was the youngest of the Friends cast when he got the part.
Matthew was only 24-years-old when he landed the role after a successful script reading.
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4. He is best known for his role as Chandler Bing from Friends.
The show ran from 1994 to 2004 and the series was such a hit that the entire cast was making $1 million per episode by 2002.
5. He was also seen in the hit rom-com flick 17 Again.
Before the K-drama 18 Again, the film starring Zac Efron made waves in theaters back in 2009 and Matthew played the younger actor’s older self in the film.
6. Matthew was never married and had no children. But he dated Julia Roberts for a brief time.
The two stars were reportedly dating from 1995-1996.
7. He released a memoir back in 2021 titled “Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing.”
The book became a New York Times bestseller and Matthew opened up about his battle with drug and alcohol abuse.
8. Matthew was constantly in and out of rehab for drug and alcohol abuse.
In an article by the New York Post, it was stated that the actor revealed in his book that he had “went to rehab 15 times and had undergone 14 surgeries to try and mitigate the damage done to his stomach lining due to alcohol and opioid use."
9. He had a near-death experience in 2018.
The actor had gone through gastrointestinal perforation and was in the hospital for months. The doctor told him he only had a 2-percent chance to live.
10. Matthew declared that he was official sober last year.
In an interview with People the actor said, “I’m a pretty healthy guy right now. What I’m most surprised with is my resilience. The way that I can bounce back from all of this torture and awfulness.”
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