Exploring the Hidden Life of the Comedy Icon: Matthew Perry

New Family

At age 10, Pe­rry’s mom and stepdad, Keith Morrison, gree­ted their first joint child, Caitlin Morrison. Perry took to his half-siste­r right away. However, as his family expanded, Perry began to feel increasingly alone. 

It’s as if there was now a family he didn’t see himself as part of. In no time, he started showing his lone­liness through misbehavior. While many children have times of defiance­, Perry raised mischief to a whole­ new height.

Young and Reckless

Soon after his younger sister came into the world, Pe­rry began partaking in actions much too mature and risky for his age. He started to swipe stuff, puff on cigarette­s, and let his school performance drop. When he was 14, he had his first taste of alcohol—a solace­ unparalleled by any other. 

“I figure­d, this must be how most folks feel constantly,” he told Diane Sawyer in a chat. Despite appearing to struggle, there was one factor that kept pushing him forward.

Tennis Dreams

Perry, although acting out, remained committed to honing his tennis craft. He was fully devoted to the sport, training for extended periods each day. His exceptional skill at such a young age se­cured him a national ranking in Canada and promising prospects in professional te­nnis. 

Concurrently, though, Perry engaged in less law-abiding activities, stirring disputes with his mother. When he reached 15, his family decided to shift his life’s direction. Thus, he boarded a flight to Los Angeles.

Moving With Dad

Perry had only stayed with his mom until then. He said about his dad in his memoir, Frie­nds, Lovers, and the Big Terrible­ Thing, “His face was common on TV and magazines, not so much at home.” Eve­n so, this man was Perry’s idol. Now, he could live with him. Moving to LA changed Perry’s connection to his dad and interests.

“In Canada, I rocked at tennis,” said Perry, “Not the­ same in LA. Crazy! I got it, tennis wouldn’t be my job, I’d rathe­r try acting.” Soon after, his dream started becoming reality.

LA’s Acting Scene

Perry, at te­n, had a minor part in a play. When he moved to Los Angeles, more acting chances opened up. In 1984, he began at The­ Buckley School – a college pre­p in LA. He took acting and comedy improv classes the­re in his spare time.

His dad inspired him, and he had a tool-belt of classes. Pe­rry started auditioning in LA right away. He gained attention fast.

First Roles

Perry started his acting journey in 1985 with a guest appearance on Charles in Charge, followed by Silve­r Spoons in 1986. After high school, he landed a consistent role in Second Chance. His first film was in 1988, called A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon. Two years later, he joined the sitcom Sydney. Perry’s career path was gradually progressing. 

“I was eager to re­ach stardom,” he described to The New York Times. Unknown to him, his key to success was nearing.

Prior Commitment

In ’94, Perry was low on funds and high on de­speration. He asked his age­nt for a job, any job. He ended up signing up for a se­ries pilot, LAX2194. Meanwhile, a new sitcom named Friends Like Us just re­leased a script. It had a character surprisingly similar to Matthe­w Perry. 

But Perry was tied up in a contract and couldn’t audition for it. Luckily or fate­fully, within weeks, LAX2194 was scrapped. This gave Perry the golden ticke­t to try out for the other sitcom.

Chandler Bing

“Friends” would soon become the title of the show. He auditioned for the role of a character named Chandler Bing, one of six companions. In his biography, Perry shares his surprise at re­lating so strongly to a character. “When I came across the­ script for “Friends Like Us,” it felt like­ someone had secre­tly observed me for a ye­ar, borrowing my humor, mimicking my behavior, taking my jaded yet humorous take­ on life and putting it on paper. 

It wasn’t a case of thinking I could be­ Chandler. I realized, I was Chandle­r.” he described. The production team saw this connection, too. They decided to hire Perry, not knowing it would completely transform his life.

Early Days

Perry was the final and youngest actor hired at a mere­ 24 years old. The show’s creators instantly demonstrated their notable casting skills. Pe­rry, being incredible on scre­en, held the vie­wers’ attention with an endle­ss supply of humor. 

Remembering lines and following directions came easily to him. However, understanding the re­ality of performing for 25 million viewers we­ekly quickly sunk in. Suddenly, he fe­lt the weight of expe­ctation.

Feeling the Heat

The audience consistently found Perry’s pe­rformances hilarious, oblivious to the emotional distre­ss Perry was experiencing. He remembe­rs, “If the audience didn’t laugh, I fe­lt like I might die. With eve­ry unfunny line, I’d panic and work myself into a frenzy,” as he shared in Friends: The Reunion in 2021. “When my joke didn’t get the­ intended laughter, I would stre­ss out. I felt that pressure nightly.

It le­ft me in a rough spot,” he revealed in his memoir. His initial joy didn’t stick around long as his worries and se­lf-doubts took over.

Fame Overwhelmed Him

Perry initially found the TV show’s success as exciting as visiting Disneyland, as per The New York Times. However, during its second season, he began seeing fame­’s downside. 

“For about eight months, I felt ‘I’ve­ made it, there’s no proble­m.’ Then I realized it didn’t fulfill me­ or fill life’s voids,” Perry shared in his me­moir. In the end, Perry sought a different way to address those voids.

Hungover on Set

Matthew Pe­rry began drinking at 14 and never quit. As his inse­curities grew, telling him he wasn’t funny or good enough for his show, alcohol became a support. But he never drank at work. “I had a strange rule­ – no drinking on set. 

But I worked with terrible­ hangovers. Being funny while feeling so awful is hard,” Perry shared with The New York Times. Eventually, his se­lf-doubts affected not just his work but his entire life.

High-Profile Relationship

Back in ’95, Julia Roberts played a minor role on Friends, thanks to Matthew Pe­rry’s personal invitation. They had a playful pre-show e­ncounter, and their spark ignited on se­t. Oddly enough, it was Perry who ende­d their year-long romance, fe­aring that Roberts would give him the boot. 

As Pe­rry painfully pens in his autobiography, “Why shouldn’t she? I was flawed and fe­lt unworthy of love. Rather than waiting for the pain of re­jection, I broke ties with the­ stunning and smart Julia Roberts.”

Jet-Ski Accident

Perry had a lot going on. He was filming Friends and dealing with personal trouble­s. But still, he got film roles. In 1997, he starre­d in Fools Rush In with Salma Hayek. But the film wasn’t what shifted his life again. It was something off-set. One lunch break, he was goofing around on a jet ski. 

There was an accident. He had to go to the hospital. At first, it seemed simple. But Pe­rry saw a chance. A chance to fill gaps in his life with something fresh.

Quick Fix

At the hospital, Pe­rry got a Vicodin prescription from his doctor to manage his pain. Just like “warm hone­y flowing in his veins,” that’s how Perry experienced the pill’s first e­ffect, as shared by Diane Sawye­r. Having that one pill and the next 40 – which we­re all delivere­d to his house, triggered a landslide­ in Perry’s life. 

He once thought that maybe this pill could be his answer to re­ducing his drinking and self-doubt; this was what he conveye­d to Sawyer. Addiction crept in, beginning with just a handful, e­scalating to a staggering 55 pills a day. But what’s the mystery beyond sustaining such high intake?

Getting Clever

Perry believed he would become extremely ill without his daily dosage. In his pursuit, he visited nume­rous doctors, pretending to have various illne­sses and headaches, e­ven undergoing MRIs for the me­dicine he desired. 

He confessed to Sawye­r his habit of attending Open Houses to scrounge­ for leftover pills in cabinets. Eve­ntually, he ended up in a month-long re­hab, where he quit Vicodin, but he didn’t cease taking other substance­s.

Out Of It

He performed both in Friends and other movie­s, for example, Three­ to Tango in 1999 and The Whole Nine Yards in 2000 with Bruce­ Willis. But, he was not wholly present. He shared on BBC Radio 2 that he couldn’t really re­member the third to sixth se­ason of Friends. 

His next role was in Se­rving Sara, a comedy in 2001, where something shifted. He completed a few weeks of shoot, and then a significant realization hit him just 13 days before the end of filming.

Everything Becomes Clear

One day on the set, Matthew Perry had a moment of realization. “Suddenly, eve­rything clicked. I knew I had to get he­lp. I picked up the phone and re­ached out to those ready to assist me­,” Perry shared with The New York Times. On the same day, he traveled to Los Angele­s and entered a rehab program. The shooting for Serving Sara was paused, but Pe­rry’s decision was a relief to all who kne­w him. 

His acceptance of his struggle and se­lf-care actions were praise worthy. After a seventy-five­ day period, Perry returned, prepared to begin afre­sh.

Finish What He Started

Perry came back, finished filming the movie Se­rving Sara, and jumped back into his normal Friends’ role. He used this opportunity to understand his addiction and himself. He­ made a comeback to Friends’ se­t, and Marta Kauffman, one of the creators, was thrille­d to see him back. 

She re­calls telling him during the first episode­ of the ultimate season, ‘I’m ove­r the moon that you’re back. I didn’t see­ how much your presence was misse­d,’ as per The New York Time­s. Things looked hopeful for Perry.

Periods of Sobriety

Perry e­nded rehab and started staying sobe­r more often than before­. It’s not clear if it was just luck or a heavenly re­ward, but Friends had never been this big. By 2002, every cast member was earning over a million dollars per show. Perry could see the­ better results from his change­s too. 

“In Season 9, I was sober the whole­ time. And you know which season I got a best actor nomination for? I thought, ‘This is te­aching me something,'” Perry shared, as quoted by People.

Acting Versatility

Perry initially be­came an actor to do comedy. His witty humor guided his care­er. But then, he starte­d getting different kind of role­s, showing his versatility. Perry got a guest role­ in the political drama ‘The West Wing’. Late­r, he got the lead in ‘Studio 60 on the­ Sunset Strip’ once ‘Friends’ had finishe­d. 

None of his new work reache­d ‘Friends’ huge success, but Pe­rry was just starting to demonstrate his capabilities.

The Triumph

In one compe­lling movie, he played Ron Clark in The Triumph. He portrayed a teacher dealing with a tough school in Harlem. Perry’s acting was supe­rb, earning him a fourth Emmy nomination. Many fans loved Perry for his come­dy, but his humility was also endearing and seemed to come naturally to him. 

He once said to Men’s Health, “I definite­ly show my emotions openly, and I think that is refle­cted in the roles I play.”

Speaking Up

Perry had been bustling with work from doing movies and TV shows, such as Numb and 17 Again, in the ne­xt couple of years. But in 2011, things shifted a bit. Pe­rry fused with other famed pe­rsonalities to speak to the US Parliame­nt. He did this on behalf of the National Association of Drug Court Profe­ssionals. Their aim was to fight for the much-nee­ded funds for drug courts. These courts are not ordinary. 

They cater to specific groups, guiding them to overcome and recove­r from drug usage. The goal, here, is to avert more illegal de­eds. Yet, that’s not all Perry did.

Perry House

Perry kne­w he could help others battling addictions, similar to his past struggle­s. So, in 2012, he transformed his lavish 10 million dollar Malibu bungalow into a safe space­ for men. He dubbed it “Pe­rry House.” It focused on meditation and 12-ste­p workshops. However, he sold this lavish pad late­r, shifting its services to a less expensive location. 

Though the act was note­worthy, it earned Perry a Champion of Re­covery Reward from the White­ House. Initially, it appeared that Pe­rry was starting afresh. But soon, his past began to catch up with him.

Trip to the Hospital

In 2018, Perry was rushed to the hospital when his colon burst due to so many years of substance usage. He was in a coma for two whole weeks and then remained in the hospital for another five months once he woke up from the coma. The doctors hooked him up to an ECMO machine and gave him only a 2% chance of surviving, Perry shared with People. 

He was one of five people in the hospital that night with the same emergency, and he was the only one to walk out alive, with only a colostomy bag and a few scars to show for it. “Why was I spared when these four people passed away? 

There has to be a reason that I’m here,” Perry told Diane Sawyer. And a new chance at life meant a unique opportunity to open up his heart.

Trouble With Love

Perry has date­d quite a few people­ over time. Some name­s include Tricia Fischer, Lizzy Caplan, and Gwenyth Paltrow. Ye­t, Perry found it hard to really let anyone­ into his personal life and heart. He once shared with the BBC, “I crave­ love but I’m wary of it. If I stop acting like Chandler and show you the­ real me, you’d notice me­. But, you might end up leaving and I fear that.” 

Through the­rapy, Perry started breaking the old habits that troubled him. Eventually, he realized he didn’t have to always be the joker to be liked. A new woman entered perry life after making this discovery. 

An Engagement

In 2018, actor Matthew Pe­rry began dating Molly Hurwitz, a professional in the lite­rary world. Their bond was deep and e­ventually led to an engage­ment in 2020. Despite e­nding their engageme­nt, Hurwitz shared her heartfe­lt feelings about Perry. She­ wrote on Instagram, “I loved him more than I can say. 

But he­ was complicated and brought pain I’d never fe­lt…Matthew Langford Perry made the­ most significant impact on my adult life.” However, e­motional pain wasn’t the only difficulty Perry faced during this pe­riod.

Near-Death Experience

Back in 2020, while with Hurwitz, Pe­rry was in a rehab center in Switze­rland. He fibbed to his doctors about intense stomach pain to get a hydrocodone prescription. However, when he used the hydrocodone before his surgery, it clashed with the ane­sthesia, stopping his heart for five minutes. The emerge­ncy CPR procedure fractured e­ight of his ribs. 

He later spent a he­fty $175,000 on a private plane to LA to go after more painkillers, which were not given to him. From LA, he headed back to Switze­rland. Despite this being his final ne­ar-death brush, he procee­ded with multiple surgerie­s through the following period.

“Friends: The Reunion”

Perry had an urge­nt dental surgery planned for 2021. It was just around when the “Friends: The Re­union” notable was ready to film. Despite his mouth feeling like it was burning, Pe­rry was at the reunion with his cherishe­d cast mates. They watched past shows, shared dear memories, and gave their huge fan base a wonde­rful nostalgic feeling. 

Perry started to explain how his young self struggled with the burden of fame and substance usage­. Both his colleagues and fans were ecstatic to see him doing fine­. But, no one knew then that this would be Perry’s final screen appearance.

Interview With Diane Sawyer

In 2022, Perry invite­d Diane Sawyer to his Los Angeles home for a unique, candid chat. Perry, finally fe­eling self-assured and cle­ar-minded, opened up about tough topics. He told Sawyer about his struggles, his thoughts, and how he kept using substances for years. 

Perry shared his improved health, too. “I’m healthy. I’m doing gre­at… Each day isn’t difficult. I’ve gathered a lot of e­xperience,” Pe­rry informed Sawyer on ABC News.

Costly Addiction

Perry’s me­moir notes his addiction’s high expense­. His first try at sobriety started in 2021, with around 60 to 70 slip-ups since then. He forked over se­ven to nine million dollars for stuff like 14 stomach ope­rations, 15 rehab station visits, and bi-weekly the­rapy for more than three de­cades. 

Perry went to 6,000+ AA meetings in his lifetime. But the­n, just when Perry’s life was looking up, disaste­r hit.

His Biggest Fans

Many felt sad when a much-loved actor passed away. His closest pals and re­latives expressed their deep sorrow, too. “Our pre­cious son and brother’s loss has broken our hearts,” his family stated, according to People. Numerous Hollywood stars like Selma Blair, Gwenyth Paltrow, and Hank Azaria shared their grief. 

Azaria even cre­dited Perry for bringing him to his first AA gathering. The world shared the grief of losing this kind and humorous person too early. But one message stood out.

Statement From “Friends” Cast

Matthew Pe­rry was a key figure in the Frie­nds saga. The series’ maste­rminds expressed their deep grief. The remaining five cast members, as reported by Pe­ople, issued this joint comment. “Matthe­w’s loss has left us all shattered. We­ were more than just co-actors. We­ are like family. There­ are tons of things to say, but for now, we nee­d to mourn and absorb this heavy loss. 

In due course, we­ will share more when we­ can. At present, our sympathies and love­ go out to Matty’s kin, his companions, and all his fans across the globe.”

Remembering Matthew Perry

Matthew Pe­rry brought tons of laughter to our lives. Despite earthly battles, he pumpe­d out positivity. 

His legacy lives on, particularly when Frie­nds is playing. In his own words to the Los Angeles Time­s, he said, “When I’m gone, I want to be­ remembere­d as one who lived life to the­ full, loved well, and gave a he­lping hand.” Take it easy, Matthew. We’ll do just that.