Matthew Perry, best known in Hollywood as a member of the iconic ensemble for NBC’s Friends, has died at age 54. According to reporting, Perry was found at his L.A. home on Saturday, and had died of an apparent drowning. Sources say that the actor was discovered in his jacuzzi, and that first responders replied to a call for a cardiac arrest.
Matthew Perry’s death was first reported by TMZ. Sources for the website pointed out that no drugs were found at the scene, and that there appeared to be no foul play involved in Perry’s death. The actor has been candid about his struggles with drug addiction in the past. He has even discussed how Friends audiences can track the path of his addiction through seasons of the show. Details were still coming in as news of Perry’s death hit the wire.
Perry forever will be associated with his classic Friends character Chandler Bing. The sitcom remains one of the most popular television programs of all time, running for 10 years on the network from 1994 to 2004. Friends was one anchor of the NBC primetime schedule, due in part to the tremendous chemistry shared by the six actors who served as co-leads.
Matthew Perry’s success wasn’t limited to the small screen, however. Like all of his Friends co-stars, he embarked on a movie career, with fits and starts of success. The biggest hit of his movie-star era has to be The Whole Nine Yards, where he played a dentist who gets roped into organized crime when a smooth-talking gangster (played by Bruce Willis) moves in next door thanks to witness protection. The comedy did so well, a sequel followed, but couldn’t match the magic of the initial film.
But Matthew Perry and his beloved Friends co-stars – Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc and Lisa Kudrow – were enjoying a resurgence in popularity for the show, and their characters. The show’s appearance on streaming allowed a new generation of fans to track the progress of their favorite Friends relationships. The also learned the uncomfortable, true story of Ugly Naked Guy.
Perry personally published his own memoir, titled “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing,” which became a New York Times Bestseller (and ruffled a few feathers thanks to the stories that he shared). And the cast reunited in 2021 for an HBO Max special that reminded everyone why the chemistry of the group was special. Our hearts go out to Perry’s Friends family, who undoubtedly will be devastated by this tragic news.
Matthew Perry never married. He was engaged to literary manager Molly Hurwitz in 2020, but called off the engagement in 2021 after an amicable split. He is survived by his mother, Suzanne Marie Morrison, his father, John Bennett Perry, and his stepfather, Keith Morrison of Dateline fame. We will continue to report details about Perry’s death as they emerge, and we express our heartfelt sadness and support to everyone affected by his loss.