The “Friends” star, Matthew Perry, was laid to rest in a small, low-key service on Friday.
Guests included his co-stars, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, and Lisa Kudrow.
The actor’s parents, Suzanne Morrison, his father, John Bennett Perry, and his stepfather, “Dateline” correspondent Keith Morrison, were among the small gathering of twenty mourners. Family members carried Perry’s coffin into the service.
The actor was laid to rest at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles, a cemetery located near the Hollywood Hills where many celebrities have been buried. The plot may have been chosen because it’s near the Warner Bros lot where the hit show “Friends” was filmed.
The actor’s body was released to loved ones on Sunday after an autopsy was conducted. The official cause of death has not been determined as officials await results from a toxicology report.
The Los Angeles County medical examiner updated its online record for actor Matthew Perry on Sunday afternoon. The report listed his cause of death as “deferred.”
Per LA coroner guidelines: “In cases where the cause of death cannot be determined at the time of autopsy, a deferred certificate will be issued until additional studies have been completed.”
The autopsy on Matthew Perry has been conducted, but the coroner is waiting on results from a toxicology report to determine if any foreign substances, including drugs, contributed to the actor’s death.
The Los Angeles police department is investigating the actor’s death, but sources have told TMZ and CNN that no foul play is suspected.
Perry’s family released a statement: “heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother.”
“Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and a friend,” the statement said. “You all meant so much to him, and we appreciate the tremendous outpouring of love.”
Mr. Perry detailed his struggles with addiction in a 2022 memoir, “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.” In the book, he spoke of his Vicodin addiction, taking up to 55 pills a day during “Friends” third season. He also mentioned abusing Xanax, OxyContin, Dilaudid, Methadone, and Cocaine.
“I think you actually have to have all of your dreams come true to realize they are the wrong dreams.” – Matthew Perry
Matthew Langford Perry (August 19, 1969 – October 28, 2023) was an American and Canadian actor. Best known for his role as Chandler Bing on the NBC television sitcom Friends (1994–2004), Perry also appeared on Ally McBeal (2002) and received Primetime Emmy Award nominations for his performances in The West Wing (2003) and The Ron Clark Story (2006). He played a leading role in the NBC series Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (2006–2007). He became known for his leading film roles in Fools Rush In (1997), Almost Heroes (1998), Three to Tango (1999), The Whole Nine Yards (2000), Serving Sara (2002), The Whole Ten Yards (2004), and 17 Again (2009).
Perry was co-creator, co-writer, executive producer, and star of the ABC sitcom Mr. Sunshine, which ran from February to April 2011. In August 2012, he starred as sportscaster Ryan King on the NBC sitcom Go On. He co-developed and starred in a revival of the CBS sitcom The Odd Couple portraying Oscar Madison from 2015 to 2017. He had recurring roles in the legal dramas The Good Wife (2012–2013), and The Good Fight (2017). Perry portrayed Ted Kennedy in The Kennedys: After Camelot (2017) and appeared as himself in his final television role, Friends: The Reunion (2021). He voiced Benny in the video game Fallout: New Vegas (2010).
Perry suffered from severe addictions to drugs and alcohol. Through his recovery, he became an advocate for rehabilitation and a spokesperson for the National Association of Drug Court Professionals. In 2013, Perry received the Champion of Recovery Award from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. In 2022, he released his memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.
