Matthew Perry was loved and adored by fans all around the world for his role as Chandler Bing in Friends.
While he achieved great success in his professional life, his personal struggles paint a much sadder picture. Sadly, the 54-year-old actor was found unresponsive in his LA home this past weekend, leaving the entertainment industry in mourning.
Perry had been open and candid about his battles with addiction and alcoholism in recent years. It’s truly heartbreaking to think that someone who brought so much joy to others had to endure such pain.
In his memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, Perry shared his fight with addiction and even revealed a truth about his Friends co-star Jennifer Aniston.
Born in 1969, Perry began his career in the 1987 TV series Second Chances and its sequel, Boys will be Boys. He then went on to appear in other TV shows like Growing Pains, Sydney, and Beverly Hills, 90210. However, his big breakthrough came with his role as Chandler Bing in Friends, which he portrayed for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004. 
Throughout his career, Perry also starred in films such as Fools Rush In (1997) alongside Salma Hayek, and The Whole Nine Yards (2000) and its sequel The Whole Ten Yards (2004) with Bruce Willis.
Perry’s struggles with addiction started during his time on Friends, and he was open about the impact it had on his life. “I could handle [the fame], kind of. But by the time I was 34, I was really entrenched in a lot of trouble,” Perry confessed.
Despite his challenges, he managed to stay sober during the entire ninth season of the show, which coincided with his nomination for best actor. That recognition served as a clear sign for him.
In 2018, Perry faced a life-threatening gastrointestinal perforation that required him to spend two weeks in a coma and five months in the hospital. He even had a colostomy bag for nine months.
Perry considers himself lucky to be alive, as the doctors had given him only a two percent chance of survival. During this difficult time, his Friends cast mates were there to support and prop him up, just like penguins do for each other. 
Speaking about Jennifer Aniston, Perry revealed that she was the one who reached out to him the most during those post-Friends years. In an interview with Diane Sawyer in October 2022, Perry expressed his gratitude towards Aniston for her unwavering support.
She was the first to confront him about his drinking problem on the set of Friends. It was undoubtedly a scary moment, but Perry recognizes the significance of that conversation.
Tragically, Matthew Perry lost his long battle this past weekend, leaving behind countless memories and laughs. He was found unresponsive after playing pickleball and had sent his assistant on an errand when he returned home.
No drugs were found at the scene, and foul play is not suspected. We bid farewell to Matthew Perry, grateful for the joy he brought into our lives. Rest in peace, Matthew. You will be missed.
