The world is still in shock following the tragic loss of Matthew Perry, renowned for playing Chandler Bing, the witty and loving character from the hit ‘90s sitcom Friends.
Perry died at his Los Angeles residence at the age of 54. Last Saturday, an LAPD authority confirmed that officers responded to a call coming from the actor’s address regarding the death of a man in his fifties. When they arrived, they found Perry unresponsive in his hot tub after an apparent drowning.
There were no drugs found at the scene and no indication of foul play.
Image Credits: mattyperry4
Following the actor’s death, fans took notice of an aspect that strangely foreshadowed the circumstances of his passing.
In his last Instagram post, Perry appears relaxing in his outdoor jacuzzi while listening to music on his large headphones and gazing at the LA skyline, the moon beaming over him.
The Friends star captioned the post: “Oh, so warm water swirling around you makes you feel good? I’m Mattman.â€
The photo allegedly depicts the same hot tub where Perry breathed his last.
"Oh, so warm water swirling around you makes you feel good? I'm Mattman," the late actor captioned the photo
Image Credits: mattyperry4
Perry’s last social media image was part of a series of other Batman-related snapshots and videos. The day before his passing, the actor posted a video of the moon, writing, "Do you understand what I'm trying to tell you? - I'm Mattman."
On Tuesday, the 17 Again actor posted on X: "Let's make stigmas a stigma. -I'm Mattman #mentalhealth."
Other references to the DC superhero included a carved pumpkin in the shape of the famous black wings.
The photo was the latest of a series of Batman-related posts, which included a pumpkin carved in the shape of the famous DC superhero
Image Credits: mattyperry4
In an interview with Jimmy Kimmel six years ago, the late actor revealed that he had a Batcave in his house full of memorabilia, including a statue of Batman that he assembled himself.
A source told People Magazine that his love for Batman stemmed from an idea that Perry had been working on for a show. They also mentioned that the actor had just accepted a role for a new drama film, Unworthy, and that he was “incredibly happy†and “having fun†prior to his death.
Additionally, the source said he felt inspired after watching The Batman, the 2022 film starring Robert Pattinson and Zoe Kravitz.
In these themed snapshots and videos, Perry referred to himself as "Mattman"
Image Credits: mattyperry4
Image Credits: mattyperry4
Perry’s passion for Batman made him dedicate the last chapter of his memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing, to the comic book hero.
"Someday you, too, might be called upon to do something important, so be ready for it," he wrote in the final lines of the book. "And when whatever happens, just think, What would Batman do? and do that."
He even dedicated the last chapter of his memoir to the Gotham City hero
Image Credits: mattyperry4
Image Credits: mattyperry4
In the book, Perry describes his struggles over a decades-long addiction to alcohol and opioids. He revealed that, at the lowest point of his life, he was taking "55 Vicodin a day", as well as a cocktail of "Methadone, Xanax, a full quart of vodka".
He also shared that he was once in a coma and “escaped death really narrowly.â€
When he was 49, his colon ruptured as a consequence of his opioid addiction, an incident that made him undergo 14 surgeries to repair the abdominal damage.
As a result of his struggles with substance abuse, the star went to rehab 15 times and spent over $7 million trying to get sober.
Perry's obsession with Batman began with the Christopher Nolan films and lately stemmed from a project he had been working on
Image Credits: mattyperry4
After his death, people began speculating about Perry's love for the DC hero, believing it concealed a cry for help that intensified during the last weeks of his life. "Batman signal but no one came," a fan wrote on Instagram.
"Are you trying to give us a hint or something?", another commented before the heartbreaking news broke out.
According to another fan, the recent references to Batman on his Instagram page represented Perry's way of announcing his death. "Just like 'Batman' is the name of the last chapter of his book...it's also the last chapter of his life...He was saying goodbye."
He said that he related to Batman because he was also "a loner and rich"
Image Credits: mattyperry4
However, others believe these fans are reading too much into the late actors' passion for the comic book hero.Â
"I feel like he was just having a giggle and being sarcastic with himself and the idea of being Batman," a fan wrote. "We should enjoy the happy memories and try not to make sad ones."
The late star took his passion for the superhero to X
Image credits: MatthewPerry
During a 2022 interview with Tom Powell to promote his memoir, Perry expressed his wish to be remembered for his advocacy work to help those living with addiction instead of having his legacy eternally linked to his Friends character.
"I would like to be remembered as somebody who lived well, loved well, was a seeker and his paramount thing is that he wants to help people. That’s what I want,†he said.
He included his Batman hat on his list of GQ's 10 things Matthew Perry can't live without
Video Credits: GQ
A longtime friend of Perry spoke to DailyMail about how his inner circle is coping with the devastating loss. “Everyone is in a total state of shock. People are crying on the phone and struggling to accept this news.â€
“It’s no secret that he struggled with drugs and alcohol for years but the last time I spoke to him, which was within the last few weeks, he seemed to be in a good placeâ€, they shared, before adding that the actor “was upbeat and sounded sober and positive.â€
The actor revealed that he had a Batcave at his house full of memorabilia
“It’s such tragic news. Everyone is praying he didn’t relapse. Matt was a genuinely lovely guy. He was always the first to welcome newcomers to the group and would always volunteer to help and be of service.â€
Among those who paid tribute to Perry was Maggie Wheeler, who played Chandler’s on-off girlfriend, Janice Hosenstein. “What a loss,†she captioned a picture of the two on Instagram.
“The world will miss you, Matthew Perry. The joy you brought to so many in your too short lifetime will live on.â€
While some fans began putting forward conspiracy theories, others argued that his love for Batman shouldn't be overanalyzed
