Fans of the hit ‘90s sitcom Friends are grieving the loss of Matthew Perry, who famously portrayed the sarcastic and charming Chandler Bing, one-sixth of the group of 30-year-old New Yorkers.
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Perry was found dead Oct. 28 at his Los Angeles residence. According to the Los Angeles Times, authorities arrived at the actor’s home at approximately 4 PM on Saturday and found Perry unresponsive in a hot tub after an apparent drowning. He was 54.
Image credits: Q with Tom Power
Law enforcement sources confirmed that no drugs were found at the scene, and it’s believed that no foul play was involved.
Following his death, a series of interviews have resurfaced in which the beloved star details what he would like his legacy to be.
Last year, Perry published a memoir titled Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing that narrates his decades-long struggle with alcoholism and opioid abuse.
During an interview to promote his novel in November 2022, he said: "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.”
Perry struggled with a decades-long addiction to alcohol and opioids, which made him go to rehab 15 times
Image credits: Q with Tom Power
In 2013, Perry established a men’s sober living facility at his former Malibu home known simply as The Perry House for which he received the Champion of Recovery award from the Obama Administration’s Office of National Drug Control Policy.
"When I die, I don't want 'Friends' to be the first thing that's mentioned. I want that to be the first thing that's mentioned," the actor said of his attempt to help others who are going through a similar situation. "And I'm going to live the rest of my life proving that."
In a 2022 interview, the star revealed that he wanted to be remembered as someone who "lived well, loved well, was a seeker," and helped others overcome addiction
Image credits: Warner Bros
Perry revealed in an interview with ABC’s Diane Sawyer that, when he hit rock bottom, 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.”
Success didn’t mean anything to him. And neither did the Emmy nominations he received throughout his career. As he explained to People Magazine last year, addiction doesn’t discriminate between famous and non-famous people. “It doesn't matter if you're successful or not successful, the disease doesn't care."
Perry established a men's sober living facility in 2013 and opened up about his struggles in his memoir
Image credits: Alan Light
Image credits: mattyperry4
Additionally, he suggested that the news of his death wouldn’t be unexpected to those who knew him well.
"I say in the book that if I did die, it would shock people, but it wouldn't surprise anybody. And that's a very scary thing to be living with."
In the book, he revealed that he spent over $7 million trying to get sober and had been to rehab 15 times.
His hope was that people would relate to his memoir, finding inspiration in his journey to overcome alcohol and drug abuse.
Warner Bros. Television Group, which produced the ten seasons of Friends, paid tribute to the late actor in a written statement. "We are devastated by the passing of our dear friend Matthew Perry. Matthew was an incredibly gifted actor and an indelible part of the Warner Bros. Television Group family.”
"The impact of his comedic genius was felt around the world, and his legacy will live on in the hearts of so many. This is a heartbreaking day, and we send our love to his family, his loved ones, and all of his devoted fans."
You can watch Matthew Perry speak candidly about his legacy below
Fans celebrated the actor for his courage to speak about his struggles and his impact on helping people get sober.
“He was really talented, funny, famous, and rich. But he didn't feel fulfilled until he wrote his book and felt he had helped people by reaching out and sharing what he had learned through his pain and his journey to sobriety. He will be missed,” someone wrote on YouTube.
Another said: “RIP Matthew! You helped so many of us addicts find help and ourselves. We will miss your comedy but more than anything your beautiful heart!”
A third person wrote: “Your ability to voice how an addict feels, how their brain works, and what that means for them has helped me as I’ve processed alcoholic family members and friends’ lives. Thank you for bringing light to this.”
People paid tribute to the late actor and thanked him for his work to help those with an addiction
