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The Sad Truth About Matthew Perry's Childhood (nickiswift.com) (2023)

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The Sad Truth About Matthew Perry's Childhood (nickiswift.com) (2023)

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Matthew Perry had a difficult childhood. His parents divorced. When he was only nine months old, `My father took me out of my car seat...(and) quietly abandoned me and my mother'.

He then had to split time between his parents from a young age.

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Following Matthew Perry's tragic and untimely death, many of his devoted fans are taking the time to look back at the talented actor's life as a child - way before he became a household name. "He's one of those people who always is the center of the room for a reason, and it was so as a kid," Perry's famous stepfather, Dateline NBC correspondent Keith Morrison, once recalled to People. "He's an intense, talented, focused character. He's very bright. That was always the case as he was growing up," he added.

Sadly, however, Perry's childhood wasn't exactly picture-perfect. In fact, at times, it was downright heartbreaking. "I looked at the book, and I was just like, this guy has had like the most torturous life. I can't believe it. And then I realized it was me that I was talking about," he joked to host Tom Power while doing press for his 2022 memoir, "Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing." Here's the sad truth about Perry's childhood.

Matthew Perry was a child of divorce

Sadly, one of Matthew Perry's earliest memories is that of living life as a child of divorce. In his memoir, "Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing," Perry opened up about his parent's split and its impact on him. While Perry was careful to note that his famous father, John Bennett Perry, "became a wonderful father" later in life, he minced no words regarding his father's initial decision to desert him and his mother, Suzanne Perry (née Langford).

The story goes that when Perry was only nine months old, John Perry left his infant son and 21-year-old wife to pursue an acting career in California. "My father took me out of my car seat, handed me into my grandfather's arms, and, with that, he quietly abandoned me and my mother," Perry penned in the confines of his candid memoir.

Eventually, Perry's father did carve out an illustrious career for himself. Sadly, however, that didn't alleviate Perry's pain due to his absence. "I saw his face more often on TV or in magazines than I did in reality," he wrote.

Matthew Perry had to split time between his parents from a very young age

Matthew Perry learned how to travel on planes at a very young age as he split time between his two parents - one residing in Canada and the other in California. Perry recalled during an interview with People in 2022 how he was put on a plane from Montreal to Los Angeles by himself at only five years old. "I was terrified," he confessed. "My feet didn't even touch the floor. And then when I saw the lights of the city, I knew we were landing, that my dad was going to pick me up, and I'd have a parent again."

But by the age of 15, Perry resolved to move to sunny California with his dad once and for all in an effort to get to know him. "I felt like I hadn't spent any time with my father, and wanted to," he told BuzzFeed about the decision in 2015. But the cherry on top? Just like his dad, he also managed to carve out a successful acting career for himself while there.

Matthew Perry always vyed for his mother's attention

Following his father's abrupt move to California in search of acting gigs, Matthew Perry and his mother, Suzanne Perry (née Langford), were left to pick up the pieces. "Mom and I were both abandoned, in fact, before we'd even gotten the chance to know each other," he wrote in his memoir, "Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing." Perry described himself as a "latchkey kid" and said his single mother was often distracted and stressed due to the nature of her job as Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau's press secretary. Perry wrote that he often resorted to making her laugh to grab her attention. "I learned to be funny (pratfalls, quick one-liners, you know the drill) because I had to be," he wrote. "And me being funny tended to calm her down enough that she would cook some food, sit down at the dinner table with me, and hear me out, after I heard her out, of course."

Alas, Suzanne wasn't a single mother for long. In 1981, she wed Keith Morrison. Perry was 12 years old at the time. And while he is adamant that he and his stepfather had an excellent relationship, he still often felt himself vying for his mother's attention. "All I wanted was for her to turn around and, you know, focus on me and like be with me," he confessed during an interview with Tom Power. "And uh, she never really did that."

Matthew Perry beat up Justin Trudeau

Perhaps one of the ways in which Matthew Perry was able to steal his mother's attention back, even if for only a brief moment, was by beating up her boss's son. Yep, that's right. During a 2017 appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," Perry confessed that while in the fifth grade, he and a childhood friend beat up the then-Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau's son and future Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau. "We both beat him up. I think he was excelling in a sport that we weren't, so it was pure jealousy," Perry divulged. "I think he was the only kid in school that we could beat up ... I'm not bragging about this. This is terrible. I was a stupid kid. I didn't want to beat him up," he recalled.

Sometime after the "Jimmy Kimmel Live" episode aired, Justin Trudeau took a moment to joke about the schoolyard brawl on X (formerly known as Twitter) and even proposed a rematch. Perry, however, graciously declined. "I think I will pass at your request for a rematch kind sir (given that you currently have an army at your disposal)," the famous "Friends" star tweeted back.

Matthew Perry got drunk at 14 years old

Alas, Matthew Perry's schoolyard fight with Justin Trudeau paled in comparison to the trouble that lay ahead of him. While promoting his memoir, Perry revealed in an interview with ABC's Diane Sawyer that he was only 14 years old the first time he got drunk from an entire bottle of Baby Duck wine. "I lay in the grass and was in heaven," he recalled. "I thought to myself, 'This must be the way normal people feel all the time.'" According to Perry, even from his very first encounter with alcohol, he knew it somehow affected him differently. "I just knew I had some issue with this thing," he confessed to host Tom Power in 2022. "And it's a progressive disease, so it gets worse and worse as you get older," he explained. And that it did.

Perry estimated in his no-holds-barred book that he had spent nearly $7 million and entered rehab 15 times while trying to get sober from drugs and alcohol. Perry was adamant, however, that the most surprising part of his addiction journey was his resilience. "The way that I can bounce back from all of this torture and awfulness. Wanting to tell the story, even though it's a little scary to tell all your secrets in a book, I didn't leave anything out. Everything's in there," he declared during an interview with People. RIP Matthew Perry.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

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The Sad Truth About Matthew Perry's Childhood - Nicki Swift

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Before his decade-long run as Chandler on "Friends," Matthew Perry experienced some hardships in his younger years that he revealed in his 2022 memoir.

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How Matthew Perry's Childhood Paved His Future (Katie Doll) (2023)

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How Matthew Perry's Childhood Paved His Future (Katie Doll) (2023)

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Perry often felt lonely and worked hard to get his parents' attention. He believes this may have led him to turn to drugs, fame and casual sex to feel less alone.

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What was Matthew Perry's childhood like? When did the actor have his first experience with drugs?

In Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, actor Matthew Perry recounts his life's ups and downs, from his childhood to adulthood. His childhood is what shaped many of the struggles he had in later life, and is key to understanding his life's journey.

Let's dive into Matthew Perry's childhood and what led him to drugs.

Matthew Perry as a Child

Matthew Perry's childhood experiences are suggested to have set the stage for his future struggles. As a child, he often felt lonely and like he had to work hard to get his parents', particularly his mother's, attention. These feelings would stay with him into adulthood, leading him to turn to substance abuse, fame, and casual relationships to feel less alone.

However, Perry doesn't blame his parents for his addiction. While he did in the past, he now believes that addiction is a disease and that he has a natural predisposition to it. Still, he believes that that predisposition was worsened by the events of his childhood. This section will recount Perry's earliest experience with drugs and how his family life influenced an unhealthy approach to substance use, fame, and relationships.

(Shortform note: Perry's nuanced understanding of addiction is in line with current definitions of it. Addiction is considered a chronic disease or disorder that features a compulsion to seek substances or behaviors despite their negative effects. Its causes are complex and include genetics, brain patterns, and a person's environment and experiences.)

First Experience With Drugs

Perry had his first experience with drugs when he was only a few weeks old. He was a colicky baby, and his parents were desperate to get him to stop crying. His doctor prescribed him barbiturates, a depressant drug class that generates addiction. His father remembers Perry as a baby crying inconsolably and then falling asleep immediately after being given the drug.

While baby Perry didn't develop an addiction to barbiturates, the experience left a mark. First, he believes it negatively affected his ability to sleep because he was given the drug during a period of intense brain development that shapes a person's sleep. He implies that this could be the reason he has trouble sleeping as an adult. Second, Perry suggests that this was the first instance of trying to fix a problem with a drug rather than investigating and solving the root cause, establishing a pattern he would later repeat.

(Shortform note: The drowsiness Perry's father remembers is actually a toxic effect of phenobarbital in small children. Other toxic effects include trouble breathing and even death. More common side effects include irritability, hyperactivity, disordered sleep, and digestive problems. Phenobarbital is still used today to treat seizures in babies younger than a year and to treat neonatal abstinence syndrome.)

A Lonely Child

Perry also traces his struggles in relationships back to his childhood and his relationship with his parents. His mother is a former beauty queen turned high-powered career woman. His father is a former musician turned actor who never achieved much success outside of a famous perfume commercial. (Shortform note: Perry's father did get a chance to shine in prime time, though, when he made a cameo in season 4 of Friends.) They got married and had him almost immediately, but then divorced when he was nine months old. After the divorce, his father moved to California to pursue a career in show business, leaving Perry and his mother, then only 21 years old, in Canada.

Perry often felt alone and parentless during his childhood. One of his earliest memories is of traveling alone from Canada to LA to visit his father. He was only five years old and he flew as an unaccompanied minor. He remembers being scared and feeling relief when he finally saw LA from the plane, knowing that he would soon be with a parent. He believes that memory is behind him feeling at ease-less lonely-in homes or apartments with a view of the city lights.

Back home in Canada, feeling alone was a constant. His mother worked long hours and, although he was usually under the care of his grandparents or nannies, he was often home alone. Knowing that his father had taken a plane to go to California, every time he saw a plane overhead he worried that his mother was on it, leaving him behind.

How Matthew Perry's Childhood Paved His Future

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How Matthew Perry's Childhood Paved His Future

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Matthew Perry's childhood wasn't easy. Learn how the Friends star coped with the troubling relationship with his parents and more.

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How Matthew Perry got cast on `Friends' (CNN) (2023)

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How Matthew Perry got cast on `Friends' (CNN) (2023)

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Perry auditioned for the part one week and the following week, the show `Friends' was launched. This marks the beginning of his star image being linked irrevocably with Chandler for the next decade.

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How Matthew Perry got cast on ‘Friends’ | CNN

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It could be said that the casting of Matthew Perry in the role that made him a superstar was divinely inspired.

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Friends' Director James Burrows reveals why Matthew Perry and his character Chandler Bing were similar. (meaww.com) (2023)

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Friends' Director James Burrows reveals why Matthew Perry and his character Chandler Bing were similar. (meaww.com) (2023)

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Perry himself admitted that he and Chandler were very similar. Friends' Director James Burrows said, `He was really funny. He was a little awkward, too. Chandler was awkward. And Matthew was awkward. So it was a perfect, perfect meld," said Burrows.

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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: 'Friends' director James Burrows recalls the life of Matthew Perry, days after his death on Saturday, October 28, at the age of 54.

"He was incredibly inventive. He was inventive with how he did a line," the 82-year-old director said of the late actor during an interview on 'Today' on Thursday, November 2.

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James Burrows was deeply shocked over Matthew Perry's death

Recounting the initial table read for 'Friends', Burrows who directed the first four episodes of the sitcom was marveled by Perry's way of transforming a line.

"Wow. The reading around the table. Matthew had a certain way of turning a line," shared Burrows.

Also Read: Where is Mandy Patinkin now? Barbra Streisand claims her 'Yentl' co-star wanted to have an 'affair' with her

Speaking about Perry's sudden death, the legendary sitcom director said he was deeply shocked by the news.

Also Read: Tawny Kitaen Then and Now: Actress' Hollywood career was cut short by legal troubles before tragic death

"I had to have a couple of days to just let it soak in. He was part of a family and he was the first one to not be part of that family anymore," Burrows said.

James Burrows says 'Friends' female cast feels 'destroyed' over Matthew Perry's death

Burrows revealed that he had reached out to the female cast members, Lisa Kudrow, Courteney Cox, and Jennifer Aniston on the day of the 'Fools Rush In' actor's death.

"I had texted the girls the day we found out. They were destroyed. It's a brother dying," he said.

Burrows, who had been with the cast during the beginning phase of their journey, said that he had a strong disbelief in the sitcom's possibility to grow.

"I took them to dinner at Spago and this is a true story. And I said to the six of them, 'Put your seatbelt on because this is your last shot at anonymity,'" he recalled the dinner which also included David Schwimmer and Matt LeBlanc.

James Burrows says Matthew Perry was 'perfect' for the character Chandler Bing

Burrows also noted that he observed similarities between Perry and Chandler, according to Entertainment Tonight.

"He was really funny. He was a little awkward, too. Chandler was awkward. And Matthew was awkward. So it was a perfect, perfect meld," said Burrows.

"His facial expressions were amazing and Matthew could always cut to his face," Burrows added.

"He was always aware that even though he wasn't speaking, he was on camera," he continued.

Burrows also talked about Perry's struggle with addiction off-camera and said that his recovery journey over the past few years was remarkable.

The director said he would like the late actor to be remembered "as a wonderful actor, a funny man, and a dear friend to a lot of people."
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'Friends' director James Burrows reveals why Matthew Perry and his character Chandler Bing were similar

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'He was part of a family and he was the first one to not be part of that family anymore,' James Burrows said referring to Matthew Perry

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What Matthew Perry and Chandler Bing Had in Common by Friends' Director, James Burrows (msn.com) (2023)

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What Matthew Perry and Chandler Bing Had in Common by Friends' Director, James Burrows (msn.com) (2023)

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The similarities that Perry felt he had with Chandler helped him portray the character but also helped the audience believe the myth that Perry's private persona was identical to his public persona.

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What Matthew Perry And Chandler Bing Had In Common, According To Friends Director James Burrows

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Actor Matthew Perry had a lot in common with his “Friends” character Chandler Bing, including a witty, inventive delivery, according to director James Burrows.

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Why is `Friends' the most cult series of all time? (Vogue France) (2021)

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Why is `Friends' the most cult series of all time? (Vogue France) (2021)

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`Friends' gave Perry a global following. He appeared alongside his co-stars in 236 episodes over 10 years. This allowed his star image, as the character Chandler, to become cemented. During that time, his other television or film performances had much smaller audiences.

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Vogue reveals why Friends is still a cult series worldwide, 25 years after it was first broadcast.

1. For its 10 seasons and 236 episodes

In the space of 10 years, became one of the most popular TV series in history. It tells the story of the sometimes complicated, and always funny, everyday lives of six close friends - Monica, Rachel, Phoebe, Ross, Chandler, and Joey. In all, 236 episodes were produced, all of which you can watch now on Netflix before the streaming platform removes them in early 2020.

2. For its hilarious and relatable characters

Monica's neurosis, Rachel's passion for fashion, Joey's charming stupidity, Chandler's sarcastic jokes, Ross's bad luck stricken love life, Phoebe's timeless songs such as Smelly Cat... Each character has their unique qualities. Friends fans essentially grew up with these characters, often relating to them and their complicated, crazy lives.

3. For its life lessons

Despite the humor and sarcasm that mark the series, each Friends episode essentially ends with a life lesson. The most important of which, of course, is to always count on your friends, and to not care so much about other people's opinions. However, the most important life lesson came from Ross, who helped viewers learn that they should NEVER wear leather pants on a first date.

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Why is "Friends" the most cult series of all time?

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Nostalgia alert. As the gang of friends come back together again for a special episode, confirmed by the cast of the show on Instagram, Vogue looks back on 6 facts that propelled the show to cult status on the small screen.

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Perry did not remember the last three years of filming due to his struggle with addiction.

Perry felt the tension of keeping his addiction secret. His star image remain untarnished as the audience watching `Friends' were unaware of what effect Perry's addition was having on him personally.

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Matthew Perry's loved ones and co-stars say they have been left "heartbroken" by his death aged 54.

The sitcom's creators said he was a "brilliant talent" and "always the funniest person in the room", while his family said he had "brought so much joy to the world".

Perry was praised in recent years for speaking openly about mental health.

Friends, which followed the fortunes of six friends living in New York, aired from 1994 until 2004 and became a cultural touchstone of the era.

More than 52 million viewers in the US alone tuned in for its 2004 finale, making it the most watched TV episode of the 2000s.

In a joint statement they said: "We will always cherish the joy, the light, the blinding intelligence he brought to every moment - not just to his work, but in life as well.

"He was always the funniest person in the room. More than that, he was the sweetest, with a giving and selfless heart."

Referencing the style used for the titles of Friends episodes, they finished their tribute: "This truly is The One Where Our Hearts Are Broken."

Perry's fans "meant so much to him and we appreciate the tremendous outpouring of love", they continued.

Actress Gwyneth Paltrow shared how she and Perry spent a "magical summer" together in 1993, where they swam in creeks, shared beers and "kissed in a field of long grass".

"He had shot the pilot of Friends but it had not aired yet. He was nervous, hoping his big break was just around the corner. It was."

She added: "I hope Matthew is at peace at long last. I really do."

Maggie Wheeler, who played on-screen girlfriend Janice, said the joy he brought to so many in his "too short lifetime will live on".

Morgan Fairchild, who played Perry's on-screen mother and erotic novel writer Nora Bing, said: "I'm heartbroken about the untimely death of my 'son', Matthew Perry."

"The loss of such a brilliant young actor is a shock," she added.

Paget Brewster, who played love interest Kathy in the fourth series of Friends, said Perry "won't rest in peace" because "he's already too busy making everyone laugh up there".

In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, she urged people to read Perry's 2022 memoir Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing, describing it as his "legacy to help".

The book recounts his struggles with addiction to painkillers and alcohol during his sudden rise to fame, and lifelong struggles with mental health problems.

Perry experienced health problems including a burst colon in 2018 due to his drug usage, which required several operations.

Perry's efforts to help others struggling with addiction was reflected in a tribute from actor Hank Azaria, who appeared in five episodes of Friends.

Azaria said Perry had been a "brother" when the pair first moved to LA, and revealed it was Perry who took him to his first Alcoholics Anonymous meeting when he was struggling with addiction.

Born in Massachusetts in 1969, Perry was raised in Ottawa, Canada, where he attended elementary school with Justin Trudeau, who later became Canadian prime minister.

"Thanks for all the laughs, Matthew. You were loved - and you will be missed."

Perry moved to Los Angeles as a teenager. He starred as Chazz Russell in Boys Will Be Boys and had roles in shows including Growing Pains.

But it was his role in Friends - alongside Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc and Lisa Kudrow - that launched him to international stardom.

Perry was cast as the awkward Chandler Bing, famous for his sarcastic one-liners and his childish behaviour with room-mate Joey Tribbiani.

The role earned him an Emmy nomination in 2002. Regular reruns and streaming services have allowed it to find a new generation of devotees.

Tributes have also been paid by famous fans of the show, including singer Adele, who said she felt she had a connection with Perry after decades of watching Friends, despite having never met him in person.

"I just want to say how much I love what he did for all of us," she said in a video message.

Warner Bros, which produced the show, described Perry as a "true gift to us all".

"I didn't watch the show, and haven't watched the show, because I could go, 'Drinking, opiates, drinking, cocaine,'" he said. "I could tell season by season, by how I looked. That's why I don't wanna watch it, because that's what I see."

Perry's film credits include fools Rush In, Almost Heroes and the Whole Nine Yards and he won critical acclaim for later TV roles.

His role as associate White House counsel Joe Quincy in Aaron Sorkin's The West Wing earned him two Emmy nominations for outstanding guest actor in a drama series in 2003 and 2004.

He played the lead role in Sorkin's later series, Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip, then wrote and produced his own show called Mr Sunshine in which he also played the lead character.

Lucy Davis, who starred in Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, said it was an "honour" to work with Perry on the show.

"Thanks for all the laughs Matthew. You made a great impact on me."

He recalled "freaking out" and feeling "like I would die" if the audience didn't laugh at one of his lines, describing his mindset at the time as "not healthy".

The LA Times and TMZ, which first reported that Perry had died, said the actor was found unresponsive in a hot tub at his house.

A Los Angeles Fire Department spokesperson told the BBC that first responders went to an address in the Pacific Palisades area, regarding a "water emergency" of an unknown type, but did not name Perry.

Perry's final Instagram post, published a few days ago, shows him relaxing in a rooftop pool. It has since attracted a stream of tributes from fans.

Perry leaves parents John Bennett Perry and Suzanne Perry, who split up when he was a baby. He has five half-siblings. He never married and had no children.

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Matthew Perry death: Friends stars and family remember 'brilliant' actor

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The actor, best known for playing Chandler Bing, "brought so much joy to the world", his family said.

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Six Friends episodes that trace Matthew Perry's battle with addiction (The Telegraph) (2023)

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Six Friends episodes that trace Matthew Perry's battle with addiction (The Telegraph) (2023)

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`In the season three finale, The One at the Beach, he was scarily thin because he was taking as many as 55 Vicodin a day.' Perry's weight fluctuated between 9 and 16 stone. At the height of his addiction, he also grew excessive facial hair. He was in rehab during the filming of his wedding to Monica. All this took a great toll on Perry and yet his star image remained the same as his addiction was a secret to the public.

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Let Matthew Perry's legacy be those we helped with addiction. (independent.co.uk - Adam Bloodworth) (2023)

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Let Matthew Perry's legacy be those we helped with addiction. (independent.co.uk - Adam Bloodworth) (2023)

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This marked a change in his star image. He was showing a vulnerable side, a side of his private persona that he had kept hidden. This move towards becoming more authentic made him popular with people struggling with addiction or life itself.

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"My name is Jack," says Matthew Perry's character in 2016 West End show The End of Longing. "And I'm an alcoholic."

Written by Perry himself, The End of Longing wasn't a brilliant play, but it was a brave one. Perry, who passed away yesterday aged 54, wrote the piece as a testament to addiction starring a character who had clear parallels with his own journey.

Perry will be remembered for his pitch-perfect embodiment of the hilarious but skittish and vulnerable Chandler Bing on . For 10 seasons in the Nineties and Noughties, Perry and his cohort played a major part in reimagining the TV, fashion and wider pop culture landscape.

For me and many of my male friends, Chandler was the most relatable of the gang. Boundlessly fun, he was also an early projection of anxiety and self-doubt. Personal challenges that wider society has become much more cognizant of now than we were when the show ended in 2004.

But Perry used his relatability for far greater things than playing the lovable TV guy.

Two out of three times he trod the boards in theatre, for vastly lower sums than the million dollars an episode he was commanding for Friends, Perry was tackling addiction. The End of Longing premiered in the West End in 2016 and was so much more than a lazy star project. It shifted Perry's legacy from a lovable but light comedy star to a versatile actor capable of asking big questions about heavy issues through his art.

It will be remembered for an incredibly powerful monologue spoken by Perry's character Jack set in an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. Addressing the audience and breaking the fourth wall, he opened Jack up in a way that felt raw and honest. But who are we kidding, this was really about Perry.

He delivered lines about challenges with alcohol and drug addiction on stage alone, in front of hundreds of people who, let's face it, had booked to see Chandler Bing. But he was vulnerable. He performed the piece every night for months. Contrary to the performative energy and comic timing he brought to Friends, on stage Perry stood naturally and spoke conversationally. He wasn't afraid to offer himself. When he said, "I'm an alcoholic," leaning into that final word, it demonstrated theatre's power to shock.

Reviews were mixed, but on a human level, no one in my theatre critic circle that I spoke to could deny the power of Perry's testimony. And the positive influence it would have on lives.

The End of Longing combined work with life for Perry, but since 2013 the actor had shifted in many ways from playing other people to offering more of himself. In 2013 he opened Perry House with addiction specialist Earl Hightower, offering rehabilitation programmes in his former home.

He told ABC he became dedicated to helping people struggling, to help them "see the light come on in their eyes. I have the answer because of stumbling so much. I could help them." The final part of his cause-based work was his memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing. Published last year, Perry had been on a promotional tour, doing on-stage Q&A sessions to destigmatise addiction. In the final video he posted on Instagram in November 2022, he said: "I want people to understand that they're not alone... their behaviour is not insane... they have a disease and it's not their fault."

In his memoir, he reveals that in 2019 he had a two per cent chance of survival after his colon burst due to opioid abuse. He visited rehabilitation centres 15 times and during the height of his prescription drug addiction would take more than 55 Vicodin pills a day. He first drank at 14 and from a young age felt a sense of abandonment from both of his divorced parents. Statistics show how people who become addicted to drink and drugs often face familial challenges.

He pushed on, despite the onslaught of tabloid headlines that came out to tear him down. In a sea of "shocked" pieces about his slurred speech during his appearance on the 2021 Friends reunion, I tried to do a tiny bit towards supporting him by refusing to write another toxic headline. Instead of sensationalising his speech like others had done, I reframed the story to tell what I felt was a more truthful version of events. " Fans defend him over slurred speech claims ", I wrote. It was true. That was actually what fans on social media were saying.

We don't know what took Matthew Perry's life, but we do know how he wanted to be remembered. Writing in his memoir last year, Perry said: "When I die, I know people will talk about Friends, Friends, Friends. And I'm glad of that, happy I've done some solid work as an actor, as well as given people multiple chances to make fun of my struggles on the world wide web.

"But when I die, as far as my so-called accomplishments go, it would be nice if Friends were listed far behind the things I did to try to help other people. I know it won't happen, but it would be nice."

Perry didn't only change the narrative around addiction, but the way we humanise it. Could he have been a more relatable role model for any of us who struggle with anything at all? I don't think so.

Let Matthew Perry's legacy be those he helped with addiction

Let Matthew Perry's legacy be those he helped with addiction

'But when I die, as far as my so-called accomplishments go, it would be nice if "Friends" were listed far behind the things I did to try to help other people'

AP

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Let Matthew Perry's legacy be those he helped with addiction | Adam Bloodworth

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Perry changed the narrative around addiction. Could he have been a more relatable role model?

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Matthew Perry The End of Longing (Youtube) (2016)

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Matthew Perry The End of Longing (Youtube) (2016)

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Perry wrote a play about an alcoholic called Jack. It starts with the words: `My name is Jack: And I'm an alcoholic.'

Perry began to try and reach out to addicts and felt that he had a new purpose in life.

`The thing that I’m most proud of in my life is that if a stranger came up to me and said, ‘I can’t stop drinking.  Can you help me?’ I can say, `Yes, I can help you.’

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Matthew Perry looks dishevelled in rare appearance (dailymail.co.uk (2023)

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Matthew Perry looks dishevelled in rare appearance (dailymail.co.uk (2023)

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Perry was often photographed looking `tired' `dishevelled' and the media made comments about his weight gain and serious demeanour. His star image had finally broken away from Chandler Bing.

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If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse in the US, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP

If you are in the UK, call FRANK 24 hours a day, seven days a week 0300 123 6600

Matthew Perry sported an unkempt appearance as he focused on his home renovation in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

The actor, 53, looked a little tired as he returned to his new hideaway in the Hidden Hills, after grabbing a refreshing chilled drink from Starbucks.

Matthew has been winding down after wrapping up his book tour for his memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing.

In it, the Friends star laid bare the height of his terrible drug and alcohol addiction battle which nearly cost him his life.

The star was given just a two per cent chance of survival after an opioid addiction caused his colon to burst when he was aged 49, leaving him in a coma for two weeks and spending months in hospital - a fact which his legions of fans were unaware of.

On Wednesday, Matthew, who sported a casual blue jumper, navy T-shirt and jeans, for the outing emerged from his car with his drink in hand after nipping out.

In the midst of the house renovations, the actor's hair was a little unruly and he sported some facial hair.

Matthew oversaw the delivery of a custom-made bed and furniture for his property.

It was a rare appearance for the actor, who has been staying low-key of late after his bombshell book tour.

Now sober, the beloved actor, best known for playing hapless Chandler Bing, bravely detailed his decades-long battle to rid himself of the disease of addiction.

After suffering from a gastrointestinal perforation from opioid addiction, Matthew said he had to use a colostomy bag for nine months, has now had 14 surgeries on his stomach in total and been to rehab 15 times in a bid to get clean.

When he was first admitted to the hospital, he said: 'the doctors told my family that I had a 2 percent chance to live. I was put on a thing called an ECMO machine, which does all the breathing for your heart and your lungs. And that's called a Hail Mary. No one survives that.'

He told PEOPLE: 'I wanted to share when I was safe from going into the dark side of everything again.

'I had to wait until I was pretty safely sober - and away from the active disease of alcoholism and addiction - to write it all down. And the main thing was, I was pretty certain that it would help people.'

Talking about his starring role on Friends at aged 24, his alcohol addiction was starting to surface.

He said he could handle it but he was 'entrenched in a lot of trouble' by the time he was 34.

Matthew said there were years during that time in which he was sober and in fact, he was sober throughout the whole of season nine, the year he got nominated for Best Actor.

At one point during his Friends career, he admits he was taking 55 Vicodin a day and was down to 128 pounds but yet he 'didn't know how to stop.'

He said the disease has got worse and worse and progressive as he's got older and noted his Friends cast mates 'were understanding, and they were patient.'

'You can track the trajectory for my addiction if you gauge my weight from season to season,' he wrote in the book.

'When I'm carrying weight, it's alcohol; when I'm skinny, it's pills; when I have a goatee, it's lots of pills.'

In May 2000, his battle with alcohol and drug use had become so severe that he was admitted to the hospital with pancreatitis, a potentially deadly condition that develops from heavy drinking.

And while he insisted that he 'never drank on set,' he told the Times that he would often come to work 'extremely' hungover.

'It's so horrible to feel that way and have to work and be funny on top of that,' the actor said, adding that he would sometimes find himself sweating and shaking on the Friends set.

'I didn't know how to stop,' he also admitted to People. 'If the police came over to my house and said, "If you drink tonight, we're going to take you to jail," I'd start packing.'

While he was working on the movie Serving Sara in 2001, things became so bad that Perry realized he couldn't go on like that any longer, and he decided to take a break from filming to go back to rehab.

He stepped out of the spotlight for more than two months, before he returned to finish filming Serving Sara.

While it seemed to the public that Perry's battles with addiction ended after that, he secretly almost lost his life a few years ago, at age 49, when his colon burst due to opioid overuse.

He spent two weeks in a coma and five months in the hospital, and had to use a colostomy bag for nine months.

His stomach is covered in scars from his 14 surgeries and said they serve as a reminder to stay sober.

Matthew said his therapist has told him that he may have to have a colostomy bag for the rest of his life if he takes drugs again, which helps him to avoid relapsing.

1982 - Matthew revealed he had his first taste of alcohol at the age of 13

1994 - After spending his post high school years appearing in a string of US sitcoms, Matthew, 24, lands the role of Chandler Bing in Friends, which becomes an instant success. He later told the New York Times of that period:

'When [fame] happens, it's kind of like Disneyland for a while. For me it lasted about eight months, this feeling of "I've made it, I'm thrilled, there's no problem in the world.'

'And then you realise that it doesn't accomplish anything, it's certainly not filling any holes in your life.'

1997 - At the peak of his success on the NBC sitcom, Matthew is injured in a jet-ski accident. He is prescribed opioids to cope with the fame, later recalling that he took the prescribed pills without question: 'I did and I felt better than I ever felt in my entire life. I had a big problem with pills and alcohol, and I couldn't stop.'

He checked into rehab that same year but said: 'You can't have a drug problem for 30 years and then expect to have it solved in 28 days. Getting sober is a really hard thing to do.'

1998 - Despite his rehab stint, the actor continues to battle addiction, revealing 'I don't remember three years of [the show]. Somewhere between seasons three and six... I was a little out of it.' At one point during his Friends career, he is taking 55 Vicodin a day.

2001 - Matt completes another stint in rehab for for addiction to Vicodin, methadone, amphetamines, and alcohol.

2003 - The TV star is sober for season nine of Friends, when he was nominated for a Best Actor Emmy.

2004 - Friends wraps after ten seasons

2007 - He receives Emmy and Golden Globe Award nominations for his critically acclaimed turn in the titular role of TNT movie, The Ron Clark Story.

2011 - The actor enters rehab for a third time, with a representative for the star saying it was to prevent a relapse. The actor says in a statement: 'I'm making plans to go away for a month to focus on my sobriety and to continue my life in recovery. Please enjoy making fun of me on the World Wide Web.'

In his role as a spokesperson for National Association of Drug Court Professionals, Matthew goes to Capitol Hill to lobby members of Congress in support of funding for drug courts.

2013 - He receives a Champion of Recovery award from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy for opening Perry House, a sober living home situated in his former mansion in Malibu, California

2015 - Matthew sells his Malibu home and shutters the rehab center

A porn star reveals she fears Matthew has relapsed after the actor pleaded with her to get him '40/50' prescription pills.

2018 - Matthew has abdominal surgery to repair a gastrointestinal perforation. He has now revealed he was given just a two per cent chance of survival after his opioid addiction caused his colon to burst when he was aged 49, leaving him in a coma for two weeks and spending months in hospital.

He has to use a colostomy bag for nine months, and has had 14 surgeries on his stomach in total over the years.

he cast of Friends reunite on screen for the first time in 17 years. There are concerns after Perry appears to slur his speech in a promo for the reunion special.

Ben Winston, who directed Friends: The Reunion, said of those commenting on Perry's appearance during the HBO Max special: 'He was great. People can sometimes just be unkind. I wish they weren't.

'I loved working with him. He's a brilliantly funny man and I thought he had some great one-liners in the show. I felt just happy and lucky to be in his presence and directing him on something like this.'

2022 - Matthew gives his first tell-all interview in which he details how his drug and alcohol addictions secretly nearly cost him his life.

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Matthew Perry looks dishevelled in rare appearance

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The actor, 53, looked a little tired as he returned to his new hideaway in the Hidden Hills, after grabbing a refreshing chilled drink from Starbucks on Wednesday.

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Perry turned his beachfront home into a sober-living facility for me. (google images 2023)

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Perry turned his beachfront home into a sober-living facility for me. (google images 2023)

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'When I die I don't want 'Friends' to be the first thing that's mentioned, I want that [helping people] to be the first thing that's mentioned. And I'm going to live the rest of my life proving that.'

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Matthew Perry: Friends star found dead at 54 in hot tub (The Telegraph) (2023)

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Matthew Perry: Friends star found dead at 54 in hot tub (The Telegraph) (2023)

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Perry's death was a `flashpoint' event and dominated media coverage globally.

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Actor was found in a hot tub at his home in Los Angeles

Matthew Perry, one of the stars of the television series Friends, has been found dead at his home aged 54.

Mr Perry, once one of the biggest television stars in the world, was discovered after apparently drowning in a hot tub at his home in the Los Angeles area.

The Los Angeles Times and TMZ.com, citing law enforcement sources, reported that the American-Canadian performer was found dead in a jacuzzi at his Los Angeles home.

A Los Angeles Police Department spokesman told The Telegraph that officers attended Mr Perry's $6.8m mansion in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles at 4.10pm on Friday afternoon and were conducting an investigation into his death.

TMZ, a celebrity news website, said that although Mr Perry has previously faced a public battle with drug addiction, no narcotics had been found at the scene.

An LAPD spokesman said: "We responded to the 1800 block of Blue Sail Rd for a death investigation of a male in his fifties."

Mr Perry played Chandler in all 234 episodes of the iconic sitcom Friends, which ran for 10 series from 1994 to 2004.

Warner Bros, which made Friends, paid tribute with a message on X - formerly known as Twitter - which said: "We are devastated to learn of Matthew Perry's passing. He was a true gift to us all. Our heart goes out to his family, loved ones, and all of his fans."

Friends transformed his life, catapulting him and his co-stars to fame as it became one of the most successful shows in TV history, paying each of the five stars $1 million (£824,500) per episode by the end of tenth series.

But Mr Perry struggled throughout his time on the programme with drugs and alcohol, and suffered with addiction to pain-killers, according to a memoir released last year.

The American-Canadian actor also starred in the TV series Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and several films, including Fools Rush In, Almost Heroes and The Whole Nine Yards.

He garnered two more Emmy nominations for his appearances as White House counsel Joe Quincy in The West Wing.

The hashtag #RIPMatthewPerry began trending on Twitter soon after the news of his death broke.

Painkiller addiction led to 15 trips to rehab

Mr Perry's memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, was published last November and gave details about his battle with addiction while working on Friends.

Following a jet ski accident in 1997, three years into his work on Friends, he was prescribed the painkiller Vicodin, which he said made his "blood feel like warm honey" and gave him the impression of "being close to God".

At 27, he was soon taking 55 Vicodin pills per day, and checked into rehab 15 times.

He also said he attended 6,000 Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and underwent stomach surgery 14 times, which he said made his bowels look like "the topography of China".

He also revealed he once secretly dated Julia Roberts, a film star, but broke up with her because he was worried she would leave him.

Although Mr Perry had several other high-profile girlfriends, including the actress Lizzie Caplan and model Yasmine Bleeth, he was engaged only once to literary manager Molly Hurwitz in November 2020.

The pair broke off their engagement seven months later, telling People magazine: "Sometimes things just don't work out and this is one of them. I wish Molly the best."

Fan concern after reboot appearance

Mr Perry provoked concern when he appeared in a one-episode reboot, Friends: The Reunion in May 2021.

His speech was slurred and his face bloated, leading to concerns he had suffered a relapse of his drug addiction.

He later said his appearance was related to recent dental surgery, after his front teeth fell out while he was eating a slice of toast.

By the time his memoir was published last year, he said he had been sober for 18 months and had quit drinking because 14 triple vodka drinks was no longer enough to get him drunk.

"Not only do I have the disease, but I also have it bad," he wrote.

"I have it as bad as you can have it, in fact. It's back-to-the-wall time all the time. It's going to kill me."

He added: "Robert Downey Jr, talking about his own addiction, once said, 'It's like I have a gun in my mouth with my finger on the trigger, and I like the taste of the metal.'

"I got it; I understand that. Even on good days, when I'm sober and I'm looking forward, it's still with me all the time. There's still a gun.

"Fortunately, I guess, there's not enough opiates in the world to make me high anymore."

'If I die, it won't surprise anyone'

Mr Perry said he was "grateful to be alive" and had once been given a "2 per cent chance to live" after an especially serious stomach perforation that required major surgery.

In an interview to promote the book, he said of his readers: "I think they'll be surprised at how bad it got at certain times and how close to dying I came.

"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.

"So my hope is that people will relate to it, and know that this disease attacks everybody. It doesn't matter if you're successful or not successful - the disease doesn't care."

Mr Perry bought the home where he was found dead, in the Pacific Palisades neighbourhood of western Los Angeles, in August 2020.

The area is known as a popular residence for celebrities, including Matt LeBlanc, Mr Perry's Friends co-star, who owned a home there from 2006 to 2016.

The neighbourhood has also been home to actors Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Tom Hanks and Mel Blanc, plus Ronald Reagan, Steven Spielberg and Stevie Nicks.

We are devastated to learn of Matthew Perry's passing. He was a true gift to us all. Our heart goes out to his family, loved ones, and all of his fans. pic.twitter.com/Xv6HkpSEBl
- FRIENDS (@FriendsTV) October 29, 2023

In a statement, Warner Bros TV said "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."

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Matthew Perry: Friends star found dead at 54 in hot tub

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Actor was found in a hot tub at his home in Los Angeles

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Matthew Perry's Most Memorable Friends' Moments (msn.com) (2023)

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Matthew Perry's Most Memorable Friends' Moments (msn.com) (2023)

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Posthumously, despite his wish to be remembered for his work with addicts, this does not seem to be the case. Perry had little control over his star image and after a decade playing Chandler Bing, he is remembered for this role first and foremost.

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Matthew Perry’s Most MEMORABLE ‘Friends’ Moments

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He was our friend from the very first episode. Matthew Perry was catapulted into superstardom after landing the role of Chandler Bing at just 24, and for a decade, he made us laugh. “Extra” looks back at some of his best moments on “Friends.”

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Matthew Perry Opens Up About His Addiction Journey: `I'm Grateful to Be Alive' (People) (2022).

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Matthew Perry Opens Up About His Addiction Journey: `I'm Grateful to Be Alive' (People) (2022).

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Perry was able to have a more authentic star image and gave interviews about his struggle with addiction.

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Matthew Perry Opens Up About His Addiction Journey: "I'm Grateful to Be Alive" | PEOPLE

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In this memoir, he tries to exert some control over his star image and bring his public persona and private persona closer, giving his fans an honest account.

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Perry wrote a book called, `Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing' in November 2022. (google images 2023)

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Perry wrote a book called, `Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing' in November 2022. (google images 2023)

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Perry's slurred speech was a stark contrast to the sharp witty one-liners he delivered as Chandler.

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Matthew Perry shocks fans with slurred speech in Friends union video (Youtube - news.com.au) (2021)

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Matthew Perry shocks fans with slurred speech in Friends union video (Youtube - news.com.au) (2021)

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matthew perry slurred speech interview - Bing video

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Shingler, M. (2012) Star studies : a critical guide / Martin Shingler. London: Palgrave Macmillan on behalf of the British Film Institute. P.121-123

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Shingler, M. (2012) Star studies : a critical guide / Martin Shingler. London: Palgrave Macmillan on behalf of the British Film Institute. P.121-123

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Shingler writes, it can become, `virtually an impossible task to distinguish between the character and the star, the public persona and the private personality'. In Perry's case, people found it hard to separate Perry from his onscreen character.

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Redmond, S. (2014) Celebrity and the media Sean Redmond. Houndsmill, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. P.2/3

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Redmond, S. (2014) Celebrity and the media Sean Redmond. Houndsmill, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. P.2/3

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Redmond describes a `flashpoint' event when `particular celebrity dominates media coverage, producing an excessively focused global public’. This happened on Perry's death.