Matthew Perry’s death at the age of 54 has shocked both his family and those closest to him, as well as the entertainment world at large.
The Emmy-nominated actor, best known for his role as Chandler Bing in the 90s comedy Friends, was discovered dead at his Los Angeles home on Saturday afternoon. He has previously spoken candidly about his drug and alcohol addiction struggles on the show, stating that he believes his candor may help others.
The emergency services were called to his home for a cardiac arrest, but when they arrived, they discovered Perry in his hot tub, having drowned.
Friends’ official Twitter account confirmed his death, writing, “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.” A source added that there was no sign of foul play and that robbery-homicide detectives are looking into his death.
What happened on the day he died?
In his last hours, Perry was reported to have played pickleball – similar to squash – for an hour before returning home to relax.
Radio host Billy Bush said: “I spoke to the woman he played with this morning and every morning. She said he had been fatigued today and over the past week. A little more than usual. He played for an hour, then went home. She is in shock, she adored Matt.” He then sent his personal assistant on an errand, with the staff member returning home to find him unresponsive.
A friend of the star informed the assembled reporters that he had recently seen Perry looking sober and in good health. Perry’s parents and father-in-law were later photographed outside his home, which had been cordoned off by police.
Perry’s 17-year-old neighbor has described what happened next. “They [his siblings] were outside my neighbor’s door. I didn’t think much of it at the time until [the] police started arriving and everything. They didn’t hammer the door, they kept silent,” the young man told the US Sun.
“After all those years, it was very disturbing and sad.” because of what he’s been through, his addictions, and anything.”
He added: “I saw everything, I feel bad for my younger siblings. I was very sad. At the same time, I did kind of expect it in some sense, but I didn’t expect it to be so soon. He’d not lived there long.”
Touching on his past run-ins with Matthew, the neighbour revealed that the actor was a “friendly and very nice genuine guy.”
Perry was last seen out in public on Sunday, October 22 where he looked upbeat and content.
How did Matthew Perry die?
Perry was discovered lifeless in his hot tub. Some have speculated that he went into cardiac arrest. According to police officials, no narcotics were discovered at the location, and there is no evidence of foul play. It is also claimed that prescription medications have been detected.
According to the LAPD, around 4:07 p.m. local time, a call was made for a male in his 50s who was unconscious due to a “water emergency.” It went on to say that no ambulance was needed to transport that person after they arrived on the site.
According to the Los Angeles Times, robbery-homicide detectives are now investigating the circumstances surrounding the death, which will be determined by the Los Angeles County coroner’s office at a later date.
Unanswered questions
Despite reports that Perry had a heart attack, authorities treated the incident as a water rescue. At this time, it is unknown what led Perry to drown.
According to police, Matthew’s cause of death will be unclear ‘for some time,’ although there is no evidence of foul play. According to Los Angeles Police Capt. Scot Williams, the “cause of death may not be known for some time, but at this point foul play is not suspected.” The Los Angeles County coroner’s office will establish the cause of death.
Past addiction issues
Perry has spoken openly over the years about his battle with drug and alcohol addictions. He detailed his troubling years in his book, Friends, Lovers, and The Big Terrible Thing, where he admitted to not being able to watch the show because it reminded him of the tough times he went through.
“I didn’t watch the show, and haven’t watched the show, because I could go, drinking, opiates, drinking, cocaine. 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.”
“I was taking 55 Vicodin a day, I weighed 128 lbs, I was on Friends getting watched by 30 million people — and that’s why I can’t watch the show, ‘cause I was brutally thin’,” he said. “I had a rule that I would never drink or do drugs while working.”
He elaborated on this in a television interview with Diane Sawyer, which brought him to tears. He revealed that he weighed only 155 pounds at one point. He also stated that Jennifer Anniston’s tough comments “saved his life,” describing it as a “scary moment.”
Perry has acknowledged to having a great crush on the 90s legend, and the two shared a special bond. Aniston said of Perry before his death, “I didn’t understand the level of anxiety and self-torture [that] was put on Matthew Perry, if he didn’t get that laugh, and the devastation that he felt.” Perry said Anniston was the one cast member who reached out to him the most during his difficulties.
The hard hitting interview also touched upon Perry’s times in hospital, where at one point he spent a week in a coma and was given just a 2% chance of survival. Ultimately, for Perry, being open about his addiction issues was done with the aim of helping other people going through the same thing.
Matthew Perry’s Legacy
Just a year before his death, Perry made a heart-breaking premonition foreshadowing what would kill him.
In his book, which was released in October 2022, he opened up about his alcohol and drug addiction, he shared: “Not only do I have the disease, but I also have it bad. 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 recognized that his troubles had shaped his life and wanted them to be a positive part of his legacy for the individuals he had helped. Perry built the Perry House in Malibu, a sober centre for men where they may get clean, inspired by his own experience.
Speaking to podcaster Tom Power last year, Matthew revealed: “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.”