Matthew Perry, Friends Star, Dead At 54
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Matthew Perry, who is most known for playing Chandler Bing on "Friends," has died at the age of 54, TMZ reports. According to Los Angeles law enforcement, the actor drowned at his home on Oct. 28, after suffering a cardiac arrest. TMZ also reports that there is no evidence of foul play involved in the beloved sitcom star's death, who was found unresponsive in his hot tub, and the outlet also notes that their source says there were no drugs present either.
Last November, Perry released his memoir, "Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir," which documented his struggle with addiction, near-death experiences as a result, and revealed that he had gone to rehab 15 times and spent millions in attempts to get sober. In his book, Perry also shared that he had to drop out of the 2021 film "Don't Look Up" after his heart stopped at a rehab center in Switzerland. The actor said it wasn't a heart attack that caused him to flatline, but the drug propofol. He was saved then by "some beefy Swiss guy [who] really didn't want the guy from 'Friends' dying on his table."
Matthew Perry had a special bond with his 'Friends' cast
Despite his struggles, Matthew Perry always had a good sense of humor that came from his impeccable comedic timing, which he displayed often on "Friends" as Chandler. Whether it was his "could it be anymore" catchphrase or the fact that no one ever knew what Chandler did for work, Perry kept the audience and his co-stars laughing. In 2021, the entire cast of "Friends" got together for an emotional HBO reunion special, which was the first time the crew appeared on screen since the series ended in 2004.
At the "Friends" reunion, Perry shared that if anyone from the cast bumped into each other at a party, "that was the end of the night." "You apologize to the people you were with," he continued, "but they had to understand you had met somebody special to you and you were going to talk to that person for the rest of the night." The tearful confession had not only Perry crying and smiling, but Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer.
Since the news of Perry's death, fans have been sharing tributes to the actor online that are just as emotional, and it's evident that he really did leave a legacy.