Matthew Perry, renowned for his iconic role as Chandler Bing on the beloved sitcom Friends, has been found dead at his residence in Los Angeles. He was 54 years old.
In a statement obtained by Yahoo Entertainment, Warner Bros. Television, the production company behind Friends, expressed their profound grief at the loss of their dear friend, Matthew Perry. They hailed him as an extraordinarily gifted actor whose comedic genius left an indelible mark across the world, assuring that his legacy would endure in the hearts of countless admirers.
Today is a heart-wrenching day, and our deepest sympathies go out to his family, loved ones, and his dedicated fan base.
According to reports by the Los Angeles Times, Perry appears to have passed away in a tragic accident, having been discovered unresponsive in his hot tub at his Pacific Palisades residence. Authorities arrived on the scene, and no foul play is suspected. An ongoing investigation is underway, with the cause of death yet to be determined.
Yahoo reached out to Perry’s representatives for comment, but there has been no immediate response.
After his celebrated stint on Friends, Matthew Perry made returns to television, starring in short-lived comedies like Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, Mr. Sunshine, Go On, and a reboot of The Odd Couple alongside Thomas Lennon. In May 2021, he reunited with his Friends co-stars for a special on HBO Max.
On the silver screen, Perry graced audiences with his presence in films such as The Whole Nine Yards, 17 Again, and Fools Rush In.
In the past year, Perry penned a memoir titled “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.” In the book, he candidly recounted his struggles with substance abuse and his complex relationship with fame.
Following the memoir’s release, Perry openly discussed some of his private health battles for the first time. He recounted a life-threatening incident in 2018 when his colon ruptured due to opioid use, sharing that doctors gave him a mere 2% chance of survival. Perry underwent an ECMO procedure, which essentially acted as life support for his heart and lungs.
Speaking with the Washington Post in November 2022, Perry reflected on his memoir, noting that it had resurfaced him in the public eye after several years of relative obscurity. He mused that his experiences with addiction, alcoholism, and fame had ultimately prepared him for his current mission of helping others.
In the wake of Matthew Perry’s passing, friends and colleagues took to social media to pay their respects. Tributes poured in from figures like Maggie Wheeler, known for her portrayal of Chandler’s on-and-off girlfriend Janice; Paget Brewster, another Friends alum; Yvette Nicole Brown, who co-starred with Perry in The Odd Couple; and Meredith Salenger, who shared the screen with Perry in one of his pre-Friends roles, “A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon.”