It has been all over the news over the past couple of weeks. Best known as Chandler Bing on Friends, Matthew Perry has died. This came as a shock to most. Matthew was entirely too young to leave us. Matthew along with Jennifer Aniston, Courtney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt Leblanc, and David Schwimmer were the stars of the hilarious sitcom Friends for 10 seasons.
Matthew’s on-screen charisma brought so much joy to all those who watched him. Matthew’s character on “Friends” Chandler Bing based on “169,000 total votes tops the list of the best character on “Friends”, per ranker”. If you have ever watched Friends before, you would know that Chandler has a sarcastic personality and always has something to say in the form of a joke, and that is what made him so enjoyable to watch for 10 seasons. Other movies and TV shows of Matthew’s career that are notable include 17 Again, Fools Rush In, The West Wing, and The Odd Couple.
Matthew Perry’s successful memoir was published in 2022 “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing”. In this memoir, Perry discussed his ski accident in 1997 where his doctors prescribed him on a medication called Vicodin. It was known throughout Perry’s career he struggled with substance abuse. Despite Perry’s pain and struggle, Perry said that his recovery journey left him with a sense of duty to help others going down similar paths. After Perry’s death, a foundation was established in Perry’s name to help people struggling with the disease of addiction. The close family of Perry thought this was best and what Perry would have wanted because he always wanted to help those who went through similar situations as he did.
As hard as this is for Perry’s close family, the cast of Friends is deeply saddened about the loss of a close friend. The cast released a joint statement “We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family. There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss.”
“In time we will say more, as and when we are able,” the statement said. “For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world.” Matthew’s funeral was held on November 3rd, 2023. The Friends cast and Matthew’s close friends and family were in attendance.
Matthew Perry brought so much to the table when it came to his acting ability. Everyone will remember Perry as the hilarious Chandler Bing on Friends. Perry had an impact on everyone he came into contact with. Anyone you talk to who knew Matthew would tell you he always had a smile and had something funny to say. It could even be said that his character on Friends is truly a version of who Perry was. Matthew Perry will be missed and will always be remembered for his great generosity and charismatic personality.
