"Matthew Perry, star of 'Friends,' passes away at 54, discovered in hot tub at his Los Angeles residence."

 

"Friends” star Matthew Perry was found dead Saturday in a hot tub at his home in Los Angeles, law enforcement sources said. He was 54 years old.

Authorities responded about 4 p.m. to his home, where he was discovered unresponsive in a hot tub. The sources, who spoke on condition of Confidentiality because the investigation was ongoing, did not cite a cause of death. Sources said, “no drugs were found at the scene "Furthermore, law enforcement sources do not suspect any foul play."

The Los Angeles Police Department's robbery-homicide division is in the process of investigating the death, while the Los Angeles County coroner's office will determine the cause of death at a later time.

“We are devastated by the passing of our dear friend Matthew Perry,” Warner Bros. Television Group, which produced “Friends,” said in a statement. “Matthew was an incredibly gifted actor and an ineradicable part of the Warner Bros”, Television Group family. His comedic brilliance left a global impression, and his memory will endure in the hearts of countless people. This is a heartbreaking day, and we send our love to his family, his loved ones, and all of his devoted fans.”

“We are incredibly saddened by the too soon passing of Matthew Perry,” NBC, which aired the series for all 10 seasons, said in its own statement. “With his impeccable comedic timing and clever humor, he brought immense joy to hundreds of millions of individuals worldwide. His legacy will live on through countless generations.”

 

Saturday evening yellow-and-black LAPD crime scene tape blocked off the entrance to Blue Sail Drive, a tony street just off the Pacific Coast Highway at the crest of a hill with sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean.

"Shortly past 7 p.m., with several helicopters buzzing above, Suzanne, the mother of Perry, and her spouse, broadcaster Keith Morrison, arrived at the location. Morrison chose not to make a statement. An LAPD officer present stated he had no details and was uncertain when any updates would be provided."

"Peter, a neighbor living on Bluesail Drive near Perry, who chose not to disclose his last name on that Saturday evening, mentioned that he had a brief five-minute conversation with the actor and found him to be extremely amiable and pleasant.

Peter expressed his shock as he awaited approval from the LAPD to enter the area, where journalists were not permitted beyond the police tape. He remarked on Perry's ongoing home renovations and how he appeared to be in good spirits. The situation is truly saddening." Leo, another resident who opted not to reveal his full name, shared that he was at home when an ambulance arrived at Perry's residence on that Saturday afternoon. Leo declined to say whether paramedics tried to revive Perry or if a body was removed from the premises.

 

“I was shocked”, he said. “It was very disturbing and sad after all these years.”

Perry was one of his favorite actors, Leo said, and the funniest member of the “Friends” cast.

"I met him once, and he was exceptionally friendly – even more so than I had expected," Leo commented. “It’s definitely a tragedy, especially at such a young age”. “I was very heartbroken to see what happened.” "I met him once, and he was exceptionally friendly – even more so than I had expected," Leo commented.

"On Saturday night, Keith Morrison, the stepfather of Perry and a Canadian broadcaster, was seen passing under the police tape near Perry's residence in Los Angeles."

"Perry, born in 1969, was the child of actor John Bennett Perry and Suzanne Marie Langford. His mother, Suzanne, formerly served as the press secretary to Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. After his parents' separation when he was just one year old, Perry spent his formative years between Montreal and Los Angeles.".

He got his start as a child actor, landing guest spots on “Charles in Charge” and “Beverly Hills 90210” and playing opposite River Phoenix in the film “A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon” in the 1980s and early 90’s.

But his big break came when he was cast in “Friends” -- originally titled “Friends Like Us” -- a sitcom about six single New Yorkers navigating adulthood that premiered on NBC in 1994.

The series soon became a juggernaut, the anchor of the network’s vaunted Thursday-night “Must-See TV” lineup, and turned Perry and his cast mates Jennifer Aniston, Courtenay Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer into mega-stars almost overnight. At its high-water mark -- for a 1996 Super Bowl episode and the 2004 series finale -- the series could notch more than 50 million live viewers; by its end, cast members were earning more than $1 million dollar an episode.

As Chandler Bing, the handsome, wisecracking roommate of LeBlanc’s Joey Tribbiani and, later, love interest of Cox’s fastidious Monica Geller, Perry distinguished himself in a crackling ensemble cast. "Through his deadpan delivery, he crafted a catchphrase with a simple inflection twist, inspired by the banter he had exchanged with childhood friends: Could Chandler be any more himself?"

Soon, he was attached to major stars like Julia Roberts and appearing in prominent films such as 1997 rom-com “Fools Rush In,” opposite Salma Hayek, and 2000 ensemble mob comedy “The Whole Nine Yards” with Bruce Willis.

 

 

There was a dark side to the life of one of television’s most beloved funnymen, however. In his 2022 memoir, “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing,”. Perry recounted his lifelong struggle with addiction to alcohol and opioids. "He mentioned that he had his inaugural drink at the age of 14, but it wasn't until he turned 21 that he became aware of the indications of alcoholism." Since then, he estimated, he’d spent more than $7 million on efforts to get sober, including multiple stints in rehab. "His addiction to substances resulted in several severe health problems, culminating in a five-month hospitalization in 2018 after a colon rupture. During this ordeal, he noted that he faced a mere 2% likelihood of surviving the night."

"And he openly admitted, during the 'Friends' reunion special in 2021, that this addiction was exacerbated by the constant pressure to deliver humor in front of a live studio audience night after night." The cast of “Friends,” clockwise from bottom left: Courteney Cox as Monica Geller, Matt LeBlanc as Joey Tribbiani, Lisa Kudrow as Phoebe Buffay, David Schwimmer as Ross Geller, Matthew Perry as Chandler Bing and Jennifer Aniston as Rachel Green.  “Nobody wanted to be famous more than me,” Perry told in April, discussing “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing” at the Festival of Books. “I was convinced it was the answer. I was 25, it was the second year of ‘Friends,’ and eight months into it. I realized the American dream is not making me happy, not filling the holes in my life. I couldn’t get enough attention. Fame does not do what you think it’s going to do. It was all a trick, an illusion.”

Perry was remembered on Saturday by friends and collaborators such as Selma Blair, Paget Brewster, Morgan Fairchild and Mira Sorvino as a singular comic talent with clever humor and kind soul.

Perry’s “Friends” co-star Maggie Wheeler, who played his on-again, off-again girlfriend Janice on the hit show, shared a sweet tribute on Instagram.

“What a loss. The world will miss you Mathew Perry,” she wrote. “The joy you brought to so many in your too short lifetime will live on. I feel so very blessed by every creative moment we shared.”

He was also remembered by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Pierre’s son and one of Perry’s childhood friends.

“Matthew Perry’s passing is shocking and saddening,” Trudeau wrote on X. “I’ll never forget the school yard games we used to play, and I know people around the world are never going to forget the joy he brought to them. Thanks for all the laughs, Matthew. You were loved -- and you will be missed.”

 

Though Perry estimated he had relapsed “60 or 70 times” since first getting sober in 2001, he maintained a steady presence on American television, playing key parts in backstage dramedy “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip” and therapy sitcom “Go On,” and making a steady stream of guest appearances on acclaimed shows such as “The West Wing” and “The Good Wife.”

"After his near-death encounter in 2018, Perry discovered comfort in the company of friends, regular games of pickle ball, and, most significantly, writing. Despite the fact that working on 'Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing' compelled him to revisit his most challenging experiences, it also established a connection with 'all those who have struggled': 'I had a narrative to share, a narrative that could genuinely support people,' he stated. 'And aiding others had become my purpose.” Indeed, for all his success as an actor and, more recently, as a bestselling memoirist, Perry told in April that his work was not the center of what he hoped would be his legacy.

Asked how he’d like to be remembered, he said, “As a guy who lived life, loved well, lived well and helped people. That running into me was a good thing, and not something bad.”