Our beloved Matthew Perry – the heartthrob Chandler from “Friends.” He died under mysterious circumstances in his own bathtub. Fans of the show “Friends” – and indeed the world – were shocked by the news of actor Matthew Perry’s death.
According to police sources, the actor who portrayed Chandler was found dead in the whirlpool bath of his own home. The cause of death has not yet been disclosed – the investigation is ongoing. However, according to the Los Angeles Times, no illicit substances were found at the scene, and there were no signs of the death being violent either.
At only 54 years old, one should still have a lot of life ahead! But the actor’s life was not easy. Fans had long noticed that at 54, he looked at least 10, if not 15, years older – this was evident in the rare snapshots that the paparazzi managed to capture on the streets.
In his 2022 memoir “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing,” Perry revealed how he had struggled with alcohol and opioid addiction all his life. According to his own estimates, Perry had spent over 9 million dollars trying to get his life on track. He had been through rehabilitation centers not once, not twice, but numerous times, only to relapse over and over again. “I’ve had over 60 or 70 relapses in my life – it’s hard to keep track,” Matthew said.
His substance abuse led to a series of serious health problems. In 2018, he was hospitalized due to a ruptured colon. At the time, doctors estimated his survival chances at 2%. Yet, the actor survived and managed to rehabilitate himself.
After this near-death experience, Perry appeared in public far less frequently and essentially became a recluse. He found solace in writing. However, working on the memoirs forced him to relive his darkest moments.
Matthew never started a family, although he had numerous romances. His most famous relationships were with actresses Julia Roberts and Lizzie Kaplan (read also: Why Matthew Perry broke up with beauty Julia Roberts).
His last passion was talent manager Molly Hurwitz. When they began their relationship, he was 50 and she was 28. In 2020, Perry even proposed to her, but in 2021, Molly called off the engagement and left the actor. Since then, Matthew remained alone. He even registered on a dating site to find new love, but it didn’t work out.
When asked in an interview how he would like to be remembered, Perry answered, “As a guy who lived life, loved, lived well, and helped people.” That is how he will be remembered by people. This is how Matthew Perry looked in his final years.
