The actor Matthew Perry, who was well-known for his role as Chandler Bing on the sitcom Friends, passed away in his Pacific Palisades home on Saturday afternoon. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, a call was made at 4:07 p.m. PT for a male in his 50s who was unresponsive. The LAPD reported that no ambulance transfer was required for the call to that street. Perry was 54 years old.
The LAPD confirmed that a witness found Perry unresponsive in his jacuzzi on Saturday at around 4 p.m. PT. The Los Angeles City Fire Department responded to the scene and declared Perry deceased. Detectives from the Robbery Homicide Division also responded to the scene and conducted a preliminary investigation, but there were no signs of foul play. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner identified the body as Perry on Sunday morning and will determine the cause of death.
Friends, which ran from 1994 to 2004, was the most popular show that Perry starred in. The Instagram account for Friends posted a statement expressing their devastation of Perry's passing, and Warner Bros Television Group, which produced Friends, also issued a statement hailing Perry for his talents. Perry's film career included the movies Fools Rush In, Almost Heroes, and 17 Again, and he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for best actor in a miniseries or motion picture made for television for his portrayal of the titular educator in the 2006 TV film The Ron Clark Story.
Perry was born in Ottawa, Canada, and moved to Los Angeles as a teenager. After graduating high school, he began booking roles on TV shows such as Growing Pains and 90210 before being cast on Friends at the age of 24. Perry also starred in the TV series Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and was the co-creator and star of the sitcom Mr Sunshine. In his memoir, Perry opened up about battling and overcoming years of drug and alcohol abuse.
In an interview with Diane Sawyer, Perry estimated that he went through detox 65 times and went to rehab 15 times. He also spoke about nearly dying after being hospitalized for a perforated bowel in 2018. Perry said he wanted to use his celebrity status to help others who are struggling with addiction. Friends co-creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane and executive producer Kevin Bright issued a statement, saying they were shocked and deeply saddened by Perry's passing.
