Matthew Perry, renowned for his portrayal of Chandler Bing in the iconic television series “Friends,” revealed in a November interview last year that he had never watched the show after its conclusion. This decision was driven by his personal struggles with drug and alcohol addiction. Unfortunately, the world mourned the loss of Matthew Perry on October 28, 2023, just one year after his candid remarks.
In a conversation with radio host Tom Power in Toronto, Perry openly discussed the challenges he faced when contemplating revisiting old episodes of “Friends.” He explained that watching the show served as a stark reminder of his past battles with substance abuse. Perry used a visual gesture to emphasize how he saw traces of his past struggles, citing specific substances like “Drinking, opiates, drinking, cocaine.”
The actor shared how he could gauge his physical and emotional well-being season by season when watching the show, connecting his appearance to different periods of addiction. This self-awareness discouraged him from watching the beloved series.
In his memoir, titled “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing,” Perry delved into the connection between his addiction and his weight, noting that, “If you gauge my weight from season to season — when I’m carrying weight, it’s alcohol; when I am skinny, it’s pills. When I have a goatee, it’s lots of pills.”
Matthew Perry had previously disclosed his repeated stints in rehab, totaling 15 times, and the severe health consequences he endured due to his addiction, including a burst colon brought on by opioid overuse.
In October 2022, he reported to The New York Times that he had achieved 18 months of sobriety. Despite the challenges associated with revisiting his “Friends” past, Perry expressed an openness to the idea of revisiting the series. He acknowledged the show’s incredible impact on audiences and praised the enjoyable experience of working with the cast, describing them as “really funny” and “nice.” Perry expressed a desire to overcome his apprehensions and finally watch “Friends” to fully appreciate the enduring legacy of the show.
Some of Matthew Perry’s funniest moments on ‘FRIENDS’ have been put together to honor him after his tragic passing. pic.twitter.com/NsJCybIjXE
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) October 29, 2023
