The death of Matthew Perry is currently under investigation, according to the Los Angeles Times and TMZ.
The news broke on Saturday, October 28, that the former Friends star passed away at the age of 54. According to TMZ, law enforcement officers responded to a call about someone in cardiac arrest at Perry’s home in Los Angeles. Upon arrival, they found Perry unresponsive. The Los Angeles Times reported that there were no signs of foul play.
TMZ was the first to report Perry’s death. No further details were disclosed, and Perry’s representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Us Weekly.
According to the Times, detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department’s homicide and robbery division are leading the investigation. The cause of Perry’s death will be determined at a later date by the county coroner’s office.
Perry, who hailed from Canada, began his career with various guest roles on several television shows. His big break came in 1994 when he landed the role of Chandler Bing on NBC’s Friends, which ran for 10 seasons. The sitcom also starred Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer.
As Friends gained popularity, Perry struggled off-screen with addiction.
“At that time, I should have been having the time of my life,” Perry recalled during an interview with Diane Sawyer in October 2022, admitting that he would consume “55 Vicodin pills” every day. “I was in a very dark room meeting only with drug dealers and really, really alone.”
During the interview, Perry noted that Aniston, who was 54 at the time, was the co-star who “supported [him] the most” during his difficult times. He added, “I am very grateful to her for that.”
One of the creators of Friends, Marta Kauffman, previously told Us Weekly that the creative team was aware of Perry’s struggles as they worked on the show.
“We certainly did know about it, and we certainly did have conversations about it,” said the 67-year-old Kauffman to Us in January 2020. “[We] protected and, hopefully, supported.”
Amid his battle with addiction, Perry went to rehab twice, first in 1997 and then again in 2001.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse issues, contact the National Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services at 1-800-662-4357 for free, confidential information and support 24/7.
