Vanity Fair Reports the Passing of Matthew Perry at the Age of 54

Written by Hillary Busis

As of October 29, 2:15 p.m. ET: The LAPD has given a public statement concerning the passing of Perry:

Matthew Perry, a renowned actor, was found unresponsive in his jacuzzi on October 28, 2023, at approximately 4pm. Detection of his condition was made by an unnamed witness. The Los Angeles City Fire Department was called onto the scene, where Perry was then pronounced dead. Sue to Perry being a well-known figure, Detectives from the Robbery Homicide Division were brought onto the scene to commence a primary investigation. Even though there weren't any obvious indications of inflicted trauma, the precise cause of Perry's death will only be confirmed following the coroner’s examination.

The article continues as originally written below.

L.A. Times reported the passing of Matthew Perry, a star of the beloved TV show Friends, who had a long battle with addiction before, during, and after his run on the show. Perry was reportedly found unresponsive in his residence's hot tub in Los Angeles. He was 54 at the time of his death, the cause of which was not mentioned.

Perry is widely recognized for his role as the charming and witty Chandler Bing in Friends, a tremendously popular '90s sitcom. He appeared in 234 episodes from 1994 to 2004, and his work in the show's ninth season earned him an Emmy nomination. In total, Perry received five Emmy nominations, one of which was for his stint in the 2021 HBO Max Friends reunion special. His portrayal of Chandler, a lovably self-deprecating joker, stood out in the cast of funny lead characters.

Matthew Perry, son of actor John Bennett Perry, was born in Canada and was longing for fame in Hollywood before eventually finding success in Friends. In an interview with the New York Times in 2002, he admitted his strong despair for fame and success, without giving much thought to the eventual consequences.

During his Friends tenure, Perry tried his hand at a film career and starred in acclaimed comedies like Fools Rush In, Three to Tango, and The Whole Nine Yards. Following Friends, Perry appeared in numerous short-lived TV series like Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, Mr. Sunshine, Go On, and the 2015 CBS reboot of The Odd Couple. However, his portrayal of Chandler cast a long shadow over his other work.

Narrating his lifelong struggle with addiction in his 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing, he revealed that he couldn't bring himself to rewatch Friends as he only saw evidence of his habits in his physical appearance.

Perry had reportedly spent around $9 million on his recovery efforts and had been to rehab 15 times. The damage from his addictions led to him needing 14 surgeries on his stomach. He was put in a coma for two weeks when he was 49 due to a burst colon and had to use a colostomy bag for nine months post-event.

Perry's representatives have not given an immediate response to Vanity Fair's request for commentary on the matter.