Matthew Perry, ‘Friends’ Star and TV Legend, Dead at 54

Matthew Perry, the legendary sitcom star best known for playing Chandler Bing on “Friends,” has died at 54, the Los Angeles Times reports. The actor was reportedly found unresponsive in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home in what is believed to be a drowning incident. The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the death, but no foul play is currently suspected.

Born in Williamstown, Massachusetts in 1969, Perry moved to Los Angeles at the age of 15 to pursue a career in acting. He quickly rose to international stardom for “Friends,” which ran for 10 seasons on NBC between 1994 and 2004. The role earned him a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in 2002, and the show continues to be remembered for having one of the great ensemble casts in sitcom history.

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Following his success on “Friends,” Perry remained a fixture on America’s television screens for the remainder of his life. His three-episode arc as Joe Quincy on “The West Wing” earned him two Primetime Emmy nods for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series, and he re-teamed with Aaron Sorkin as a series regular on “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip” in 2006. He went on to play lead roles on the sitcoms “Mr. Sunshine,” “Go On,” and the 2017 reboot of “The Odd Couple.” He also made acclaimed guest appearances on “The Good Wife,” “The Good Fight,” and “Cougar Town.” He earned his fifth and final Primetime Emmy nomination in 2021 for his involvement in the live “Friends” reunion special.

At the height of his “Friends” fame, Perry also played leading roles in several films including “Fools Rush In,” “Almost Heroes,” and “The Whole Nine Yards.”

Perry struggled with addictions to alcohol and prescription drugs throughout his adult life, and famously said that he has no recollection of a three year stretch of “Friends” due to his heavy substance abuse. He devoted his time and money to a variety of charitable endeavors to help recovering addicts, and had been fully sober since May 2021. He addressed his public battles with addiction in his 2022 memoir “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.”

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