Matthew Perry dies at 54: From beating Justin Trudeau to drug addictions, relations and more, here are 10 things to know
- In his memoir 'Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing', released almost a year before his death, Matthew Perry provided details about himself before he was on the hit '90s sitcom and beyond. He also wrote about his battle with addiction and the cost of fame.
The beloved actor, renowned for his portrayal of Chandler Bing in the '90s sitcom 'Friends', Matthew Perry passed away at the age of 54 at his Los Angeles residence on 29 October.
Soon after the news broke about Perry's death, the entertainment world was in a state of shock.
In his memoir 'Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing', released almost a year before his death, Perry provided details about himself before he was on the hit '90s sitcom and beyond. He also wrote about his battle with addiction and the cost of fame.
Here are 10 revelations from his memoir:
1) He allegedly 'beat up' a young Justin Trudeau:
In his memoir, Perry wrote that his mother who began working as a press aide for former prime minister of Canada Pierre Trudeau, and moved to Toronto when he was 10, reported celebrity.nine.com.au, adding, that he started acting up in the form of smoking and getting bad grades.
Perry claimed in his book that he had beaten up a young Justin Trudeau, Pierre's son and now Canadian prime minister.
2) Found peace for the first time when he drank as a teen:
Perry recalled that when he was 14 and a nationally-ranked tennis player in Canada, he drank a bottle of Andrès Baby Duck. He wrote that when friends began throwing up, he found a sense of peace.
"I was lying back in the grass and the mud, looking at the moon, surrounded by fresh puke, and … nothing bothered me," the website quoted him as writing in his memoir.
3) Started acting to reconnect with his father:
When 15, Perry moved from Canada to Hollywood, hoping to reconnect with his father. This move created a rift between Perry and his mother.
He remembered that in Hollywood, he was affected by alcoholism, drinking six vodka tonics every night. However, he was not a high-functioning alcoholic like his father.
4) Matthew Perry and Keanu Reeves:
Being close to American actor and musician River Phoenix, with whom he starred in 'A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon', Perry was devastated after Phoenix died at the age of 23.
While mentioning Phoenix in his book, Perry named Keanu Reeves, who was taken aback at being called out. Though, Perry apologized later saying he chose a name at random.
Perry wrote in his book, as the site quoted, "Why is it that the original thinkers like River Phoenix and Heath Ledger die, but Keanu Reeves still walks among us?"
5) Matthew Perry and Jennifer Aniston:
Perry in his memoir had mentioned that he had a crush on former co-star Jennifer Aniston, saying he asked her out three years before Friends first aired in 1994.
6) Matthew Perry and Tricia Fisher:
Perry, when 18, started dating late Carrie Fisher's half-sister named Tricia. He credited her for helping him solve drinking-related erectile dysfunction.
7) Matthew Perry and Valerie Bertinelli:
In his book, Perry accepted that he had a huge crush on Valerie Bertinelli, who was married to one of the most famous rock stars on the planet, Eddie Van Halen.
He noted that at first, the feelings were not mutual, but he didn't care. He also said that he reportedly enjoyed a steamy makeout session with her.
8) Matthew Perry and Julia Roberts:
After Friends soared to international success, Hollywood superstar Julia Roberts agreed to appear on the show. But she made it clear she would do it only if she appeared in Perry's storyline.
Also, Perry and Roberts were reportedly dating for two months.
9) Matthew Perry's Vicodin addiction:
While shooting 'Fools Rush In' with Salma Hayek, Perry had a jet ski accident and was given Vicodin for the pain.
He liked the Vicodin so much that he decided to get 40 more pills delivered to his house. However, after 18 months, he was taking 55 Vicodin pills a day.
Later, when he was 26, he went to rehab, which ended his Vicodin addiction. However, his addiction to drinking persisted until 2001.
10) Almost died after his colon burst from opioid abuse:
In his memoir, Perry recollected that he started taking methadone, on top of cocaine and Xanax, when he was 30.
By 2019, when Perry was 49, he nearly died after his colon burst from opioid overuse and he was in a coma for two weeks. He even spent five months in the hospital. In January 2022, Perry had his 14th surgery related to opiate abuse.
By then, he believed he had not slept more than four hours a night in his whole life and was full of regret about his past relationships.
Catch all the Business News , Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
Business NewsNewsWorldMatthew Perry dies at 54: From beating Justin Trudeau to drug addictions, relations and more, here are 10 things to know
First Published:29 Oct 2023, 07:19 PM IST
- Top Gainers
- Top Losers
- 52 Week High