MOVIE NEWS – Matthew Perry, a key player in the cult series Friends, tragically lost his life at the age of 54. Perry, who portrayed Chandler Bing from 1994 to 2004, touched numerous hearts with his humorous performances in the series. According to sources from the Los Angeles Times, the actor drowned in his hot tub on Saturday afternoon, and unfortunately, the paramedics could not save him.

Like the rest of the cast, Perry gained fame through Friends, and although he almost missed this opportunity due to another series, fortunately, fate allowed him to join the team, becoming an iconic member of Friends at the age of 24.

Friends became a milestone in television, with more than 25 million people watching some episodes. Perry was first nominated for an Emmy Award for his role as Chandler Bing in 2002, and was later nominated twice for his memorable performances in The West Wing. He was mostly known for his TV roles, such as in The West Wing created by Aaron Sorkin, and also starred in successful comedies like My Neighbor the Assassin and its sequel, Fool Wind Blows, or Life is Beautiful in Threes.

The downside of Perry’s success was the alcohol and drug addiction he battled during the filming of Friends, a struggle that continued even after the series ended. In 2013, in an interview with People magazine, he discussed overcoming addiction at the age of 43, and since then, he has helped others facing similar issues.

We last saw him acting in 2017 in the mini-series The Kennedys: After Camelot, since then he only appeared in talk shows, and of course in the highly successful TV special Friends: Reunion in 2021.

Perry never married, and had no children. Preliminary reports indicate that neither foul play nor drugs were involved in the tragic incident.