Netflix is now streaming a poignant three-part documentary about Matthew Perry, offering an intimate look at the actor’s life away from the spotlight and his long struggle with substance abuse. However, five of the most recognisable people from his career are notably missing from the programme. Perry was known around the world as Chandler Bing, the quick-witted Friends character he played alongside Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc and Lisa Kudrow. After his death from an accidental overdose in October 2023, tributes poured in from co-stars and fans worldwide. Although several people close to him appear in The One About Matthew Perry, the actor’s on-screen best friends do not give interviews.
The Friends cast have repeatedly honoured Perry online during the three years since his death, but they ultimately decided against appearing in the Netflix documentary, according to OK!.
Director Mary Robertson explained the decision in an interview with Tudum: “We know the cast of Friends loves Matthew and are grieving in their own ways. We did approach them, and they decided not to participate.
“I feel so privileged and honoured, though, by the participation of a producer and writer [Jeff Strauss] who worked very closely on Friends, and the photographs that were shared with us … [which] allowed us to offer a perspective on that sitcom that I don’t think you’ve heard before and that is quite intimate.”
Ensure our latest TV stories always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings.
YOU MAY ALSO READ: Max Azzarello, 37, dead after lighting himself on fire in designated protest area outside of Donald Trump’s trial – NewsFinale
Perry remained close to his former Friends colleagues after the sitcom ended in 2004. He was found dead in the hot tub at his Southern California home in October 2023. A medical examiner later concluded that he died from the acute effects of ketamine.
The documentary also features a deeply personal account from Perry’s sister Mia, who revealed that the actor spent $7 million in his efforts to overcome addiction. “All great stories have comedy and tragedy in them, and that certainly was Matthew’s story. My brother would talk about that feeling of emptiness or loneliness that he couldn’t quite fill. He spent $7 million trying to get sober. That’s how seriously he took his disease,” she said.
Mia said she needed time before feeling able to speak publicly about her brother’s life and struggles. “It’s taken time for me to feel ready to share these memories and what it was like to love Matthew through all the complexity of his life-to see him as a whole person, not just as Chandler, and not just as someone who struggled with addiction.
“As his sister, he shaped who I am today, the person I strive to be, and the work to which I’ve devoted my life. Matthew had a beautiful heart and a generous spirit, and even in his darkest moments, he could still make you laugh and feel loved.”
The One About Matthew Perry is available to stream now on Netflix