According to Perry’s sister Mia Perry Bowick, who is interviewed in the documentary series, The One About Matthew Perry seeks “to see him as a whole person, not just as Chandler, and not just as someone who struggled with addiction.” Bowick went on to state, “Matthew had a beautiful heart and a generous spirit, and even in his darkest moments, he could still make you laugh and feel loved. I hope this series gives everyone who loved him, whether personally or from afar, a deeper appreciation for who he truly was, and the legacy he leaves behind.”
The One About Matthew Perry is being helmed by director Mary Robertson, whose Investigation Discovery docuseries Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV similarly probed how young actors are often adversely affected by their time in the limelight. Perry himself started out as a child actor, and noted that he was an alcoholic by the time he was 14. While the project announcement states that, in addition to Bowick, Perry’s “lifelong best friends” will also be interviewed, no details were given about which members of the Friends cast, if any, will participate.
Perry, while indeed being best known for the mega-hit sitcom Friends (from whose naming conventions the docuseries takes its title), had a varied career in film and TV, with Aaron Sorkin particularly tapping into the actor’s serious side for well-regarded roles in both The West Wing and Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip. Meanwhile, Perry, as stated in his 2022 autobiography, Friends, Lovers, And The Big, Terrible Thing: A Memoir, struggled with addiction from a young age, his various dependencies ultimately causing production delays on Friends and other projects and costing him an estimated $9 million on his addiction and repeated attempts at recovery. Perry was found dead at his Los Angeles home on October 28, 2023 from accidental drowning after taking ketamine.
The One About Matthew Perry premieres on October 27 on Netflix.
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