‘Friends’ actor Matthew Perry dies at age 54

Matthiew Perry, famous for his role as Chandler in the series “Friends”, died in his jacuzzi at his home in Los Angeles, several American media reported on Saturday.

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Actor Matthew Perry, who played the character Chandler Bing in the hit sitcom “Friends”, was found dead at his home at the age of 54, American media reported on Saturday October 28.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the actor was found dead in his jacuzzi at his home in Los Angeles. First responders were unable to revive him.

No sign that would suggest a criminal act was found, according to anonymous sources cited by the same newspaper and the specialized media TMZ, which first announced the death. Its representatives did not immediately respond to requests from AFP.

Matthew Perry was best known for the role of Chandler Bing, who did not lack humor, in the ultra-popular series “Friends”, broadcast on NBC for ten seasons, from 1994 to 2004, with some 235 episodes.

The actor had struggled for years with his addiction to painkillers and alcohol, and had attended rehabilitation clinics on several occasions. During a recent television appearance, Perry surprised the audience by admitting to having suffered from severe anxiety “every night” while filming “Friends.” In the memoir, published last year, he confessed to undergoing 65 drug treatment sessions, spending more than $9 million.

“I should be dead”

According to TMZ, no drugs were found at the scene of the actor’s death on Saturday.

In addition to “Friends,” Perry has starred in films such as “Fools Rush In” and “The Whole Nine Yards.”

He had undergone several surgeries linked to his drug addiction problems, including a seven-hour colon operation in 2018, going so far as to say one day: “I should be dead”.

Alongside Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer, Matthew Perry made the success of this television series adored by American youth and beyond. In the end, the six heroes were paid around a million dollars per episode.

According to Variety, they even negotiated a fee of $2.5 million each for the filming of a reunion show in 2021. During this episode, Matthew Perry aroused the fears of his fans visibly stammering his words.

Matthew Perry, born in Massachusetts (north-east) to Canadian and American parents, was raised in Canada before moving to Los Angeles. The series “Friends” was a huge audience success and left its mark on a generation of viewers. Its arrival on Netflix allowed it to attract a new audience, confirming the intact popularity of the sitcom, a genre that many said was in decline.

With AFP

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