Matthew Perry biography: 13 things about actor born in Williamstown, Massachusetts

Matthew Langford Perry was an American actor born in Williamstown, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States born to John Bennett-Perry and Suzanne Marie Morrison. Matthew was a citizen of both the U.S. and Canada.

John is an American actor and former model and Morrison is a Canadian journalist. After John they divorced in 1970, she raised Matthew mostly in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and she married Keith Morrison.

Matthew is best known for his role as Chandler Bing in the NBC television sitcom “Friends“. His co-stars were Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer and Matt LeBlanc.

Before moving to the U.S., Matthew attended Rockcliffe Park Public School and Ashbury College, which are both in Ottawa. Here are 13 more things about him:

1. In 1979, he made his television debut by playing Arthur in a “240-Robert” episode. In 1984, he moved from Ottawa to Los Angeles, California, USA with his father.
2. In 1987, he graduated from The Buckley School in the Sherman Oaks in Los Angeles. From 1987 to 1988, he played Chazz Russell in “Boys Will be Boys“. He starred in the films “A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon” in 1988, “She’s Out of Control” in 1989 and “Getting In” in 1994.
3. From 1994 to 2004, he played Chandler Bing in “Friends”. He dated Yasmine Bleeth in 1995 and Julia Roberts from 1995 to 1996.
4. In 1997, he had a jet ski accident and starred in the film “Fools Rush In“. He starred in the films “Almost Heroes” in 1998, “Three to Tango” in 1999 and “The Whole Nine Yards” in 2000.
5. In February 2001, he entered rehab for an addiction to Vicodin, alcohol, amphetamines and methadone. He starred in the films “The Whole Ten Yards” in 2004 and “The Ron Clark Story” in 2006.
6. From 2006 to 2012, he dated Lizzy Caplan. From 2006 to 2007, he played Matt Albie in “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip“. He starred in the films “Numb” in 2007, “Birds of America” in 2008 and “17 Again” in 2009.
7. In 2011, he lobbied U.S. Congress as a celebrity spokesperson for the National Association of Drug Court Professionals in support of funding for drug courts.
8. From 2012 to 2013, he played Ryan King in “Go On“, which he also executive produced.
9. In May 2013, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy honored him with a Champion of Recovery award for opening Perry House, a sober living home in his former mansion in Malibu, California.
10. From 2015 to 2017, he played Oscar Madison in “The Odd Couple“.
11. In 2018, he spent five months in a hospital for a gastrointestinal perforation, two weeks in a coma and nine month using a colostomy bag.
12. From November 2020 to 2021, he and Molly Hurwitz were engaged. In 2021, he, Aniston, Cox, Kudrow, LeBlanc and Schwimmer reunited in the HBO Max special “Friends: The Reunion,” which they executive produced with Kevin S. Bright, Marta Kauffman and David Crane. In October 2022, he published a memoir titled “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing“.
13. On October 28, 2023, he died from an apparent drowning in a hot tub at his residence in Los Angeles. He was 54.