Chapman community grieves the loss of ‘Friends’ star Matthew Perry
The television and movie actor passed away at his home on Oct. 28 after a drowning accident. Chapman students and faculty shared their fond memories of Perry’s work. Photo collage by EMILY PARIS, Photo Editor
While actor Matthew Perry might be best known across the globe for his depiction of Chandler Bing in “Friends,” he was also the recipient of six awards, had a heart of gold and a vehement lover of Batman, even referring to himself as “Mattman.”
On Oct. 28, Perry passed away at age 54. The beloved actor was found unresponsive in his home hot tub after an apparent drowning.
Whether fans have been watching since the initial release of “Friends” or found comfort years later in bingeing all 10 seasons in a month, the show is the kind of heartwarming sitcom that has the ability to resonate with millions of viewers.
After the first episode aired in 1994, it didn’t take long before everyone was falling head over heels for the charming-yet-awkwardly hilarious Chandler Bing (Perry), who was navigating life in New York City alongside his five friends — Rachel (Jennifer Aniston), Joey (Matt LeBlanc), Ross (David Schwimmer), Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) and Monica (Courteney Cox). Perry’s death has left many “Friends” lovers grieving as if they lost someone they actually knew.
“He's not a person I knew personally in real life, but I think what a lot of ‘Friends’ viewers have been going through is that you still knew Chandler,” said senior business administration major Jordan Wheeler. “So even if you haven't met Matthew Perry, and you might not know what his life has been like in the last 10 years, you still know him on a personal level. So it is really (like) losing a friend.”
“He’s not a person I knew personally in real life, but I think what a lot of ‘Friends’ viewers have been going through is that you still knew Chandler. So even if you haven’t met Matthew Perry, and you might not know what his life has been like in the last 10 years, you still know him on a personal level. So it is really (like) losing a friend.”
The actor, who also starred in “Fools Rush In,” “17 Again” and “The Odd Couple,” stood out to senior film and media studies major Antony Post because of the way Perry’s character was able to connect with him on a very personal level.
“I really credit ‘Friends’ with helping ease my transition into high school,” Post said. “It was always lifting me up. It’s such a pure show, and I think it really embodies the best of television.”
Post continued: “Specifically with Matthew Perry, and with Chandler, I think that was a character for me that really was a shining light. I am also a child of divorce as his character was, and it was really the first time that I could point to a character who was from a divorced family, and (who) was laughing at it and was taking his pain and processing it through comedy. He was finding levity and joy, and he was moving forward with sarcasm. And, I think that really just gave me such inspiration.”
“...it was really the first time that I could point to a character who was from a divorced family, and (who) was laughing at it and was taking his pain and processing it through comedy. He was finding levity and joy, and he was moving forward with sarcasm. And, I think that really just gave me such inspiration.”
In 2022, Perry released a memoir titled “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing,” which covered his time on the famous show, romantic and platonic relationships as well as his battle with addiction. Since Perry’s death, his memoir has reached number one on Amazon.
Chapman professor Amy Straus, who was also a writer on “Friends,” shared with The Panther her favorite memory from her time working on set with Perry.
In one of her penned episodes, “The One with the Cat,” — where Joey and Chandler’s apartment is robbed while Joey is trapped in their entertainment center — the episode ends with Joey asking Chandler if he knew what he’d do if he ever saw the robber again. Straus had written the line “Give him your shoe laces?” but Perry respectfully argued that it could be even funnier.
“During the week of rehearsal, (Perry) said, ‘That is such a gigantic setup, and I just wonder if there is a bigger punchline here,’” Straus said. “I really liked the (original) joke, but (I was) sort of inspired by the challenge that I wrote in my script, ‘Bend over.’ And that's ultimately what we used.”
But it wasn’t just his ability to crack a joke at the perfect moment or deliver his humor in just the right intonation to make everyone laugh. It was the raw authenticity of being true to himself that Perry brought to the role which has had fans loving him for decades.
“I just think that he showed me a way forward at a time when I really needed it,” Post told The Panther. “He was the type of male character that you didn't always see, and it wasn't the type of male character I always saw, but it's the type of male character that I needed. I really, really love what he represented.”
Although many fans love Perry because of his role as Chandler, Perry expressed his desire to be remembered not just for “Friends,” but for the way he impacted the community. On Nov. 3, the Matthew Perry Foundation was launched in an effort to honor Perry’s legacy and help those struggling with drug addiction.
“I think that's the thing about television and living with these characters over and over again is that distinguishing them is something that a lot of people are doing now and realizing that he was more than Chandler,” Post said. “He was a playwright. He was an author. He was a rom-com lead. He had a really interesting life and career, and sometimes, he had a lot of pain, but he was definitely more than just Chandler Bing.”
“He was the type of male character that you didn’t always see, and it wasn’t the type of male character I always saw, but it’s the type of male character that I needed. I really, really love what he represented.”
