At 4:10 p.m. on Saturday, October 28, police and emergency services rushed to a hilltop home in Pacific Palisades, one of the most exclusive and picturesque areas of Los Angeles, close to the beaches of Malibu. A woman called and explained that after running some errands, she found a man, her boss, unconscious. Just an hour later, the world knew that man was Matthew Perry, the beloved Chandler Bing from Friends, and police confirmed his death. Perry drowned in the hot tub at his home. He was 54 years old.
Night quickly fell in the city and the Pacific Palisades house began to fill with police and curious onlookers, especially neighbors. Perry’s home is not in a transit area, so only a handful of media members and a few residents arrived there while police cordoned off the area. Those who were seen entering the house were the actor’s parents. John Bennett Perry, the actor’s father, and Suzanne Morrison, his mother, had been divorced since he was barely a year old, and arrived in separate cars, accompanied by her husband of more than 40 years, Keith Morrison. A few hours later, the family released a statement of condolence regarding the death of Matthew Perry. “We are heartbroken over the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother,” they said in their words. “Matthew has brought so much joy to this world, as an actor and as a friend.”
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“You all meant a lot to him and we appreciate the immense expressions of love,” the short note read. Matthew Perry had no siblings from his parents’ marriage, which lasted only two years, from 1968 to 1970, but he had five half-siblings from each of the following unions. In 1981, both John Bennett and Suzanne remarried and their relationship continues to this day. He, John Bennett, now 82, was a well-known actor who appeared in series such as Falcon Crest. He married Debbie Boyle, a screenwriter and children’s story author, and they had a daughter, Mia Perry, in 1986. For her part, Suzanne, who was press secretary to former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, father of Justin Trudeau, married an NBC journalist Keith Morrison, who also had a previous son. Between 1981 and 1989 they had four children, Caitlin, Emily, Willy and Madeleine. His father’s family lived in Los Angeles, his mother’s first in Ottawa and then in Montreal, so Matthew Perry grew up between the USA and Canada. He was born in Massachusetts, USA and had both nationalities, American and Canadian.
So another of the first condolences for Perry’s death came from Justin Trudeau, Canada’s current prime minister. Trudeau is just two years younger than Perry and they have known each other since childhood when their parents worked together. “The death of Matthew Perry is shocking and very sad,” the president wrote on his Twitter profile. “I will never forget the games of our childhood, and I know that there are many people in the world who will never forget the joy he gave them. Thanks for all the laughs, Matthew. “You were someone who was very loved and we will miss you very much.”
The five remaining actors from the main cast of Friends have not yet responded publicly. But some other characters in the series made it. For example, Maggie Wheeler, who played Janice, Chandler’s on-again, off-again girlfriend, posted a photo of the two of them in a scene from the series: “What a loss…The world will miss you.” The joy you brought to so many of us you have prepared in your too short life will last. I’m grateful for every creative moment we shared.”
Morgan Fairchild, the actress who played Chandler’s mother in the series, also dedicated it some words shortly after learning of his death. “I am heartbroken by the untimely death of my ‘son’ Matthew Perry. The loss of such a young and brilliant actor is shocking. “I send my love and condolences to his friends and family, especially his father, John Bennett Perry, with whom I worked on Flamingo Road and Falcon Crest.”
I am heartbroken over the untimely death of my “son” Matthew Perry. The loss of such a brilliant young actor is a shock. I send love and condolences to his friends and family, especially his father, John Bennett Perry, with whom I worked on Flamingo Road and Falcon Crest. #RIPMathew pic.twitter.com/QWMsBVJEAr
– Morgan Fairchild (@morgfair) October 29, 2023
One of Perry’s few successes after “Friends” was “The Odd Couple,” a comedy series about two recently divorced friends, which she starred in for three seasons between 2015 and 2017 alongside actor Thomas Lennon. He also wanted to say a short and emotional goodbye to him Message in X (formerly Twitter): “Matthew was the best shoulder to lean on.”
Singer Adele, performing on Saturday night at one of her concerts in Las Vegas, where she will be every weekend until next June, wanted to pay tribute to him during her show. “I just want to say how much I love what he did for all of us,” she said.