American actor Matthew Perry, 54, was found dead in his bathtub at his home in Los Angeles, American media reported on Saturday. He became known for his role as Chandler Bing in the television series “Friends”.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the actor was found dead in his bathtub at his Los Angeles home. The first responders were unable to revive him.
No signs were found to suggest foul play, according to anonymous sources cited by the same newspaper and TMZ, which first reported the death. Their representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment from AFP.
Matthew Perry is best known for the role of Chandler Bing, who was not lacking in humor, in the extremely popular series “Friends”, which aired on NBC for ten seasons from 1994 to 2004 and comprised around 235 episodes.
Addiction to painkillers
The actor had struggled with his addiction to painkillers and alcohol for years and had been to rehabilitation clinics several times. During a recent television appearance, Perry surprised audiences by admitting that he suffered from severe anxiety “every night” while filming Friends.
In his memoirs published last year, he admitted to undergoing 65 drug treatments and spending more than $9 million. According to TMZ, no drugs were found at the actor’s crime scene on Saturday.
In addition to “Friends,” Perry also appeared in films such as “Fools Rush In” and “The Whole Nine Yards.”
I paid a million dollars per episode
He had undergone several surgeries related to his drug addiction issues, including a seven-hour colon surgery in 2018, to the point where he said one day, “I should be dead.”
Alongside Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer, Matthew Perry ensured the success of this television series beloved by American youth and beyond. In the end, the six heroes received around a million dollars per episode.
According to Variety, they even negotiated a fee of $2.5 million each to film a reunion show in 2021. During this episode, Matthew Perry raised the fears of his fans by visibly stammering his words.
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