On October 28 2023 the beloved Matthew Perry, also known as Chandler Bing, passed away in the comfort of his home. Although he has passed, his legacy will live on forever.

Perry began his acting career as a young teenager in the midst of his family's chaos. His father,  a former actor, split up with his mother while Perry was still an infant. He went to live with his mother in Ottawa, Canada due to his mother getting a job as a press secretary, but never truly settled in. After moving to Los Angeles at the age of 15 to live with his father, Perry enrolled at a private school which he then graduated from in 1987. Through his high school years, he developed two passions: playing tennis and acting. Although tennis seemed to be his calling, he landed a role in an upcoming movie titled A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon, and he had a career change. Unfortunately, the film came and went without much notice, along with a handful of other films and sitcoms. Eventually, Perry got his big break with a leading role in a new sitcom, Friends. Perry played the charismatic and sarcastic Chandler Bing which became the name he was known for nationwide. Each cast member eventually earned $1 million per episode and earned 62 Emmy Award nominations in its run. One of these nominations was Perry's 2002 nod for Outstanding Lead Actor in Comedy Series. 

The uprising of Perry’s acting career also came with many mental tolls. As he enjoyed the immense popularity of Friends, Perry battled addictions to alcohol and prescription medications. In an interview with the New York Times in 2002 Perry said, “I was a guy who wanted to become famous. There was steam coming out of my ears, I wanted to be famous so badly. You want the attention, the bucks, and the best seat in a restaurant. I didn't think what the repercussions would be.” Eventually reaching out to help, Perry entered rehab for his addiction to the painkiller Vicodin in 1997 and completed a second rehab rotation in 2001. Years later Perry claimed he couldn't stop using alcohol and pills during that period in his life. Unfortunately, his addiction relapsed countless amounts of times and the star became a friendly face at multiple rehab centers. In his 2022 book Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, Perry wrote he spent a total of $7 million attempting to get sober. Even though he continued to struggle, that didn't stop the star from supporting other addicts too. He advocated for drug court reform and, for a short period of time, turned his old Malibu home into a men's sober living facility called Perry House. 

Due to Perry’s role in the sitcom Friends, many of his coworkers have come out about the impact he has left on their lives. In an interview with People his costars Jennifer Aniston, Courtney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt Leblanc, and David Schwimmer said, “We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family. There is so much to say, but right now we're going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss. In time we will say more, as when we are able. For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty's family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world.” Some of Perry's scene partners on the show also paid a special part in a tribute. Maggie Wheeler, who played Chandler's on-again, off-again situations Janice in the first four seasons of Friends, took to Instagram. In a post, Wheeler said, “What a loss. The world will miss you, Matthew Perry. The joy you brought to so many in your short lifetime will live on. I feel so very blessed by every creative moment we’ve shared.” 

Although Perry has passed, his legacy will live on forever.