Matthew Perry, the actor who played Chandler Bing in the American sitcom 'Friends,' was found dead on the 28th (local time) at his home in Los Angeles (LA), California, according to reports from the LA Times and CNN. He was 54 years old.
LA police authorities responded to a report around 4 p.m. of a "heart attack patient" and arrived at Perry's residence, where they found him unconscious in a jacuzzi tub. Media outlets reported that "it is clear that it was a drowning accident, and there is no suspicion of foul play."
Perry was the son of American actor John Perry and Canadian journalist Susan Langford. He was born on August 19, 1969, in Williamstown, Massachusetts. His mother Langford served as a spokesperson during the tenure of Pierre Trudeau, the father of current Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, when Pierre Trudeau was Prime Minister of Canada.
Perry's parents divorced before he turned one. He grew up in Ottawa, Canada, with his mother. During this time, Perry attended Rockcliffe Park Public Elementary School in Ottawa alongside Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
In 2017, Perry appeared on the late-night talk show hosted by American comedian Jimmy Kimmel and said that in fifth grade, he was jealous of Trudeau's athletic abilities and once hit him with a friend.
At age 15, Perry moved to LA and developed an interest in acting during high school. After graduation, he began his acting career through the TV series 'Second Chance.'
Matthew Perry, who played the role of Chandler Bing in the American sitcom 'Friends'. Photo by AP Yonhap News
In 1994, he took on the role of Chandler Bing in the sitcom Friends, which aired on NBC in the United States. As the show gained worldwide popularity, Perry rose to stardom.
Friends, considered the most successful sitcom in American history, aired for 10 seasons over 10 years until 2004, becoming a legendary series.
However, his life was not smooth due to addiction to alcohol and opioid painkillers such as Vicodin and OxyContin. In his memoir published last October titled 'Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing,' Perry confessed his struggle with drug addiction.
At one point, he took as many as 55 Vicodin pills a day and was diagnosed with a 2% chance of survival after his colon ruptured in 2018 due to OxyContin addiction.
He later claimed to have completely quit drugs, but it appears his health did not recover.
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