Matthew Perry has reportedly died. The “Friends” actor was 54

Actor Matthew Perry, famously known for the role of Chandler Bing in the iconic show Friends, was found dead Saturday in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home, law enforcement has reported.

Spokesperson of the LA Fire Department reported that first responders arrived at Perry’s home at about 4 p.m. regarding a “water emergency” of an unknown type, but did not name the actor. Sadly, upon arrival, they discovered Perry’s unresponsive body. According to them, there were no drugs of any type at the scene. At the time being, no foul play is suspected.

A representative of the actor hasn’t issued any comments regarding the tragic incident.

The investigation over Perry’s passing is still ongoing and the cause of death remains unknown. It will be determined by the Los Angeles County coroner’s office at a later date.

“We are devastated by the passing of our dear friend Matthew Perry,” Warner Bros. Television Group, which produced “Friends,” said in a statement to The Times. “Matthew was an incredibly gifted actor and an indelible part of the Warner Bros. Television Group family. The impact of his comedic genius was felt around the world, and his legacy will live on in the hearts of so many. This is a heartbreaking day, and we send our love to his family, his loved ones, and all of his devoted fans.”

“We are incredibly saddened by the too soon passing of Matthew Perry,” NBC, which aired the series for all 10 seasons, said in its own statement to The Times. “He brought so much joy to hundreds of millions of people around the world with his pitch perfect comedic timing and wry wit. His legacy will live on through countless generations.”

Saturday evening yellow-and-black LAPD crime scene tape blocked off the entrance to Blue Sail Drive, a tony street just off the Pacific Coast Highway at the crest of a hill with sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean.

Shortly after 7 p.m., as multiple helicopters whirred overhead, Perry’s mother, Suzanne, and her husband, broadcaster Keith Morrison, joined the journalists and LAPD officers on the scene. Morrison declined to comment. An LAPD officer at the scene said he had no information and that he did not know when any would be forthcoming.

Peter, a neighbor of Perry’s on Bluesail Drive who declined to give his last name Saturday evening, said he only spoke to the actor once, for five minutes, and that he was “very pleasant” and a “nice guy.”

“It’s shocking,” Peter said as he waited for the LAPD, who had barred journalists from passing the police tape, to approve him for entry. “He’s been redoing this house forever and he seemed fine. It’s very sad.”

Leo, another neighbor who declined to give his full name, said he was home when an ambulance arrived at Perry’s house Saturday afternoon. He declined to say whether paramedics tried to revive Perry or if a body was removed from the premises.

“I was shocked,” he said. “It was very disturbing and sad after all these years.”

Perry was one of his favorite actors, Leo said, and the funniest member of the “Friends” cast.

“I encountered him once and he was very, very friendly. More so than I thought,” Leo said. “It’s definitely a tragedy, especially at such a young age,” he added. “I was very heartbroken to see what happened.”

Perry, the son of actor John Bennett Perry and Suzanne Marie Langford, onetime press secretary of Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, was born in 1969 and grew up between Montreal and Los Angeles after his parents separated when Perry was 1.

He got his start as a child actor, landing guest spots on “Charles in Charge” and “Beverly Hills 90210” and playing opposite River Phoenix in the film “A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon” in the 1980s and early 1990s.

But his big break came when he was cast in “Friends” — originally titled “Friends Like Us” — a sitcom about six single New Yorkers navigating adulthood that premiered on NBC in 1994.

The series soon became a juggernaut, the anchor of the network’s vaunted Thursday-night “Must-See TV” lineup, and turned Perry and his castmates Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer into mega-stars almost overnight. At its high-water mark — for a 1996 Super Bowl episode and the 2004 series finale — the series could notch more than 50 million live viewers; by its end, cast members were earning more than $1 million an episode.

As Chandler Bing, the handsome, wisecracking roommate of LeBlanc’s Joey Tribbiani and, later, love interest of Cox’s fastidious Monica Geller, Perry distinguished himself in a crackling ensemble cast. With his dry delivery he created a catchphrase with a mere turn of inflection, based on banter he’d shared with childhood friends: Could he be any more Chandler?

Soon, he was attached to major stars like Julia Roberts and appearing in prominent films such as 1997 rom-com “Fools Rush In,” opposite Salma Hayek, and 2000 ensemble mob comedy “The Whole Nine Yards” with Bruce Willis.

There was a dark side to the life of one of television’s most beloved funnymen, however. In his 2022 memoir, “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing,” Perry recounted his lifelong struggle with addiction to alcohol and opioids. He wrote that he had his first drink at 14, but didn’t recognize the signs of alcoholism until 21. Since then, he estimated, he’d spent more than $7 million on efforts to get sober, including multiple stints in rehab. His substance abuse also led to a number of serious health issues, including a five-month hospitalization in 2018 following a colon rupture that left him, he wrote, with a 2% chance to live through the night.

And it was fueled, he acknowledged during a “Friends” reunion special in 2021, by the pressure to land the joke in front of a live studio audience night after night.

“Nobody wanted to be famous more than me,” Perry told The Times in April, discussing “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing” at the Festival of Books. “I was convinced it was the answer. I was 25, it was the second year of ‘Friends,’ and eight months into it, I realized the American dream is not making me happy, not filling the holes in my life. I couldn’t get enough attention. … Fame does not do what you think it’s going to do. It was all a trick.”

Perry was remembered on Saturday by friends and collaborators such as Selma Blair, Paget Brewster, Morgan Fairchild and Mira Sorvino as a singular comic talent and kind soul.

Perry’s “Friends” co-star Maggie Wheeler, who played his on-again, off-again girlfriend Janice on the hit show, shared a sweet tribute on Instagram.

“What a loss. The world will miss you Mathew Perry,” she wrote. “The joy you brought to so many in your too short lifetime will live on. I feel so very blessed by every creative moment we shared.”

He was also memorialized by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Pierre’s son and one of Perry’s childhood friends.

“Matthew Perry’s passing is shocking and saddening,” Trudeau wrote on X. “I’ll never forget the schoolyard games we used to play, and I know people around the world are never going to forget the joy he brought them. Thanks for all the laughs, Matthew. You were loved — and you will be missed.”

Though Perry estimated he had relapsed “60 or 70 times” since first getting sober in 2001, he maintained a steady presence on American television, playing key parts in backstage dramedy “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip” and therapy sitcom “Go On,” and making a steady stream of guest appearances on acclaimed shows such as “The West Wing” and “The Good Wife.”

Since his near-death experience in 2018, Perry had found solace in friends, frequent games of pickleball and, especially, writing. Though producing “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing” had forced him to relive his darkest moments, it also connected him to “all the sufferers out there”: “I had a story to tell, a story that could really help people,” he wrote. “And helping others had become the answer for me.”

Indeed, for all his success as an actor and, more recently, as a bestselling memoirist, Perry told The Times in April that his work was not the center of what he hoped would be his legacy.

Pressed to name how he’d like to be remembered, he said: “As a guy who lived life, loved well, lived well and helped people. That running into me was a good thing, and not something bad.”

My Friend Excluded Me from His Wedding, and His Reason Left Me Speechless

The open bar was a hit. Everyone was mingling, drinks in hand, and laughter filled the room. The waiters placed two bottles of wine on each table, along with bread and butter.

“This wine is fantastic,” Bob said, pouring himself another glass. “Have you tried it, Mike?”

“Not yet, but I will,” I replied, reaching for my glass.

Soon, the buffet was announced. The emcee explained that tables would be called up a few at a time, starting with family.

“That makes sense,” Sarah said. “Family first.”

We watched as the first few tables were called. The buffet looked incredible, with a variety of dishes. However, I noticed something concerning.

“Those plates are piled high,” I whispered to Sarah. “I hope there’s enough for everyone.”

“Yeah, me too,” she replied, frowning.

Time passed, and more tables were called. Family members returned for seconds, their plates even fuller than before. My stomach grumbled as we waited.

“Finally!” I said when our table was called.

But when we reached the buffet, it was almost empty. We managed to scrape together a few scraps and returned to our seats, feeling disappointed.

“This is all that’s left?” Jane asked, looking at her nearly empty plate.

“Afraid so,” I said. “I can’t believe they ran out of food.”

Everyone at our table was visibly upset. The mood had shifted from joy to frustration.

“This is ridiculous!” Bob said. “I’m still hungry.”

“Me too,” Sarah added. “What are we supposed to do now?”

We sat there, picking at our meager portions. The conversations around us became hushed and tense.

“Someone should have planned better,” Jane muttered. “This is a wedding, for goodness’ sake.”

Tom, the groom, walked over with a concerned look on his face.

“Hey, Mike, is everything okay?” he asked.

“Not really, Tom,” I replied. “There’s no food left. We’re all still hungry.”

Tom’s face fell. “I’m so sorry. I thought there would be enough for everyone.”

“It’s not your fault,” Sarah said kindly. “We’ll figure something out.”

After Tom left, we continued to chat, trying to make the best of the situation.

“Wouldn’t it be funny if we just ordered pizza?” Bob joked, trying to lighten the mood.

“That’s not a bad idea,” I said, half-serious. “I’m starving.”

“Let’s do it,” Jane said, her eyes lighting up. “We can all pitch in.”

Everyone agreed, and we quickly pooled our money. I called a nearby pizza place and ordered four large pizzas and some wings.

“Thirty minutes,” the delivery guy said. “We’ll be right there.”

“Perfect,” I replied, feeling a bit of relief.

We waited, our anticipation growing. The mood at our table started to improve as we imagined the pizza arriving.

“I can’t believe we’re doing this!” Sarah laughed. “This is going to be a story to tell!”

Finally, the pizzas arrived. I met the delivery guy outside and carried the boxes in, feeling the eyes of other guests on me.

“Did you really order pizza?” one of them asked, surprised.

“Yep,” I said, grinning. “Help yourselves if you didn’t get enough food.”

As we started eating, the atmosphere at our table transformed. We shared the pizzas with nearby tables that had also missed out on the buffet, and everyone was grateful.

“This is the best idea ever!” Bob said, biting into a slice. “Thanks, Mike!”

“No problem,” I replied, feeling a sense of camaraderie. However, I didn’t notice the other tables looking at us with clear disapproval.

I tried to enjoy my pizza, but I couldn’t shake the feeling something bad was coming. Just then, a tall man in a suit, who I recognized as Linda’s father, approached our table.

“Excuse me,” he said, his voice stern. “Where did you get that pizza?”

I looked up at him and sighed. “We ordered it. There wasn’t enough food left at the buffet, and we were all still hungry.”

He glanced at the nearly empty pizza boxes, his eyes narrowing. “You didn’t get enough food?”

“No,” I replied, trying to stay calm. “By the time we got to the buffet, there was hardly anything left.”

Linda’s father frowned. “There are two slices left. May I have one?”

I looked at him, feeling a mix of frustration and disbelief. “Honestly, sir, no. Your family ate most of the buffet food. We had to order this just to get something in our stomachs.”

His face turned red. “You’re refusing to share?”

“Yes,” I said firmly. “We barely got to eat anything, and we’re still hungry.”

He stood there for a moment, clearly angry. Then he turned and walked back to his table, muttering under his breath. The tension in the room was palpable. I could see the bride, Linda, glaring at us from across the room. The family at their table was whispering and shooting daggers our way.

“This isn’t good,” Jane said quietly. “I think we’re in trouble.”

Tom came back over, looking distressed. “Mike, I’m sorry, but you and Sarah need to leave.”

“What? Why?” I asked, feeling a surge of anger.

“Linda is really upset,” Tom explained. “Her father is furious. They think you disrespected them by ordering pizza and not sharing.”

I shook my head in disbelief. “Tom, we were starving. We didn’t mean any disrespect.”

“I know,” he said, looking genuinely sorry. “But it’s causing too much tension. Please, just go. We’ll talk later.”

Feeling frustrated and hurt, I nodded. “Alright, we’ll leave.”

Sarah and I gathered our things and left the reception. We called a cab and went home, the evening ending on a sour note.

A few days later, Tom called me. “Mike, can we talk?”

“Sure,” I said, still feeling a bit annoyed. “What’s up?”

“I want to apologize,” Tom began. “I had a long talk with Linda and her family. They realize now that there wasn’t enough food for everyone. Linda is furious with her family for taking so much and leaving the other guests with nothing.”

“I appreciate that, Tom,” I said, feeling a bit relieved. “It was a tough situation for everyone.”

“Yeah, it was,” Tom agreed. “Linda’s father feels terrible about what happened. He wants to make it up to everyone.”

“Really? How?” I asked, curious.

“He’s planning an ‘After Wedding Shindig’,” Tom explained. “He’s going to invite everyone who was at the wedding, plus a few more. There will be plenty of food and entertainment. He wants to make sure no one goes hungry this time.”

“That sounds great,” I said, genuinely pleased. “When is it?”

“Mid-August,” Tom replied. “He’s pulling in favors and going all out. There’ll be food, drinks, music, and even some fun activities like axe throwing and a bonfire.”

“Wow, that sounds amazing,” I said, smiling. “I’m looking forward to it.”

“Me too,” Tom said. “I hope this helps smooth things over.”

“I think it will,” I agreed.

As I hung up the phone, I felt a sense of relief. The situation had been awkward and tense, but it seemed like things were moving in a positive direction.

Reflecting on the whole ordeal, I realized how unexpected and strange it had all been. A simple lack of food had caused so much drama, but in the end, it brought about a solution that promised to be even more fun than the original event.