When FRIENDS Actor Matthew Perry Spoke About His True Legacy Beyond the Show
ENTERTAINMENT
Matthew Perry, best known for his iconic role in FRIENDS, once spoke about the legacy he hoped to leave behind. In an interview, he revealed what he truly wanted to be remembered for.
Matthew Perry’s Legacy: What the FRIENDS Star Wanted to Be Remembered For
Matthew Perry, forever cherished for his role as the witty and lovable Chandler Bing in FRIENDS, continues to live on in the hearts of millions. His sudden passing on October 28, 2023, shocked the world, but a year before his untimely death, the actor had spoken candidly about the legacy he wished to leave behind.
When Matthew Perry Spoke About His Legacy
During the promotion of his memoir Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing in 2022, Perry appeared on the Q With Tom Power podcast, where he opened up about what truly mattered to him.
“I would like to be remembered as somebody who lived well, loved well, was a seeker. And his paramount thing is that he wants to help people. That’s what I want.”
For Perry, his greatest achievement wasn’t his acting career, but his ability to support others battling addiction. He explained:
“The best thing about me, bar none, is that if somebody comes to me and says, ‘I can’t stop drinking, can you help me?’ I can say ‘yes’ and follow up and do it. When I die, I don’t want FRIENDS to be the first thing that’s mentioned. I want that to be the first thing that’s mentioned. And I’m gonna live the rest of my life proving that.”
Why He Didn’t Watch FRIENDS
In the same conversation, Perry revealed why he had never been able to re-watch the show that made him a household name. The actor admitted that revisiting the episodes brought back painful reminders of his struggles with addiction.
“I didn’t watch the show, and haven’t watched the show, because I could go drinking … opiates … drinking … cocaine.”
Yet, toward the end of his life, he confessed he was open to watching it again—because of how deeply it touched people across generations:
“It’s become this important, significant thing and I, you know, I would watch that again.”
A Legacy Beyond Chandler Bing
While FRIENDS ran for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004 and made Perry a global star, he wanted to be remembered for something more profound: his fight to help others overcome addiction. That, in his words, was the “best thing” about him.
Even in death, Matthew Perry’s honesty, humor, and compassion continue to inspire. His legacy is not just in the laughter he brought to screens but in the lives he touched beyond them.
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