‘Friends’ star Matthew Perry dead from apparent drowning

Matthew Perry, known for his role as Chandler Bing on the sitcom “Friends” from 1994 to 2004, died Saturday from an apparent drowning. He was 54.

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Perry’s death was confirmed by Capt. Scot Williams of the Los Angeles Police Department’s robbery-homicide division, The New York Times reported.

The Los Angeles Times, citing anonymous sources, said that authorities responded to Perry’s home in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles at about 4 p.m. PDT, where he was found unresponsive in a hot tub.

TMZ was the first outlet to report the actor’s death.

TMZ, citing “law enforcement sources,” said that Perry was allegedly found in a jacuzzi; no drugs were found at the scene.

A 911 call came in at 4:07 p.m. PDT and was treated as a water rescue, a law enforcement source told NBC News.

Los Angeles Fire Department spokesperson Brian Humphrey said that no one was taken to a hospital, according to the news outlet.

Law enforcement sources did not provide a cause of death because the investigation was ongoing, the Los Angeles Times reported. There was no sign of foul play.

The Los Angeles Police Department’s robbery-homicide detectives are investigating the death, according to the newspaper.

Representatives for Perry did not immediately respond to People’s request for comment.

“We are devastated to learn of Matthew Perry’s passing,” Warner Bros. tweeted Saturday. “He was a true gift to us all. Our heart goes out to his family, loved ones, and all of his fans.”

Perry received a Primetime Emmy nomination in 2002 for his performance in “Friends,” Variety reported.

In his 2022 memoir, “Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing,” Perry wrote how longtime opioid use caused his colon to burst in 2018. He also touched on his lifelong struggle with opioids and alcohol, which led to several trips to rehabilitation centers, the Los Angeles Times reported.

“My friends call me Matty,” the book’s opening line reads, according to the newspaper. “And I should be dead.”

Perry first went to rehab in 1997 for what was described as an addiction to pain medication, The New York Times reported. In 2000, he was hospitalized for pancreatitis, according to the newspaper.

His addiction led to a series of complications in 2018. In addition to the burst colon, Perry suffered from pneumonia, was briefly on life support and spent two weeks in a coma, The New York Times reported. He also had more than a dozen stomach surgeries, according to the newspaper.

Born in Williamstown, Massachusetts, on Aug. 19, 1969, Matthew Langford Perry was raised in Ottawa, Canada, People reported. One of his classmates was future Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

His mother, Suzanne Morrison, was a journalist and press secretary to Trudeau’s father, another Canadian prime minister -- Pierre Trudeau.

Perry’s stepfather is “Dateline’s” Keith Morrison, according to People. His father, John Bennett Perry, was an actor and model. Matthew Perry appeared in a 1979 episode of his father’s series, “240 Robert,” according to the magazine.

Shortly after 7 p.m. PDT, Perry’s mother and stepfather appeared at the actor’s home, The New York Times reported. They declined to comment, according to the newspaper.

Perry began his career as a child actor, guest starring on “Charles in Charge” and “Beverly Hills 90210,” the Los Angeles Times reported. He also played opposite River Phoenix in “A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon,” according to the newspaper.

But his big break came on “Friends,” where he starred with Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer.

In addition to “Friends,” Perry appeared in several comedy films, including “Fools Rush In,” “17 Again” and “The Whole Nine Yards,” KTLA-TV reported. He also appeared in “The West Wing” and “Scrubs,” NBC News reported.

He was the co-creator, executive producer and star of the sitcom “Mr. Sunshine,” which ran from February to April 2011, according to Variety.

Perry said he was on an “emotional roller coaster” because of the success of “Friends,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.

“There was steam coming out of my ears, I wanted to be famous so badly,” Perry said in a 2002 interview with The New York Times. “You want the attention, you want the bucks, and you want the best seat in the restaurant. I didn’t think what the repercussions would be. When (stardom) happens, it’s kind of like Disneyland for a while. For me, it lasted about eight months, this feeling of, ‘I’ve made it, I’m thrilled, there’s no problem in the world.’

“And then you realize that it doesn’t accomplish anything, it’s certainly not filling any holes in your life.”

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