“The highest point in my career”: Matthew Perry Had to be Driven Away From FRIENDS Set Soon After Marrying Courteney Cox
Matthew Perry rose to fame primarily for his iconic portrayal of Chandler Bing in the hit TV series Friends. His portrayal of this sarcastic and lovable character made him a household name and endeared him to audiences worldwide. However, beyond the bright lights of Hollywood and the camaraderie of the Friends cast, Perry had a personal battle frequently discussed on the set — his struggle with addiction to alcohol and painkillers.
During the filming of season seven of Friends, the cast and crew, who had grown to be like family, witnessed a particularly poignant moment in Perry’s life. During this season, Chandler Bing, his character, married Monica Geller, played by Courteney Cox. The fictional wedding was a significant milestone in the series, but it coincided with a real-life crisis for Perry. After filming the scenes for this pivotal episode, he was immediately driven back to a treatment center to confront his ongoing battle with addiction.
Matthew Perry’s Harrowing Battle of Addiction at the Pinnacle of Fame
In his eagerly awaited memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, Matthew Perry provides a poignant and candid account of his journey through addiction, even during the peak of his career while filming season seven of the beloved TV show Friends. Perry’s reflections on this challenging period offer a glimpse into the trials and tribulations that often remain hidden behind the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry.
While embodying the character of Chandler Bing in Friends, Matthew Perry was simultaneously battling addiction. This revelation exposed a deeply personal struggle during a time when he was at the height of his acting career. The turning point in his journey occurred during the Season 7 finale of Friends, where Chandler Bing marries Monica Geller, played by Courteney Cox. This pivotal event held immense significance for both the show and Perry’s personal life, juxtaposing his professional success with a profound and challenging personal battle. Perry told The New York Times,
“I married Monica and got driven back to the treatment center — at the height of my highest point in ‘Friends,’ the highest point in my career, the iconic moment on the iconic show — in a pickup truck helmed by a sober technician.”
Perry’s disclosure that he had to wake up and grapple with the daunting prospect of consuming 55 Vicodin pills in a single day is a chilling testament to the extent of his addiction. It underscores the sheer magnitude of the struggle he was engaged in while maintaining a facade of success in the public eye.
Matthew Perry’s Journey into the Abyss of Addiction
In his memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, Matthew Perry candidly reveals a lifelong struggle with drugs and alcohol. This battle, which began at a young age, consumed a significant part of his life. Perry’s narrative prominently features his opioid addiction, as well as a near-death experience at 49 due to a gastrointestinal perforation. His two-week coma, five-month hospital stay, and nine months of relying on a colostomy bag mark a pivotal turning point in his journey. Perry told People,
“My therapist said, ‘The next time you think about taking OxyContin, just think about having a colostomy bag for the rest of your life,'” he says. “And a little window opened, and I crawled through it, and I no longer want OxyContin.”
Perry’s journey into addiction initially started with the seemingly innocuous consumption of beer and wine. However, this initial experimentation would eventually spiral into a far more perilous habit, involving vodka and prescription drugs. What’s particularly striking is that Perry’s struggle with addiction was not a secret on the set of Friends. His fellow cast members, who had grown close like a second family, were aware of the challenges he was facing. However, Matthew Perry’s candid memoir serves as an inspiring testament to his courage for those facing similar battles.
