Matthew Perry seemed so jovial as an actor on the beloved sitcom Friends. But behind the scenes, he now recalls, he struggled with addiction. And at one point, Perry sought as much as 55 Vicodin pills daily.
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Learn what Matthew revealed about his struggles with drugs. And discover how he finally sought help in rehab. Get all the details below.
Matthew Perry – Struggled With Addiction Amid Filming ‘Friends’
Famed for its happy, funny content, Friends turned actors like Jennifer Aniston and Matthew Perry into superstars. But for Perry, the joy quickly got lost in his battle with addiction. And now the actor looks back and opens up in a heart-wrenching interview, as reported by Page Six.
Because of Friends‘ success, Matthew quickly soared to what he now regards as his career’s biggest high point. For instance, fans adored the famous scene when Perry’s character Chandler Bing got married to Monica Gellar (Courteney Cox). That much-applauded wedding took place during the NBC sitcom’s season 7 finale.
But after filming the famous scene, reality set in for Perry. And he returned to rehab. Looking back, Matthew recalled riding “back to the treatment center … in a pickup truck helmed by a sober technician.”
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Matthew Perry – Recalls Needing 55 Vicodin Each Day
In his memoir, Friends, Lovers And The Big Terrible Thing,” Perry describes how addiction changed his life. And he points out that success didn’t change his craving for drugs. “[I was] at the height of my highest point in ‘Friends,’ the highest point in my career, the iconic moment on the iconic show,” noted Matthew.
Calling his addiction “exhausting,” the 53-year-old Friends alum described his search for drugs. He “would wake up and have to get 55 Vicodin that day and figure out how to do it,” admitted Perry. “When you’re a drug addict, it’s all math.”
Matthew also sought to change assumptions about his life during his addiction. And he shared that he did not seek out drugs in order to “to feel high or to feel good.” Rather than look for parties to attend, Perry “just wanted to sit on my couch, take five Vicodin and watch a movie. That was heaven for me. It no longer is.”
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Jennifer Aniston – Confronted Matthew Perry About His Alcohol Abuse
And in his memoir, the actor also recalls what he describes as “a hell. Don’t let anyone tell you different,” added Matthew. “I’ve been there; it exists; end of discussion.” The actor also credited Jennifer Aniston with talking to him about his abuse of alcohol.
But at one point, Perry shared, he realized he spent almost $9 million on “trying to get sober.” And his addiction nearly killed him. Perry recalled how his colon burst. And using a colostomy bag played a role in scaring him. “My therapist said, ‘The next time you think about taking OxyContin, just think about having a colostomy bag for the rest of your life.’ And a little window opened, and I crawled through it, and I no longer want OxyContin.”
Looking ahead to a sober future, Matthew feels open to getting married and welcoming children into his life. And he feels he would make a terrific father. Perry proposed to Molly Hurwitz in 2020. However, the literary manager ended their engagement the next year.
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