Matthew Perry's birthday

While most knew him best as Chandler Bing from the hit sitcom Friends, Matthew Perry was a highly celebrated actor whose career spanned several decades. He worked throughout film, television, and theater – and even published a best-selling autobiography.

Early life

Matthew Perry was born on August 19, 1969, in Williamstown, a small town in Massachusetts, though he was raised in Ottawa. His father, John Bennett Perry, was an actor, and his mother, Suzanne Marie Morrison, worked as a journalist and political advisor.

While he always had a talent for performing, Perry originally devoted most of his time to tennis. He was once a top-ranked junior player in Canada.

At the age of just 15, Perry moved to LA to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. His first TV role was in the series Second Chance (later renamed Boys Will Be Boys). Although the show was short-lived, Perry began to work consistently within film and TV.

Friends and Fame

In 1994, Perry was offered the role of Chandler Bing in Friends – a sitcom that would become an overnight sensation, eventually accumulating millions of monthly viewers. Friends remains one of the most-streamed TV series to date, despite being broadcast at a time before streaming services existed.

In his 2022 autobiography, Friends, Lovers & The Big Terrible Thing, Perry recalled how, just a few weeks before his audition, “I found myself getting to my knees, closing my eyes tightly, and praying. I had never done this before,” saying, “God, you can do whatever you want to me. Just please make me famous.”

The rest, as they say, is history.

As Friends soared in popularity, the cast became recognizable around the world and earned some of the most competitive salaries in the industry. By negotiating together as a team, the cast secured $1 million per episode during the show’s later seasons.

The cast also made history by submitting themselves only as supporting actors for awards, rather than entering the leading actor categories. This decision reflected their belief that Friends was largely an ensemble production. They used this same logic to advocate for equal pay for all six cast members.

Other achievements

Matthew Perry worked extensively in film and TV. Some of his most celebrated films include 17 Again, The Whole Nine Yards, and Fools Rush In. In recent years, Perry took a break from on-camera work, releasing a memoir in 2022 that explored his career, personal life, and struggles with overcoming addiction.

Throughout his career, Perry was nominated for over 34 awards. His big wins included:

• TV Guide Awards (2000) Editors Choice, shared with Friends Co-Stars.
• Screen Actors Guild Awards (1996) Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series, Friends.
• OFTA (1997) Best Ensemble in a Comedy Series, Friends.
• Golden Derby Awards (2010) TV Movie Actor of the Decade, The Triumph
• Golden Derby Awards (2012) Drama Guest Actor, The Good Wife.

Passing

Matthew Perry passed away on October 28, 2023. His contributions to the entertainment industry, as well as his openness about his personal struggles, have left an enduring legacy that continues to resonate with fans and colleagues alike.

Fun Facts

• Matthew was missing the tip of his right middle finger (an injury that is sometimes noticeable on camera). This incident occurred when Matthew was just three years old, as he tapped his finger in a door frame.

• During grade school, Matthew Perry was classmates with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

• As a high school student, a teacher told Perry that he would never amount to anything if he was joking around all the time. When he first graced the cover of People Magazine, he sent a copy to the same teacher.