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Matthew Perry, a 53-year-old actor, is popular for playing Chandler Bing on one of modern television's most successful sitcoms, Friends. Although his role in Friends helped him gain popularity, Matthew Perry's battles with addiction have also made news.
In his memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing, Matthew Perry explicitly talks about how he kept his career going despite a long-term addiction. Her further reveals details of his romantic life and the bond he shared with his co-stars on Friends. The description of his encounters with other popular personalities makes the book all the more interesting.
The most surprising reveals about Matthew Perry made in Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing
1) Matthew Perry's relationship with Julia Roberts began with a fax
It is widely known that Matthew Perry briefly dated Julia Roberts between 1995 and 1996. Roberts even appeared on Friends during that time. Initially, the show's makers suggested that Perry get in touch with her over fax and ask her to appear on one of their episodes.
However, once he began communicating with her over fax, the two developed a special friendship and began dating. Roberts appeared on Friends multiple times after that, however, the couple broke up soon after.
In the book, he also reveals that along with his battles with addiction, the reason for his decision to break up was that he didn't see himself as worthy of love.
2) Perry spent about $7 million to fight his addiction and get sober
Along with being in fifteen different rehabilitation centers, Matthew Perry writes that he has spent over $7 million to get sober. While his addiction took a lot from the actor, both professionally and personally, he spent a lot on the purchase of the substance itself. However, he also spent a lot of money trying to stay sober.
The amount included the money he had to pay to compensate for his absence from productions while trying to get sober. It also took a lot for the actor to regain his reputation after it was out in the open that he was struggling with addiction.
3) Matthew Perry was almost cast in Don't Look Up
Don't Look Up is a 2021 Netflix film starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, and Meryl Streep in pivotal roles. Despite the star cast, the film got highly negative reviews. However, the leads in the film delivered powerful performances.
Matthew Perry revealed in his memoir that he was intially supposed to play a journalist in the film and had gotten the opportunity to share screen space with Meryl Streep. Although his casting was almost finalized, he didn't end up in the film. This was because of a medical emergency.
He was undergoing surgery to insert a medical device that would ease the pain from his previous surgeries. During this procedure, his heart stopped for five minutes, and the doctors had to perform CPR to save Perry. However, the CPR broke eight of his ribs. Considering the severity of the injury, Perry had to opt out of being in the film.
4) Bruce Willis lost a bet to Perry, which led to the former's appearance on Friends
Matthew Perry starred alongside Bruce Willis in the 2000 film The Whole Nine Yards. While Willis doubted the film's potential success, Perry was confident. He went on to place a bet with Willis and said he would have to appear on Friends if the film did indeed work.
The movie became a major success leading to Bruce Willis' popular appearance on the sitcom.
5) Matthew Perry almost proposed to Lizzy Caplan
Matthew Perry dated Mean Girls actress Lizzy Caplan for six years. Caplan went on to marry Tom Riley later.
In the book, Matthew Perry describes meeting Caplan and falling in love with her. Although he doesn't use her name, he describes a woman he dated for six years who eventually married a British guy.
He also confessed that he was planning to propose but never got around to doing it.
Friends, Lovers and The Big Terrible Thing released on November 1, 2022, and is now available to purchase.
