The One About Matthew Perry, a three-part documentary examining the actor’s rise to global fame, his private struggles with addiction and legacy, is coming to Netflix. The Ottawa-raised actor was 54 when he died from the acute effects of ketamine in 2023, with his death ultimately ruled accidental. (A Los Angeles drug dealer prosecutors dubbed the “Ketamine Queen” was sentenced to 15 years in prison earlier this year for supplying the powerful dissociative anesthetic to the actor.)
The series was directed by Emmy Award winner Mary Robertson and features previously unheard memories from Perry’s sister, Mia Perry Bowick, as well as longtime friends and collaborators. It will also contain unreleased photographs and home videos from the Perry family’s private archive.
For viewers all across the world, Perry was synonymous with Chandler Bing, the character he played throughout all 10 seasons of Friends. From 1994 to 2004, Perry appeared in all 236 episodes of the sitcom, helping turn Chandler into one of the show’s most recognizable characters.
After the series, Perry was increasingly open about his struggles with substance addiction. His 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, detailed his experiences with addiction, recovery and the physical consequences of years of substance use.
Robertson says the documentary aims to move beyond the public image of Perry and allow those closest to him to tell a fuller story. The One About Matthew Perry premieres on Netflix on Oct. 27.
