Matthew Perry's fans raised concerns about his health after the release of his interview ahead of the "Friends Reunion Special."
The sitcom Friends has a special place in our hearts even today, despite its end in 2003. Recently, the long-standing dream of fans to see the cast members reunite came true. The Friends Reunion Special caused so much excitement among fans, they celebrated the special all over social media when it released. However, some were concerned over Matthew Perry aka Chandler's health.
The one where the gang's back together! Ahead of their highly anticipated reunion, the cast of #Friends (Jennifer Aniston, @CourteneyCox, @LisaKudrow, @Matt_LeBlanc, @MatthewPerry, and @DavidSchwimmer) sit down for an exclusive interview: https://t.co/IH42Hf8yj3 pic.twitter.com/XR2M34P3zo
— PeopleTV (@peopletv) May 19, 2021
According to Pop culture, during an interview with People ahead of the special, Perry appeared to slur his words. While answering a question about the souvenirs he took from the set, Perry responded, "I stole the cookie jar that had the clock on it," pronouncing "stole" with a "sh" sound.
Pointing this out, many fans took to Twitter to express their worries about the actor's health. "It pains me to see Matthew Perry like this, he just seems off, gazing at the void, speaking slowly," wrote one. Another stated, "Hate to say it, but I’m sad and scared like hell for Matthew Perry."
AAAND THEY'RE BACK!
— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) May 20, 2021
LOOK: 'Friends: The Reunion' has cast members Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, and David Schwimmer reuniting for the first time onscreen since the sitcom aired its final episode 20 years ago. 📷 HBO Max Pop/Twitter pic.twitter.com/6Ywf541xRX
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eanwhile, concerns about Perry's health are not new. Over the years, the actor has gone through ups and downs due to his drug and alcohol addiction battle.
Speaking to BBC Radio 2 in 2016, the 90s heartthrob admitted that he does not recollect three seasons of Friends.
“I think the answer is, I don’t remember three years of it,” he said. “So none of those … Somewhere between season three and six … I was a little out of it," said Perry, according to Vulture.
The actor, who made the bellies of his fans hurt from laughter, struggled with his addictions. Reflecting on his tough times, Perry stated, "I was on FRIENDS from age 24 to 34. I was in the white-hot flame of fame. The six of us were just everywhere all the time."
He continued, "From an outsider’s perspective, it would seem like I had it all. It was actually a very lonely time for me because I was suffering from alcoholism.” Though his co-stars did not suspect his issues at first, as days went by, it became evident to them as Perry, who refrained from getting high at work, could not hide his hangover anymore.
“I was never high at work. I was painfully hungover. Then eventually things got so bad I couldn’t hide it and everybody knew,” said the actor to People, according to Huffington Post.
"I had a big problem with alcohol and pills and I couldn’t stop," he told People magazine.
As his addiction spiraled, Perry decided to take matters into his hands. He went to rehab in 1997 and turned a new leaf. Unfortunately, it did not last very long. In 2001, Perry hit rock bottom. He showed up to work hungover and decided to reach out to his parents for help.
“It was scary. I didn’t want to die. But I’m grateful for how bad it got. It only made me more adamant about trying to get better," recalled Perry, according to Page Six.
The incident became a turning point in Perry's life. After spending two and a half months in treatment, he realized he was capable of living a happy life without drugs or alcohol.
“I’m making plans to go away for a month to focus on my sobriety and to continue my life in recovery,” said the actor at the time.
Motivated by his own experience, Perry started the Perry House, a sober-living facility for men. Since then, Perry has come a long way. “I’ve had a lot of ups and downs in my life and a lot of wonderful accolades... the best thing about me is that if an alcoholic comes up to me and says, ‘Will you help me stop drinking?’ I will say, ‘Yes. I know how to do that,'" said the actor to Hollywood Reporter.
However, years of addiction took a toll on his health. Though not much is known of his present health conditions, in 2018, the actor was reported to have spent three months in the hospital to repair a gastrointestinal perforation, according to Newsday.
Perry keeps a low profile and has not taken up new projects since 2017.
References:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06w52zz
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/matthew-perry-friends-three-seasons_n_56a65f0de4b0404eb8f25999
https://people.com/archive/restricted-matthew-perry-how-i-turned-my-life-around-vol-80-no-3/
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/matthew-perry-sobriety-service-two-815960
Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photos by (L) Alberto E. Rodriguez and (R) Newsmakers
