<p>Matthew Perry turns 54 on Saturday, August 19, marking another chapter in his life's remarkable journey. The acclaimed actor, celebrated for his portrayal of Chandler Bing on the beloved sitcom <em>Friends</em>, continues to win hearts and minds. As we commemorate this special day, it's an opportunity to look back on his memoir, released last year titled,<em> Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing</em>. Last year, Perry gifted readers with an intimate glimpse into his life through his memoir. The pages of this revelatory work offer a poignant narrative of his struggles and triumphs, revealing a side of the actor that transcends the silver screen. Beyond the fame and laughter associated with his iconic role, Perry's memoir delves into the complexities of his personal battles.</p>

<p>Also Read:&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-explained--controversy-around-friends-a-classic-sitcom-or-a-relic-of-a-less-diverse-era-577770">Explained | Controversy around Friends: A classic sitcom or a relic of a less diverse era?</a></strong></p>

<h2><strong>A troubled path</strong></h2>

<p>Perry has never shied away from discussing his struggles with addiction, but his memoir delved deeper into his darkest moments. From his first drink at the age of 14 to his consistent alcohol use by the time he turned 18, his journey through substance abuse is a tale of both despair and resilience.</p>

<p>After the success of the second season of <em>Friends</em>, Perry's life took a dramatic turn when he travelled to Las Vegas to film <em>When Fools Rush In</em>. A jet ski accident during filming led to his prescription of Vicodin, which became the catalyst for a crippling addiction to pills. Perry confessed in his memoir that he reached a shocking low point, consuming a staggering 55 pills a day. To get the pills, he engaged in elaborate schemes, including faking migraines and undergoing MRIs with multiple doctors. He even resorted to searching the medicine cabinets of strangers' homes during open houses to feed his addiction.</p>

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<h2><strong>Facing death and seeking redemption</strong></h2>

<p>Perry's story took a harrowing turn in 2018 when his colon ruptured, plunging him into a coma for two weeks. With a mere 2 per cent chance of survival, he battled for his life. The actor endured multiple surgeries and lived with a colostomy bag for nine months as he fought to recover. His resilience and determination shone through in his memoir as he detailed the extent of his journey, which included attending over 6,000 AA meetings, undergoing 15 rehab stints, and enduring detox 65 times.</p>

<p>The toll on his physical and emotional well-being was immense, accompanied by financial strain. Perry shared that he spent between $7 million and $9 million in his quest for sobriety, undergoing 14 surgeries, with the most recent in January 2022, leaving him with a significant scar.</p>

<h2>A lifelong struggle</h2>

<p>Even amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, his battle with addiction persisted. He found himself in a rehab center in Switzerland, where he manipulated his way to receive 1,800mg&nbsp;of Oxycontin daily. A surgical procedure during his time in Switzerland nearly ended his life, with Perry waking up 11 hours later after his heart stopped for five minutes due to the effects of propofol. Despite his near-death experience, his determination to feed his addiction drove him to take a private jet back to Switzerland when he was denied the medication he sought in Los Angeles.</p>

<h2>Friends and financial confessions</h2>

<p>Perry's memoir not only chronicles his struggles but also offers a glimpse into his time on the set of Friends. He openly discussed the financial dynamics of the show, revealing that he, along with his co-stars, negotiated collectively to secure higher pay as the series gained immense popularity. He acknowledges David Schwimmer's role in these negotiations and expresses gratitude for the support that enabled them to earn over a million dollars per episode.</p>

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Matthew Perry turns 54 on Saturday, August 19, marking another chapter in his life's remarkable journey. The acclaimed actor, celebrated for his portrayal of Chandler Bing on the beloved sitcom Friends, continues to win hearts and minds.

Matthew Perry turns 54 on Saturday, August 19, marking another chapter in his life's remarkable journey. The acclaimed actor, celebrated for his portrayal of Chandler Bing on the beloved sitcom Friends, continues to win hearts and minds. As we commemorate this special day, it's an opportunity to look back on his memoir, released last year titled, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing. Last year, Perry gifted readers with an intimate glimpse into his life through his memoir. The pages of this revelatory work offer a poignant narrative of his struggles and triumphs, revealing a side of the actor that transcends the silver screen. Beyond the fame and laughter associated with his iconic role, Perry's memoir delves into the complexities of his personal battles. Also Read: Explained | Controversy around Friends: A classic sitcom or a relic of a less diverse era? A troubled path Perry has never shied away from discussing his struggles with addiction, but his memoir delved deeper into his darkest moments. From his first drink at the age of 14 to his consistent alcohol use by the time he turned 18, his journey through substance abuse is a tale of both despair and resilience. After the success of the second season of Friends, Perry's life took a dramatic turn when he travelled to Las Vegas to film When Fools Rush In. A jet ski accident during filming led to his prescription of Vicodin, which became the catalyst for a crippling addiction to pills. Perry confessed in his memoir that he reached a shocking low point, consuming a staggering 55 pills a day. To get the pills, he engaged in elaborate schemes, including faking migraines and undergoing MRIs with multiple doctors. He even resorted to searching the medicine cabinets of strangers' homes during open houses to feed his addiction. Facing death and seeking redemption Perry's story took a harrowing turn in 2018 when his colon ruptured, plunging him into a coma for two weeks. With a mere 2 per cent chance of survival, he battled for his life. The actor endured multiple surgeries and lived with a colostomy bag for nine months as he fought to recover. His resilience and determination shone through in his memoir as he detailed the extent of his journey, which included attending over 6,000 AA meetings, undergoing 15 rehab stints, and enduring detox 65 times. The toll on his physical and emotional well-being was immense, accompanied by financial strain. Perry shared that he spent between $7 million and $9 million in his quest for sobriety, undergoing 14 surgeries, with the most recent in January 2022, leaving him with a significant scar. A lifelong struggle Even amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, his battle with addiction persisted. He found himself in a rehab center in Switzerland, where he manipulated his way to receive 1,800mg of Oxycontin daily. A surgical procedure during his time in Switzerland nearly ended his life, with Perry waking up 11 hours later after his heart stopped for five minutes due to the effects of propofol. Despite his near-death experience, his determination to feed his addiction drove him to take a private jet back to Switzerland when he was denied the medication he sought in Los Angeles. Friends and financial confessions Perry's memoir not only chronicles his struggles but also offers a glimpse into his time on the set of Friends. He openly discussed the financial dynamics of the show, revealing that he, along with his co-stars, negotiated collectively to secure higher pay as the series gained immense popularity. He acknowledges David Schwimmer's role in these negotiations and expresses gratitude for the support that enabled them to earn over a million dollars per episode. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Matthew Perry turns 54: Friends star's triumphs, struggles, and redemption

<p>After making some shocking revelations in his memoir 'Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing', 'FRIENDS' fame Matthew Perry is opening up about his addiction to pills and alcohol in a new interview. When the actor was shown an old clip from his popular sitcom where he is looking super skinny, he couldn't hold his tears and got emotional while talking about his massive weight fluctuations due to substance abuse.</p>

<p>In a candid conversation with Diane Sawyer from ABC special, Matthew said that the video clip illustrates the toll his addiction to pills took on his body and shared how drugs squashed his appetite, causing him to lose a ton of weight to the point where it was unhealthy.</p>

<section data-context="{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}" id="cb-7a25b334256975cc7fd829479169334b">
<p>The actor told the interviewer that his weight dropped as low as 128 lbs and at the time, he could feel going&nbsp;"out of control".&nbsp;Matthew also spoke about the time he&nbsp;gained weight due to heavy drinking.</p>

<p>It took him&nbsp;6,000 AA meetings and 15 stints at rehab facilities&nbsp;to break the cycle of addiction and get back to his healthy self.</p>

<p>Crediting Jennifer Aniston for being his pillar of strength during the hard times, he shared how his friends helped him get better and healthier.</p>

<p>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/rock-n-roll-pioneer-jerry-lee-lewis-has-died-at-age-87-529284" hreflang="en">Rock n' roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis has died at age 87</a></p>

<p>Recently, the actor grabbed headlines for talking openly about his relationships with Cameron Diaz and Julia Roberts in his memoir. He&nbsp;also spoke about the time he "almost died" in rehab after his colon exploded. He shared in his book that the&nbsp;rehab staff&nbsp;tried to block him from going to the hospital after he experienced excruciating pain, just because they thought he was pretending to be sick to get his hands on drugs.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Matthew was in a coma for two weeks after this incident took place at the rehab. His family was told at the time that he had only a 2 per cent chance of survival. He ended up staying in the hospital for about five months for treatment.</p>
</section>


After making some shocking revelations in his memoir 'Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing', 'FRIENDS' fame Matthew Perry is opening up about his addiction to pills and alcohol in a new interview.

After making some shocking revelations in his memoir 'Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing', 'FRIENDS' fame Matthew Perry is opening up about his addiction to pills and alcohol in a new interview. When the actor was shown an old clip from his popular sitcom where he is looking super skinny, he couldn't hold his tears and got emotional while talking about his massive weight fluctuations due to substance abuse. In a candid conversation with Diane Sawyer from ABC special, Matthew said that the video clip illustrates the toll his addiction to pills took on his body and shared how drugs squashed his appetite, causing him to lose a ton of weight to the point where it was unhealthy. The actor told the interviewer that his weight dropped as low as 128 lbs and at the time, he could feel going "out of control". Matthew also spoke about the time he gained weight due to heavy drinking. It took him 6,000 AA meetings and 15 stints at rehab facilities to break the cycle of addiction and get back to his healthy self. Crediting Jennifer Aniston for being his pillar of strength during the hard times, he shared how his friends helped him get better and healthier. Also read: Rock n' roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis has died at age 87 Recently, the actor grabbed headlines for talking openly about his relationships with Cameron Diaz and Julia Roberts in his memoir. He also spoke about the time he "almost died" in rehab after his colon exploded. He shared in his book that the rehab staff tried to block him from going to the hospital after he experienced excruciating pain, just because they thought he was pretending to be sick to get his hands on drugs. Matthew was in a coma for two weeks after this incident took place at the rehab. His family was told at the time that he had only a 2 per cent chance of survival. He ended up staying in the hospital for about five months for treatment.

Teary-eyed Matthew Perry looks back at massive weight fluctuations due to substance abuse

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Matthew Perry turns 54: Friends star's triumphs, struggles, and redemption

Teary-eyed Matthew Perry looks back at massive weight fluctuations due to substance abuse