New Netflix documentary reveals Matthew Perry spent $7 million on sobriety

Netflix has released the first trailer for a new three-part documentary about the late actor Matthew Perry, which focuses on his struggles with addiction and his life beyond his famous role as Chandler Bing in Friends. Directed by Emmy Award winner Mary Robertson, the series is titled The One About Matthew Perry and will premiere on October 27, just a day before the third anniversary of the actor's death. The documentary includes the first public interview with Matthew's sister, Mia Perry Bowick, along with archival footage, private family photos and videos, and interviews with close friends and work colleagues. In the trailer, archival clips show Matthew talking about praying to God to make him famous, and realizing after getting the hit show that achieving his dream did not fix what was wrong inside him. Bowick shares that her brother experienced deep loneliness and spent seven million dollars in his attempts to get sober, showing how seriously he fought his disease. She also speaks about his humor, his generous spirit, and why she waited until now to share these memories publicly. Apart from his sister, the series features his longtime friends David Pressman, Roger Castillo, and West Huddleston, who talk about his forty-year friendship and his work in drug court advocacy. Former NBC President Warren Littlefield and Friends Season 1 writer Jeff Strauss also share memories about his career and his role in creating the iconic sitcom character. Matthew Perry passed away on October 28, 2023, at the age of 54 at his Los Angeles home, with his death ruled an accident caused by the acute effects of ketamine, alongside drowning, coronary artery disease, and buprenorphine.

Context

Matthew Perry's struggle with substance abuse was something he was open about in his later years, often using his own experience to help others facing similar battles. Documentaries of this kind often draw on personal archives and family interviews to give fans a more complete look at the human behind a global television icon.