What Late Actor Matthew Perry Said Last Year About How He Wanted to Be Remembered and How His Legacy Would Live On

Over the weekend, it was reported that Friends actor Matthew Perry had passed away. He was found by police on Saturday in the hot tub of his Los Angeles home. The actor had a long television and film career, bringing his unique and hilarious style to the projects he worked on, and in the wake of the loss, fans are remembering how he just described in the last year how he would like to be remembered.

Perry wrote his memoir, which came out last year, and it allowed him to address his career as well as his personal struggles with alcoholism and prescription drug addiction. He was traveling the road to recovery over the years, but prided himself most on what he learned on that journey, and how it enabled him to help others who were struggling with the same afflictions.

Speaking on the Q with Tom Power podcast in 2022 to promote his memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, Perry talked about his hopes for his posthumous legacy, saying:

“I would like to be remembered as somebody who lived well, loved well, was a seeker. And (my) paramount thing is that (I) want to help people. That’s what I want. The best thing about me, bar none, is that if an alcoholic or drug addict comes up to me and says, ‘Will you help me?’ I can say yes and follow up and do it.”

Despite that, Perry was well aware of how his obituary would read, as he related in a another post circulating on the social media site X.

“When I die, I know people will talk about Friends, Friends, Friends. And I’m glad of that, happy I’ve done some solid work as an actor, as well as given people multiple chances to make fun of my struggles on the world wide web…but when I die, as far as my so-called accomplishments go, it would be nice if Friends were listed far behind the things I did to try to help other people. I know it won’t happen, but it would be nice.”

Among his accomplishments, Perry leaves behind the Perry House in Malibu, a sober-living facility for men. He also wrote The End of Longing, a play which he said “is a personal message to the world, an exaggerated form of me as a drunk. I had something important to say to people like me, and to people who love people like me,” he wrote in his memoir.

Matthew Perry’s memory and contribution to the recovering community will not be forgotten.

via: Deadline